Anatomy Overview

Overview of Anatomy

• Anatomy is the scientific study of the structure and organization of living things, including their systems, organs, and tissues.
• It is a branch of biology that deals with the study of the shape, size, structure, and position of the body parts of living organisms.

Types of Anatomy

• Gross Anatomy: The study of the macroscopic structure of the body, including organs and organ systems.
• Microscopic Anatomy: The study of the microscopic structure of tissues and cells.
• Developmental Anatomy: The study of the development of the body from embryo to adult.
• Comparative Anatomy: The study of the similarities and differences in the anatomy of different species.

Organization of the Body

• Cell: The basic structural and functional unit of the body.
• Tissue: A group of similar cells that perform a specific function.
• Organ: A structure composed of two or more types of tissues that work together to perform a specific function.
• Organ System: A group of organs that work together to perform a specific function.

Body Cavities

• Dorsal Cavity: The cavity that contains the brain and spinal cord.
• Ventral Cavity: The cavity that contains the organs of the abdomen and chest.

Body Regions

• Axial Region: The region of the body that includes the head, neck, thorax, and abdomen.
• Appendicular Region: The region of the body that includes the upper and lower limbs.

Directional Terms

• Anatomical Position: The position of the body in which the feet are shoulder-width apart and the arms are at the sides.
• Directional terms: Words used to describe the location of body parts in relation to each other, such as anterior, posterior, superior, inferior, medial, lateral, proximal, and distal.

Planes of the Body

• Sagittal Plane: A plane that divides the body into left and right halves.
• Frontal Plane: A plane that divides the body into anterior and posterior halves.
• Transverse Plane: A plane that divides the body into superior and inferior halves.

Learn about the basics of anatomy, including types of anatomy, organization of the body, body cavities, body regions, directional terms, and planes of the body.