General Anatomy Overview

General Anatomy

• General Anatomy is the study of organism structure and parts.
• Anatomy is the scientific study of organism structure, including systems, organs, and tissues.
• Anatomy describes the shape, structure, and location of organs and systems.
• It also describes the relationship between organs.

Types of Anatomy

• Two main types of anatomy exist:
  • Gross Anatomy: Examines organs through the naked eye. It includes superficial anatomy – the study of external body features.
  • Microscopic Anatomy (Histology): Uses microscopes to view tissues and cells. It also includes histology (the study of tissues) and embryology (the study of an organism's immature stage).

Directional Terms

• Superior (Cranial): Closer to the head (e.g., the hand is superior to the foot).
• Inferior (Caudal): Closer to the feet (e.g., the foot is inferior to the hand).
• Anterior (Ventral): In front of (e.g., the breastbone is anterior to the spine).
• Posterior (Dorsal): Behind (e.g., the shoulder blades are posterior to the breastbone).
• Medial: Towards the midline of the body.
• Lateral: Away from the midline of the body.
• Proximal: Closer to the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk.
• Distal: Farther from the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk.
• Superficial: Closer to the body surface.
• Deep: Further from the body surface.

Anatomical Planes of the Body

• Coronal (Frontal): Divides the body into anterior and posterior portions.
• Sagittal: Divides the body into right and left portions.
• Median (Midsagittal): A specific sagittal plane passing through the midline of the body.
• Transverse (Axial): Divides the body into superior and inferior portions.

Anatomical Terms of Movement

• Flexion: Decreases the angle between two bones (bending).
• Extension: Increases the angle between two bones (straightening).
• Adduction: Movement towards the midline of the body.
• Abduction: Movement away from the midline of the body.

Body Cavities

• Body cavities are spaces that house internal organs (viscera).
• Two main cavities:
  • Ventral Cavity: Front of the body, further subdivided into:
    • Thoracic Cavity.
    • Abdominal Cavity.
    • Pelvic Cavity(part of the abdominopelvic cavity).
  • Dorsal Cavity: Back of the body, further subdivided into:
    • Cranial Cavity.
    • Spinal Cavity.

This quiz covers the fundamentals of general anatomy, including the structure and parts of organisms. It explores the two main types of anatomy: gross and microscopic, along with directional terms used to describe locations of body parts. Test your knowledge on these essential concepts!