Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology

Study Notes

Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology

Anatomy studies the structure and shape of the body and its parts while physiology focuses on their functions.
Structure and function are inherently linked; an organ's shape determines its role in the body.

Levels of Structural Organization

Chemical Level: Comprises atoms and molecules.
Cellular Level: Includes cells, the basic units of structure and function.
Tissue Level: Groups of similar cells working together for a common function.
Organ Level: Various tissue types combine to form organs.
Organ System Level: Groups of organs that collaborate to perform specific tasks.
Organismal Level: Represents the total human body functioning as a whole.
Structural Organization Order: Atoms → Cells → Tissues → Organs → Organ Systems → Organism.

Organ Systems and Functions

Integumentary System: Protects body, regulates temperature, and disposes of waste; includes skin, hair, nails, and glands.
Nervous System: Coordinates body activities by responding to stimuli; composed of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves.
Skeletal System: Provides support and protection, facilitates movement, and stores minerals; made up of bones, cartilage, and ligaments.
Muscular System: Enables movement, maintains posture, and generates heat through muscle types (skeletal, smooth, cardiac).
Cardiovascular System: Transports oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and waste via heart and blood vessels.
Respiratory System: Supplies blood with oxygen and expels carbon dioxide; includes lungs and airways.
Digestive System: Converts food into absorbable nutrients and eliminates waste; involves mouth, stomach, and intestines.
Urinary System: Removes nitrogenous wastes and regulates body fluids; consists of kidneys, bladder, and urethra.
Reproductive System: Facilitates offspring production; includes testes and ovaries in males and females, respectively.
Endocrine System: Glands secrete hormones that control growth, metabolism, and reproduction.
Lymphatic/Immune System: Returns fluid to blood circulation and is key for immune response with lymph nodes and vessels.

Life Functions and Survival Needs

Necessary Life Functions: Include maintaining boundaries, movement, responsiveness, digestion, metabolism, excretion, reproduction, and growth.
Survival Needs: Essential elements like nutrients, oxygen, water, appropriate temperature, and atmospheric pressure.

Homeostasis and Feedback Mechanisms

Homeostasis ensures stable internal conditions vital for survival.
Negative Feedback: Maintains equilibrium by countering deviations from a set point (e.g., body temperature regulation).
Positive Feedback: Amplifies responses to stimuli (e.g., blood clotting).
Homeostasis cycle involves stimulus, receptor, control center, and effector:
- Negative Feedback: Triggers a counter-response.
- Positive Feedback: Intensifies the response without counteraction.

Description

This quiz explores the definition and relationship between anatomy and physiology, as well as the levels of structural organization in the human body. Understand how the structure of different organs relates to their functions at various levels, including chemical, cellular, and tissue levels.