Introduction to Anatomy & Physiology

Introduction to Anatomy & Physiology

• Anatomy is the study of the body's structures and their relationships.
• Physiology is the study of the body's functions.
• Biology is the science of all living things.
• Anatomy is derived from the Greek word anatome, which means "to cut up" or "dissect".
• Andreas Vesalius was considered the father of modern human anatomy.
• He published De humani corporis fabrica libri septem in 1543.
• Jean Fernel, a 16th-century French physician, is credited with first introducing the term "physiology".

Nomenclature/Terminologies

• Biology is the science of all living things
• Anatomy is a branch of biology & medicine
• Anatomy describes the body structures and their relationships

Anatomical Position

• The subject stands upright with feet together and toes pointing forward.
• Hands are positioned at the sides, with fingers straight and together, and the thumb positioned at 90° to the other fingers.
• Eyes are focused on a distant object, and the mouth is closed with a neutral facial expression.

Anatomical Planes

• Three primary anatomical planes: coronal, sagittal, and transverse.
• Coronal planes divide the body into anterior and posterior sections.
• Sagittal planes divide the body into right and left sections.
• Median sagittal plane splits the body into equal halves.
• Transverse or axial planes divide the body into superior and inferior sections.

Directional Terms

• Used to pinpoint the location of one body part relative to another.
• Common directional terms: anterior/posterior, medial/lateral, superior/inferior, proximal/distal, cranial/caudal, rostral, superficial/deep, ipsilateral/contralateral, bilateral, internal/external.
• Anterior (ventral) refers to the front of the body.
• Posterior (dorsal) refers to the back of the body.
• Medial refers to the middle of the body.
• Lateral refers to the side of the body.
• Superior refers to a higher position.
• Inferior refers to a lower position.
• Proximal refers to a part closer to the origin of a limb.
• Distal refers to a part farther from the origin of a limb.

Supine/Prone Position

• Supine position: lying on the back.
• Prone position: lying face down.

Surfaces of the Hand/Foot

• Palmar surface of the hand: anterior aspect
• Dorsal surface of the hand: posterior aspect
• Plantar surface of the foot: inferior surface
• Dorsal surface of the foot: superior aspect

Terms of Movement

• Flexion: bending a joint.
• Extension: straightening a joint.
• Lateral flexion: moving the trunk sideways.
• Plantar flexion: bending the foot downward.
• Dorsiflexion: bending the foot upward.
• Abduction: moving a limb away from the midline.
• Adduction: moving a limb toward the midline.
• Circumduction: moving a limb in a circular motion.
• Rotation: turning a limb around its axis.
• Medial rotation: turning a limb inward.
• Lateral rotation: turning a limb outward.
• Pronation: rotating the forearm and hand so the palm faces downward.
• Supination: rotating the forearm and hand so the palm faces upward.
• Protraction: moving a body part forward.
• Retraction: moving a body part backward.
• Eversion: moving the sole of the foot outward.
• Inversion: moving the sole of the foot inward.
• Opposition: touching the thumb to the other fingers.

Body Cavities

• Axial portion: head, neck, trunk, and pelvis.
• Appendicular portion: arms and legs.
• Dorsal cavity: includes the cranial cavity (brain) and vertebral canal (spinal cord).
• Ventral cavity: includes the thoracic cavity (lungs, heart, and other organs) and the abdominopelvic cavity (stomach, intestines, other organs).
• Other smaller cavities in the head include: oral cavity, nasal cavity, orbital cavities, and middle ear cavities.

Body Membranes

• Membranes line body cavities, acting as boundaries.
• Major membranes include pleural (thoracic cavity), pericardial (heart), and peritoneal membranes (abdominopelvic cavity).

Body Systems

• Body systems are sets of organs that work together to perform specific functions.
• Integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine, respiratory, digestive, circulatory, lymphatic, urinary, and reproductive.

Needs of Organisms

• Water, food, oxygen, heat, and atmospheric pressure are crucial for life and metabolic processes within organisms.

Level of Organization

• Atomic level
• Molecular level
• Organelle level
• Cellular level
• Tissue level
• Organ level
• Organ system level
• Organism