Introduction to General Anatomy

Study Notes

Introduction to General Anatomy

Anatomy is the study of body structures and how they are organized in living organisms, understanding how these structures relate to each other.
Objectives for the course include defining anatomy and anatomical positions, defining anatomical planes, defining various movement terms (flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, circumduction, medial rotation, lateral rotation, pronation, supination, inversion, eversion, elevation, depression, protraction, retraction, opposition), discussing body regions, body cavities, and body membranes, comparing regional and systemic anatomy.
Subdivisions of anatomy include gross anatomy (regional, systemic, and surface anatomy), microscopic anatomy (histology and cytology), developmental anatomy (embryology), radiological anatomy, and applied anatomy.
Levels of organization begin with the chemical level (atoms and molecules), followed by the cellular level, tissue level, organ level, organ system level, and finally, the organismal level.
Anatomical position: the standard reference position for describing the body's location of structures, with the subject standing erect, feet together, eyes looking forward, upper limbs hanging by the sides, and palms of the hands directed forward.
Anatomical position alternatives (supine and prone). Supine position describes the body lying on its back, while prone position shows the body lying on its face.
Anatomical planes: imaginary flat surfaces used to dissect the body, which include the median/midsagittal plane (dividing the body into equal right and left halves), sagittal plane (a parallel vertical plane dividing the body into unequal right and left halves), coronal/frontal plane (vertical plane dividing the body into anterior and posterior halves), and transverse/cross-sectional plane (horizontal plane dividing the body into superior and inferior halves).
Anatomical terms: words like superior, inferior, anterior, posterior, medial, lateral, proximal, distal, superficial, deep, external, internal, palmar, plantar, dorsal, ipsilateral, and contralateral describe relative locations and positions within the body.
Anatomical movements: terms used to describe specific movements of body parts, such as flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, medial rotation, lateral rotation, pronation, supination, inversion, eversion, elevation, depression, protraction, retraction, circumduction.
Body regions: various parts and divisions of the body, such as head, neck, thorax, abdomen, pelvis.
Body cavities: spaces within the body that contain and protect internal organs, including cranial cavity, vertebral canal, thoracic cavity, abdominal cavity, and pelvic cavity.
Body membranes: thin sheets of tissue that line body cavities and cover organs, including mucous membranes, serous membranes, and cutaneous membranes. Serous membranes include parietal serosa, visceral serosa, serous cavity.
Body systems: groups of organs working harmoniously to perform specific functions in the body, including integumentary system, skeletal system, articular system (joints), muscular system, nervous system, cardiovascular system, lymphatic system, respiratory system, digestive system, urinary system, male reproductive system, and female reproductive system, and endocrine system.
Reference textbooks such as Gray's Anatomy for Students by Drake, Vogl, and Mitchell are recommended.