ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

Anatomy derived from the word Ana=up

and tomy = Process of cutting is the
science of body structures and the
relationships among them.
Physiology is the science of body
functions how the body parts work.
Dissection is the careful cutting apart of
body structures to study their relationships

ANATOMICAL TERMS
Description of any region of the body
assume the body is in the anatomical
position in which the subject stands erect
facing the observer with the head level
and the eyes facing directly forward and
the upper limbs are at the sides with the
palm turned forward
Prone Position : a body lying face down
Supine position: a body lying face up

 Principle regions of the body are the head,

neck, trunk, upper limbs and lower limbs
Head: consists of the skull and face
Skull encloses and protects the brain
The neck supports the head and attaches it to
the trunk
Trunk consists of chest, abdomen and pelvis
Each upper limbs attaches to the trunk and
consists of the shoulder, axilla, arm, forearm,
wrist and hand
Lower limb also attaches to the trunk and
consists of the buttock, thigh, leg, ankle and foot

Directional terms

Anterior : Front
Posterior : back
Superior: the upper part of a structure
Inferior : the lower part of a structure
Medial: nearer to the midline
Lateral: farther from the midline
Proximal: nearer to the attachment of a
limb to the trunk
Distal: farther from the attachment of a
limb to the trunk

ANATOMICAL PLANES
Planes are imaginary flat surfaces that are
used to divide the body or organs to
visualize interior structures
Midsagittal plane: divides the body or an
organ into equal right and left sides
Parasagittal planes: divides the body or an
organ into an unequal right and left sides
Frontal plane: divides the body or an
organ into anterior and posterior portions

 Transverse plane: divides the body or an

organ into superior and inferior portions
Oblique plane: plane passes through the
body or an organ at an angle between a
transverse plane and either midsagittal,
parasagittal or frontal plane

Body Cavities
Body cavities are spaces within the body that help
protect, separate and support internal organs
Bones, muscles, ligaments and other structures
separate the various body cavities from one
another
Examples of the body cavities include:
- Cranial cavity: contains the brain
- Vertebral canal: contains the spinal cord and
beginning of spinal nerves
- Pleaural cavity
- Pericardial cavity
- Abdominal cavity
- Pelvic cavity

CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING MATTER

Metabolism: is the sum of all the chemical
processes that occur in the body
- Catabolism : the breakdown of complex
chemical substances into simpler
components
- Anabolism: the building up of complex
chemical substances from smaller, simpler
components. Eg amino acid to protein

 Responsiveness: the bodys ability to detect and

respond to changes
Movement: includes motion of the whole body,
individual organs, single cells and tiny structures
within the cell
Growth: an increase in body size resulting from an
increase in size of existing cells or the number of
cells
Differentiation: development of a cell from
unspecialized to specialized state eg rbc
production from precursor/ stem cells
Reproduction: Production of a new individual or
formation of new cells for tissue growth, repair or
replacement

STRUCTURAL ORGANIZATION

Chemical level: atoms and molecules

Cellular level: molecules combines to form cells
Tissue level: group of cells
Organ level: composed of 2 or more different
types of tissues
System level: consists of related organs with a
common function
Organismal level: All the parts of the human
body functioning together constitute the total
organism