Anatomy and Physiology: Body Regions, Structures, and Medical Prefixes

anterior

front of the body

postierior

back of body

Supierior

above, towards the head

Inferior

Lower on the body, farther from the head

lateral

away from the midline

medial

toward the midline

proximal

Closer to the point of attachment

distal

away from the point of attachment

anatomy

The study of body structure

physiology

The study of body function

gross anatomy

large structures, easily observable

histology

study of tissues

cytology

study of cells

cell biology

cellular structure and functions

tissue

group of similar cells that perform a particular function

organ

group of tissues that work together to perform closely related functions

organism

Any living thing

anatomical position

To stand erect with arms at the sides and palms of the hands turned forward

dorsal

back

ventral

front

cranial

toward the head

caudal

toward the tail

homeostasis

process by which organisms maintain a relatively stable internal environment

a-

without

dys-

bad, painful, difficult

ex-, exo-

out, outside of, outward

end-, endo-

within, inside

epi-

above, upon

hem-, hemo-

blood

hyper-

above

hypo-

under, below

para-

beside, near

-itis

inflammation

-emia

blood condition

-phil, -phillic, -phillia

attraction

-phob, -phobic, phobia

fear

arthr-

joint

brachi-

arm

card-

heart

cyt-

cell

derm-

skin

gastr-

stomach

hepat-

liver

hydro-

water

kal-

Potassium

my-, myo-

muscle

neur-

nerve

onco-

mass, tumor, cancer

sept-

contamination

vas-

vessel

leuko-

white blood cell

morph-

shape, form