Anatomy Lecture Notes Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering human anatomy concepts including anatomical planes, axes, directional terms, bone shapes, skeletal structures, cartilage types, joint movements, and muscle anatomy.

Anatomical Position

A standardized posture where the body is positioned forward, palms face forward, and feet are together and pointed forward.

Coronal Plane

An anatomical plane that cuts the body into anterior and posterior halves.

Sagittal Plane

An anatomical plane that cuts the body into left and right portions.

Transverse Plane

An anatomical plane that cuts the upper body and lower body in half.

Sagittal Axis

An axis passing through the belly button around which movement in the coronal plane occurs.

Coronal Axis

An axis passing through the hips around which movement in the sagittal plane occurs.

Longitudinal Axis

An axis passing through the head and spine around which movement in the transverse plane occurs.

Anterior

Refers to the front of the body.

Posterior

Refers to the back of the body.

Plantar

Describes the bottom of the foot.

Palmar

Describes the palm of the hand.

Dorsal

Describes the top of the hand or foot.

Superior

Directional term meaning towards the head.

Inferior

Directional term meaning away from the head.

Proximal

Directional term meaning closer to a point or attachment point of the body.

Distal

Directional term meaning farther from a point or attachment point of the body.

Medial

Directional term meaning closer to the midline of the body.

Lateral

Directional term meaning away from the midline of the body.

Upper Extremity

The anatomical region extending from the top of the shoulder to the fingertips.

Lower Extremity

The anatomical region extending from the hip bone to the foot.

Anatomical Leg

The region of the lower extremity extending specifically from the knee down.

Red Bone Marrow

Specialized tissue within bone that serves as the site of blood cell formation.

Bone Shapes

Classification of bones by shape, including flat, long, short, irregular, and sesamoid bones.

Long Bones

Bones that are long and tubular in shape, appearing cylindrical at some point and holding the weight of the body.

Short Bones

Small bones shaped like a cube (cuboidal).

Irregular Bones

Bones with shapes that do not fit into other categories, located mostly in the spine and face.

Sesamoid Bone

Round or oval-shaped bone that develops within tendons to provide a smooth sliding surface.

Flat Bone

Thin, broad bone that functions to protect internal organs.

Atlas ($C_1$)

The first cervical vertebra that supports the skull, lacks a body and typical spinous process, and allows nodding movement up and down.

Axis ($C_2$)

The second cervical vertebra that articulates with $C_1$ to act as a pivot point for head rotation.

Dens

A bony projection on $C_2$ (axis) extending into $C_1$ (atlas) that allows the head to rotate.

Vertebral Body

The large, thick anterior portion of a vertebra that bears most of the body's weight.

Vertebral Foramen

The large central hole in a vertebra through which the spinal cord passes.

Intervertebral Foramen

An opening formed between two neighboring vertebrae through which spinal nerves exit.

Transverse Foramen

An opening present exclusively in cervical vertebrae that allows passage for blood vessels.

True Ribs

Ribs $1$ through $7$, which attach directly to the sternum.

False Ribs

Ribs $8$ through $12$, which do not attach directly to the sternum.

Floating Ribs

Ribs $11$ and $12$, a subset of false ribs that have no anterior attachment to the sternum.

Anatomy of a Typical Rib

Structures of a rib including the head, neck, tubercle, articular facets, costal angle, costal groove, and shaft.

Condyle

A smooth surface on a bone that articulates with another bone to form a joint.

Epicondyle

A pointy bony projection above a condyle that serves as an anchor point for tendons and ligaments.

Olecranon

A bony structure at the elbow end of the ulna that acts as a lever to help straighten the arm.

Compact Bone

Dense bone tissue that forms the outer shell of all bones.

Spongy Bone

Porous bone tissue forming cavities filled with bone marrow.

Tendon

Connective tissue that binds skeletal muscle to bone, transmitting contraction force for movement.

Ligament

Connective tissue that binds bone to bone, providing joint stability and support.

Hyaline Cartilage

Smooth, shiny cartilage covering articular surfaces, such as costal cartilage.

Fibrocartilage

Strong, dense cartilage that supports joints and absorbs shock, such as intervertebral discs.

Elastic Cartilage

Soft and flexible cartilage found in structures like the outer ear.

Abduction

Joint movement that moves a limb away from the midline of the body.

Adduction

Joint movement that moves a limb towards the midline of the body.

Synovial Joint

A freely movable joint containing a cavity filled with synovial fluid to lubricate joint surfaces.

Sarcomere

The basic contractile unit of a muscle fiber.

Skeletal Muscle Structure

Hierarchical muscle organization comprising the muscle belly, fascicles, muscle fibers (cells), myofibrils, and sarcomeres surrounded by epimysium, perimysium, and endomysium.

Fascia

Non-contracting connective tissue that separates muscle groups into compartments (intermuscular septa), supporting structures and reducing friction.

Muscle Origin

The most proximal attachment site where a muscle's tendon joins a skeletal structure.

Muscle Insertion

The distal connection of a muscle tendon to a bone, which moves toward the origin during contraction.