Intro to A&P

Anatomy

Study of the structure of an organism.

Physiology

The study of the function of the living organism and its parts, including the chemical processes involved.

Why study Anatomy and Physiology?

To understand and treat a disorder, we must have a working knowledge of how parts of the body function and work together to achieve specific goals.

Anatomic Position

Standing erect, facing forward, arms along the body, palms forward, feet straight ahead.

Prone

Lying on the belly.

Supine

Lying on the back.

Axial Skeleton

Includes the head and trunk, with the spinal column serving as the axis.

Appendicular Skeleton

Consists of the lower and upper limbs.

Neuroaxis

Axis of the brain; not straightforward due to morphological changes during development.

Dorsal

Towards the back.

Posterior

Behind the back.

Ventral

Towards the belly/forward.

Anterior

Front surface of the body; synonymous with ventral for the standing human.

Superior

Above; farther from the ground; near the head.

Inferior

Below; closer to the ground.

Cranial

Near the head.

Caudal

Near the feet; often refers to movement towards the tail.

Rostral

Towards the head or near the head.

Lateral

Describes the orientation of a structure relative to another; related to the side.

Medial

Toward the median plane/midline.

Distal

Away from the midline; aspect of an appendicular structure.

Proximal

Toward the root or attachment point of a structure.

Superficial

Structure confined to the surface or near the surface.

Deep

Structure close to the axis of the body.

External/Internal

Generally reserved for cavities within the body.

Peripheral

Relative to the periphery or away from the center.

Basal

Pertaining to the bottom or base.

Flexion

Bending.

Extension

To stretch out.

Inversion

To turn in.

Eversion

To turn out; away from the median plane.

Abduction

To open; move away.

Adduction

To close; move towards; bring together.

Concept of Axis

midline from which other structures arise