ANATOMY BASICS UNIT 1

Anatomical Position

The reference pose for anatomical description, characterized by an upright stance, eyes forward, arms at sides with palms facing forward, and feet slightly apart pointing forward.

Anterior

A term meaning 'front' or 'ventral'; indicates that a structure is in front of another

Posterior

A term meaning 'back' or 'dorsal'; indicates that a structure is behind another

Ventral

Toward the belly, opposite of dorsal.

Dorsal

Toward the back, opposite of ventral.

Left/Right

Defined relative to the person in anatomical position, never the observer.

Microanatomy v Gross anatomy

Microanatomy studies microscopic structures like histology (tissues) and cytology (cells), while gross anatomy studies macroscopic, big picture structures.

Proximal

Closer to the trunk or point of origin

Distal

Farther away from the trunk or point of origin

Medial

Toward the midline of the body

Lateral

Away from the midline of the body

Superior

Above or higher than another structure

Inferior

Below or lower than another structure

Superficial

Near the surface

Deep

Further from the surface

Sagittal Plane

A vertical plane that divides the body into left and right parts.

Midsagittal Plane

A sagittal plane that lies exactly in the midline, dividing the body into equal left and right halves.

Parasagittal Plane

Any sagittal plane parallel to the median plane, dividing the body into unequal left and right parts.

Coronal (Frontal) Plane

A vertical plane that divides the body into anterior (front) and posterior (back) parts.

Transverse (Horizontal) Plane

A horizontal plane dividing the body into superior (upper) and inferior (lower) parts.

Anatomy v Physiology

Anatomy is the study of bodily structures while physiology is the study of their functions and processes.

Structural hierarchy

Cells, Tissues, Organs, Organ systems, Organism

Intermediate

Situated between a more medial and a more lateral structure

Axial

Main central axis of body containing the head,neck,trunk

Appendicular

Appendeges or limbs that are attached to the main axis of body

Dorsal body cavity

Major Internal body cavity that is encased in bony structures for protection and houses fragile nervous system organs

Cranial cavity & Vertebral (spinal) Cavity

Two subdivisions that make up the dorsal body cavity

Ventral body cavity

Less protected then the dorsal body cavity, allowing more mobility, and houses the visceral organs

Pleural cavities and pericardial cavity

The thoracic cavity is subdivided into these specific cavities

Abdominopelvic cavity

Contains your abdominal (Stomach, intestines, liver, spleen) and your pelvic (bladder, uterus, rectum)

Cutaneous membrane

Your body´s only dry membrane (your skin)

Mucous membrane (Mucosae)

Membrane that lines all your body cavities that open to the outside of the body

Serous Membrane (seerosa)

Membrane that lines ventral body cavities that are closed, also many organs

Parietal layer

Part of serous membrane that lines the body cavity

Visceral layer

Part of serous membrane that covers internal organs

Meninges

Membrane that covers brain & spinal cord (dorsal cavity)

Tissue

A similar group of cells;same structure, it takes 2 or more types to make an organ

4 primary tissue types

Epithelial, Connective,Muscle, and Nervous tissues

Functions of Epithelial tissue

Covering body surfaces and lining cavities to form boundaries, protect, absorb, and filter

Exocrine v Endocrine glands

Exocrine glands secrete products externally through ducts, whereas endocrine glands are ductless and secrete internally into the blood.

Simple

1 cell layer

Stratified

More then 1 cell layer

Squamous, Cuboidal, Columnar

Three primary cell shapes used to classify epithelial tissue

Major functions of connective tissue

Supporting, protecting, insulates, transports, & binds other tissues together

4 main classes of connective tissue

Connective tissue proper (fat), Bone tissue, Cartilage, Blood

Adipose tissue, type of loose connective tissue proper

Insulates and protects body organs and serves as a fuel reserve to store energy

Compact and Spongy bone

2 structural forms of bone (osseous tissue)

Hyaline, Elastic, and Fibrocartilage

3 forms of cartilage

Blood

A fluid tissue consisting of blood cells surround by non-living fluid matrix called blood plasma that transports substances

Skeletal muscle

Muscles attached to bones which control voluntary movement

Smooth muscle

Muscles that involuntary propel substances

Cardiac muscles

Muscles of the heart that involuntarily contract to propel blood into circulation

Picture of muscle tissues (Skeletal, Smooth, Cardiac)

Describe how the respiratory system and cardiovascular system work together to maintain gas exchange in the body.

The respiratory and cardiovascular systems work as a continuous loop to bring oxygen into the body, deliver it to tissues, and remove carbon dioxide waste