Anatomy I: Introduction to Human Anatomy

Comprehensive practice flashcards covering anatomical terminology, history, organization, and planimetry based on Dr. Alberto Garza's lecture notes and the Latarjet-Ruiz Liard textbook.

Anatomy (Etymology)

Derived from the Greek "ana-tomé", which means "to cut through" or "dissection".

Anatomy (Scientific Definition)

The science that studies the structure or morphology of organisms.

Dissection

An anatomical procedure consisting of cutting or separating body tissues for study; the term comes from the Latin "dios" (separation) and "sectio" (part).

Nómina Anatómica de Basilea (1895)

The first scientific nomenclature in Latin, containing approximately 5,500 structures.

IANC / Nomina Anatomica (1950-1955)

The International Anatomical Nomenclature Committee created in 1950, which published the Nomina Anatomica in 1955.

Terminologia Anatomica (1998)

The official publication of International Anatomical Terminology that replaced all previous listings.

FIPAT (2010)

The Federative Programme on Anatomical Terminology, established for the continuous updating of the anatomical discipline.

Principles of Anatomical Terminology

Names must be informative and descriptive, homonyms and eponyms are suppressed, and names in the same regions must be harmonized.

Anatomical Position

A conventional reference where the human body is standing, eyes forward, upper limbs along the trunk with palms facing forward, and lower limbs together with feet forward.

Longitudinal Axis (craneocaudal / superoinferior)

A vertical direction running from the highest part of the cranium downward through the center of gravity to a point between the feet.

Sagittal Axis (anteroposterior / ventrodorsal)

A horizontal direction, perpendicular to coronal planes, that traverses the body from front to back.

Transversal Axis (laterolateral)

A horizontal direction, perpendicular to sagittal planes, running from side to side.

Sagittal Median Plane

A vertical plane passing exactly through the longitudinal axis that divides the body into right and left halves.

Coronal (Frontal) Planes

Vertical planes in a transversal sense that divide the body into anterior and posterior parts.

Horizontal (Transversal) Planes

Planes perpendicular to vertical planes that divide the body into superior and inferior parts.

Anterior (Ventral)

In front, or in a preceding position.

Posterior (Dorsal)

Behind, or in a posterior location.

Cranial

Positioned closer to the superior end of the trunk.

Caudal

Positioned closer to the inferior end of the trunk (from Latin cauda, meaning tail).

Medial

Located toward the sagittal median plane.

Lateral

Located away from the sagittal median plane.

Proximal

Located closer to the point of origin.

Distal

Located farther from the point of origin.

Superficial

Closer to the surface of the body or organ.

Profundo

Farther from the surface of the body or organ.

External

Farther away from the center of an organ.

Internal

Closer to the center of an organ.

Ipsilateral (Homolateral)

Located on the same side of the body.

Contralateral

Located on the opposite half of the body.

Cell

The structural and functional units of the organism.

Tissue

The organization of cells and other materials to perform a particular function.

Organ

Structures composed of two or more types of tissues.

System

A group of correlated organs that perform a common function.

Descriptive Anatomy

The study of physical structure organized by systems.

Regional Anatomy

The study of parts, regions, or divisions of the body in their spatial relationships.

Applied Anatomy

The practical application of anatomical knowledge to diagnosis and treatment in health sciences.

Comparative Anatomy

The comparison of human structures with those of animals.

Developmental Anatomy

The study of changes from fertilization until adulthood.

Functional Anatomy

The study of structures associated directly with their function.