Anatomy and Physiology - Week 1

Flashcards covering basic anatomy and physiology terminology, directional terms, body planes, cavities, and regions.

Anatomy

The study of the structure of body parts and their relationships to one another.

Gross Anatomy (Macroscopic Anatomy)

The study of large, visible body structures (e.g., heart, lungs, kidneys).

Regional Anatomy

The study of all the structures in a particular region of the body (e.g., leg, abdomen).

Systemic Anatomy

The study of a particular system at a time.

Microscopic Anatomy

Deals with structures that are too small to be seen with the naked eye.

Cytology

The study of cells.

Histology

The study of tissues.

Physiology

The study of the function of the body's parts.

Anatomical Position

Body erect, feet slightly apart, palms facing forward, thumbs point away from body.

Superior (Cranial)

Toward the head end or upper part of a structure or the body; above.

Inferior (Caudal)

Away from the head end or toward the lower part of a structure or the body; below.

Medial

Toward or at the midline of the body; on the inner side of.

Lateral

Away from the midline of the body; on the outer side of.

Proximal

Closer to the origin of the body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk.

Distal

Farther from the origin of a body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk.

Anterior (Ventral)

Toward or at the front of the body; in front of.

Posterior (Dorsal)

Toward the back of the body; behind.

Sagittal Plane

Divides the body into right and left parts.

Midsagittal (Medial) Plane

Sagittal plane that lies on the midline, dividing the body into equal right and left parts.

Frontal (Coronal) Plane

Divides the body into anterior and posterior parts.

Transverse (Horizontal) Plane

Divides the body into superior and inferior parts.

Dorsal Body Cavity

Protects the nervous system, divided into the cranial cavity (encases the brain) and vertebral cavity (encases the spinal cord).

Ventral Body Cavity

Houses the internal organs (viscera), divided into the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities.

Thoracic Cavity

Subdivided into two pleural cavities (each housing a lung), the mediastinum, and the pericardial cavity (encloses the heart).

Abdominopelvic Cavity

Separated from the thoracic cavity by the diaphragm; divided into the abdominal cavity (contains stomach, intestines, spleen, liver, etc.) and pelvic cavity (contains bladder, reproductive organs, rectum).

Right Upper Quadrant (RUQ)

One of the four abdominopelvic quadrants.

Right Lower Quadrant (RLQ)

One of the four abdominopelvic quadrants.

Left Upper Quadrant (LUQ)

One of the four abdominopelvic quadrants.

Left Lower Quadrant (LLQ)

One of the four abdominopelvic quadrants.

Right Hypochondriac Region

Located in the upper right section of the abdomen.

Epigastric Region

Located in the upper middle section of the abdomen.

Left Hypochondriac Region

Located in the upper left section of the abdomen.

Right Lumbar Region

Located in the middle right section of the abdomen.

Umbilical Region

Located in the middle section of the abdomen.

Left Lumbar Region

Located in the middle left section of the abdomen.

Right Iliac (Inguinal) Region

Located in the lower right section of the abdomen.

Hypogastric (Pubic) Region

Located in the lower middle section of the abdomen.

Left Iliac (Inguinal) Region

Located in the lower left section of the abdomen.