Introductory Anatomy & Physiology – Chapter 1 Lecture

Course Logistics & Administrative Updates

• First synchronous meeting conducted in MS Teams; instructor learning the platform.

  • Will create a single recurring Teams invitation so everyone joins the same room at the same time.

• D2L (Brightspace) enrolment issues:

  • Some students (e.g., Josephine) still lack access; instructor will contact IT immediately after class.

• Lectures are not recorded; all PowerPoints, audio files, study-guide answers and other resources remain open once posted in D2L.

Assessment Structure & Scheduling

• 20 online quizzes delivered with Respondus LockDown Browser.

  • Weight per quiz ≈ 0.85\%; total quiz weight 20\%.

  • Default window: 30 min; must be written simultaneously by entire class.

  • Example timeline under discussion:

  • Quiz 1 (Chapter 1) delayed → potentially end of next class.

  • Quizzes for Thu & Fri content may be bundled into a single sitting (e.g., Friday 13:00 or Monday/Tuesday).

• Mid-term exam

  • Chapters 1\text{–}9.

  • Date: 31 July.

  • Weight 40\%.

  • 3-hour LockDown-Browser session.

• Final exam

  • Chapters 10\text{–}17.

  • Weight 40\%.

  • 3-hour LockDown-Browser session.

• No assignments; course moves too fast.

• Key message: Quizzes are formative; mid-term & final are determinant.

Recommended Study Habits & Resources

• Expect to study at least equal time to class hours (≈ 3 h/night for current pace).

• Instructor-provided aids

  • Chapter audio summaries (≈ 8 min each) – suggested bedtime listening for subconscious reinforcement.

  • PowerPoints, Hank Green (Crash Course) videos, Amoeba Sisters cartoons.

  • Study-guide workbook with fill-in-the-blank, MCQ & labelling; answer keys posted.

• Strategies

  • Read upcoming chapter before class; use lecture to clarify & highlight.

  • Flashcards for terminology (e.g., superior/inferior, distal/proximal).

  • Pair up for peer-quizzing; create mnemonics.

  • Daily review to avoid being overwhelmed.

Key Concepts from Chapter 1 – Introducing the Human Body

1. Definitions: Anatomy vs Physiology

• Anatomy: science of body structure.

• Physiology: science of body function.

• Principle of complementarity: structure dictates function (e.g., heart valves → one-way blood flow).

2. Homeostasis

• Dynamic state of internal balance.

• Stressors = stimuli that threaten balance, activating regulatory mechanisms.

• Two main control strategies:

  1. Negative Feedback – response opposes original change.

  • Thermostat analogy: sensor → control centre → effector → temp returns to set point.

  • Human examples:
    • Body overheating → hypothalamus triggers sweating & vasodilation → heat loss.
    • Blood glucose high → pancreas secretes insulin → cells uptake glucose; low → glucagon → liver releases glucose.

  1. Positive Feedback – response amplifies original change until a climactic event.

  • Childbirth: cervical stretch → oxytocin → stronger uterine contractions → more stretch → birth.

• Failure of homeostasis → disease or death (e.g., uncontrolled bleeding → ↓BP → hypoxia).

3. Levels of Biological Organization (6-tier model)

1. Chemical level – atoms & molecules (H, O, H_2O).

2. Cellular level – organelles & cells (muscle fibre).

3. Tissue level – groups of similar cells (muscle tissue).

4. Organ level – two + tissue types (stomach).

5. Organ-system level – related organs (digestive system).

6. Organism level – the whole human.

4. Basic Chemistry of Life

• Inorganic compounds: small, simple, no carbon (water, salts, simple acids/bases).

• Organic compounds: larger, complex, contain carbon.

  • Four key families:
    • Carbohydrates – sugars & starches; quick energy.
    • Lipids – fats; energy storage, insulation, hormones.
    • Proteins – amino-acid polymers; enzymes, structure, transport.
    • Nucleic Acids – DNA & RNA; genetic storage & expression.

• Electrolytes: inorganic ions in body fluids (Na⁺, K⁺, Cl⁻) critical for nerve & muscle function.

5. Metabolism

• Sum of all chemical reactions in the body.

• Two complementary phases:

  1. Catabolism (“cannibalism”) – breaking large molecules ↓ to release energy.

  • Example: glucose oxidation during cellular respiration → captures energy in ATP.

  1. Anabolism – building complex molecules ↑ (proteins, glycogen) using ATP.

• ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate): universal energy currency; stores energy in its phosphate bonds.

6. Anatomical Terminology & Body Planes

• Standard anatomical position: erect, feet forward, arms at sides, palms forward.

Planes

• Sagittal: left/right; if mid-line → midsagittal; offset → parasagittal.

• Coronal (Frontal): anterior/posterior.

• Transverse (Horizontal): superior/inferior.

Directional Terms

• Anterior (Ventral) ↔ Posterior (Dorsal).

• Superior (Cranial) ↔ Inferior (Caudal).

• Medial ↔ Lateral.

• Proximal ↔ Distal (limbs).

• Axial (head, neck, trunk) vs Appendicular (limbs).

• Example (Crash Course toothpick): fragment located medial to lungs, posterior to heart, anterior to vertebrae, inferior to clavicle, superior to stomach (i.e., lodged in esophagus).

Directional Terms

• Superior: toward the head/top; e.g., head is most superior structure; heart is inferior to head.

• Inferior: toward the feet/bottom.

• Medial: toward midline (e.g., navel is medial to hip bones).

• Lateral: away from midline (e.g., arms are lateral to chest).

• Proximal: nearer point of attachment or body trunk (e.g., elbow is proximal to wrist).

• Distal: farther from trunk/point of attachment (e.g., fingers are distal to elbow).

• Anterior (ventral): front of body (e.g., chest is anterior).

• Posterior (dorsal): back of body (e.g., spine is posterior).

• Superficial: toward/at body surface (visible veins).

• Deep: away from surface, internal (arteries buried deep).

• Practice tip: stand a family member up and verbally label structures to engrain terms.

Body Planes (Sections)

• Sagittal Plane

  • Vertical cut dividing body into right & left halves.

  • “Midsagittal” if cut is exactly on midline.

• Transverse (Horizontal) Plane

  • Cross-section producing superior & inferior parts (top/bottom).

• Frontal (Coronal) Plane

  • Vertical cut dividing body into anterior & posterior (front/back).

• Radiology & surgical teams specify images/approaches by these planes.

Axial vs. Appendicular Regions

• Axial skeleton (gray in slide): skull, vertebral column, rib cage—core of body.

• Appendicular skeleton (flesh-color in slide): limbs & girdles; think “appendages.”

• Additional regional terms (Table 1-3, p. 14):

  • Occipital (posterior skull), brachial (arm/upper arm), abdominal, pectoral (chest), thoracic, lumbar, etc.

  • Recognizing Latin/Greek roots (e.g., pectoralis → chest) helps decode unfamiliar terms.

Body Cavities

• Two primary cavities:

  1. Dorsal cavity

  • Cranial cavity (houses brain).

  • Vertebral canal (spinal cord).

  1. Ventral cavity (larger, anterior):

  • Thoracic cavity
    • Pleural cavities (lungs).
    • Mediastinum (heart, major vessels).

  • Diaphragm (large dome-shaped muscle) separates thoracic from abdominopelvic cavity; rises & falls with breathing.

  • Abdominopelvic cavity
    • Upper part = abdominal cavity (stomach, liver, intestines, etc.).
    • Lower part = pelvic cavity (bladder, reproductive organs, rectum).

• Torso/trunk defined as thorax + abdomen + pelvis.

• Cadaver images used in class showed visceral layout inside each cavity.

Abdominal Quadrants (4-Quadrant System)

• Created by one midsagittal & one transverse line through the umbilicus.

• Names & abbreviations used in nursing notes:

  • RUQ (Right Upper Quadrant)

  • RLQ (Right Lower Quadrant)

  • LUQ (Left Upper Quadrant)

  • LLQ (Left Lower Quadrant)

• Clinical relevance:

  • During palpation or auscultation, nurse must know which organs reside in the quadrant being examined.

  • Example: lack of bowel sounds in RLQ may hint at appendiceal issue.

  • Precision matters in hand-off reports: “Patient experienced tenderness in LUQ” vs. generic “tummy sore.”

Abdominopelvic Nine-Region System

• Offers higher spatial resolution than 4-quadrant model; created by two vertical & two horizontal lines.

• Central column (top → bottom):

  1. Epigastric region – common site of heartburn (“epi-” = upon, “gastric” = stomach).

  2. Umbilical region (surrounds navel).

  3. Hypogastric (pubic) region.

• Right/Left columns (superior → inferior):

  • Right Hypochondriac | Left Hypochondriac (under costal cartilages).

  • Right Lumbar | Left Lumbar (lateral to lumbar spine).

  • Right Iliac (Inguinal)| Left Iliac (Inguinal) (near iliac crests of pelvis).

• Iliac reference: feel the crest at top of pelvis to orient location.

Ethical, Historical & Practical Contexts

• Dissection history: from Galen’s animal vivisections to modern consented cadavers.

• Anatomy advances reliant on donated bodies; students reminded of ethical sourcing and respect.

Multimedia & Examples Used in Lecture

• Amoeba Sisters video: Debbie the bearded dragon illustrates ectothermy vs human endothermy; explains neg./pos. feedback & diabetes type 1 (failure of insulin feedback).

• Crash Course A&P (Hank Green): overview of structure/function, homeostasis, terminology.

Assessment & Study Resources Recap

• D2L folders contain:

  • PowerPoints for each chapter.

  • Video links (YouTube) embedded.

  • “Chapter Audio” mp3 files (≈ 8 min) – textbook summaries.

  • “I-Got-It” recall questions + answer keys.

  • Study-Guide labelling diagrams & solutions.

• Use these to self-test; quiz & exam questions are sourced directly from these materials.

Immediate Action Items for Students

1. Verify D2L access; email instructor student # if still missing.

2. Read Chapter 1 in textbook + companion study-guide exercises.

3. Review PowerPoint & videos; make flashcards for directional terms & definitions.

4. Prepare for possible Quiz 1 (Chapter 1) at the end of next class.

5. Ensure access to a computer with Respondus LockDown Browser by Friday.