Overview of Human Anatomy

  1. Categories of Anatomy and Sub Disciplines:

    • Microscopic Anatomy: Focuses on structures not visible to the naked eye, including cytology and histology.

    • Gross Anatomy: Study of structures visible to the naked eye, with various approaches including comparative, developmental, embryology, regional, surface, systemic, pathologic, radiographic, and surgical anatomy.

  2. Characteristics of Living Organisms:

    • Organization: Structural order of living things.

    • Metabolism: Sum of all chemical reactions in the body.

    • Growth and Development: Increase in size and differentiation of cells.

    • Responsiveness: Ability to respond to stimuli.

    • Adaptation: Changes to improve survival over generations.

    • Regulation: Homeostasis, maintaining a stable internal environment.

    • Reproduction: Producing new organisms or cells.

  3. Eleven Different Organ Systems of the Human Body:

    1. Integumentary System: Protects and regulates temperature; components include skin and hair.

    2. Skeletal System: Supports and protects; components include bones and cartilage.

    3. Muscular System: Provides movement; components include skeletal muscles.

    4. Nervous System: Controls body movements and senses; components include the brain and nerves.

    5. Endocrine System: Hormonal secretion; components include glands like the thyroid.

    6. Cardiovascular System: Circulates blood; components include the heart and blood vessels.

    7. Lymphatic System: Filters lymph; components include lymph nodes and vessels.

    8. Respiratory System: Gas exchange; components include lungs and trachea.

    9. Digestive System: Digests food; components include stomach and intestines.

    10. Urinary System: Filters blood and produces urine; components include kidneys.

    11. Reproductive System: Produces offspring; components include testes or ovaries.

  4. Planes of the Human Body:

    • Coronal Plane: Divides body into anterior and posterior sections.

    • Transverse Plane: Divides body into superior and inferior sections.

    • Midsagittal Plane: Divides body into equal left and right halves.

    • Oblique Planes: Pass through the organism at an angle.

  5. Membrane that Lines Body Cavities:

    • Serous Membrane: Lines body cavities and has two layers:

      • Parietal Layer: Lines the internal surface of cavities.

      • Visceral Layer: Covers the organs within cavities.

  6. Two Major Body Cavities:

    • Ventral Cavity: Contains thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities.

      • Thoracic Cavity: Houses lungs and heart.

      • Abdominopelvic Cavity: Contains the abdominal cavity (stomach, intestines) and pelvic cavity (bladder, reproductive organs).

    • Posterior Aspect: Includes cranial cavity (houses the brain) and vertebral canal (houses the spinal cord).

  7. Characteristics of Living Organisms:

    • Same as mentioned above (with detailed definitions).

  8. Functions of Each Organ System:

    • See point 3 for detailed functions of each organ system.

  9. Anatomical Position:

    • Body standing upright, feet parallel and flat, head leveled and facing forward, arms at sides with palms facing forward and thumbs pointing away from the body.

  10. Body Regions:

    • Cephalic: Head.

    • Cervical: Neck.

    • Thoracic: Chest.

    • Abdominal: Abdomen.

    • Pelvic: Pelvis.

    • Lower Extremities: Includes femoral (thigh), patellar (kneecap), sural (calf).

  11. Anatomical Directions:

    • Anterior: Towards the front.

    • Posterior: Towards the back.

    • Superior: Towards the head.

    • Inferior: Towards the feet.

    • Caudal: Towards the tail.

    • Cranial: Towards the head.

    • Medial: Toward the midline.

    • Lateral: Away from the midline.

    • Ipsilateral: Same side of the body.

    • Contralateral: Opposite side of the body.

    • Deep: Internal position.

    • Superficial: External position.

    • Proximal: Closer to the trunk.

    • Distal: Further from the trunk.