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Origins of Medical Science

  • Early healers depended on:

    • Superstition

    • Magic

  • Transition from superstition to:

    • Observations of injuries and wound healing

    • Studying dead bodies

  • Progressed into:

    • Experimentation and creation of new terminology for anatomy & physiology

  • Dissection of cadavers led to:

    • Increased knowledge of the human body

Anatomy and Physiology

Definitions

  • Anatomy: The study of the shape and structure (morphology) of the human body and its parts; the term is derived from the Greek word meaning "a cutting up."

  • Physiology: The study of the functions of the human body and its parts; derived from the Greek term meaning "relationship to nature."

  • Interrelation: The structure of organs and parts determines their function.

Levels of Organization

  • All materials, living or non-living, composed of:

    • Chemicals

    • Chemicals consist of atoms, which further classify into several levels:

    • Subatomic Particles: Protons, neutrons, and electrons

    • Atom: Tiny particles forming chemicals (e.g., hydrogen, carbon)

    • Molecule: Particles composed of atoms joined together (e.g., water, glucose)

    • Macromolecule: Large particles formed from molecules (e.g., DNA, protein)

    • Organelle: Functional parts of a cell (e.g., mitochondrion, lysosome)

    • Cell: Basic unit of structure and function (e.g., muscle, nerve, blood cell)

    • Tissue: Layer or mass of cells performing a specific function (e.g., adipose tissue)

    • Organ: Group of different tissues working together (e.g., heart, kidney, stomach)

    • Organ System: Group of organs with a common function (e.g., digestive system)

    • Organism: Composed of various organ systems interacting (e.g., human)

Clinical Application 1.1: Noninvasive Imaging Techniques

  • Ultrasound: Uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of soft internal structures, often used for obtaining sonograms of fetuses.

  • Magnetic Resonance Scan (MR): Utilizes a magnetic field that alters the alignment and spin of specific atoms to generate high-resolution images of internal structures (e.g., brain).

Core Themes of Anatomy & Physiology

Key Concepts

  1. Cell: All living things are composed of cells.

  2. Internal Environment: The state of the body’s internal environment.

  3. Homeostasis: The process of maintaining a relatively constant internal environment.

  4. Interdependency of Cells: Cells rely on each other for functionality.

  5. Structure and Function: The