Chapter I: Anatomy

Overview of Organ Systems for the Semester

Integumentary System

• Definition: Refers to the skin, forming the external covering of the body.

• Functions:

  • Protection: Shields deeper tissues from injury.

  • Temperature Regulation: Acts as an insulator.

  • Sensory Reception: Contains cutaneous receptors for environmental information.

  • Vitamin D Production: Skin helps in the synthesis of Vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.

  • Water Loss Prevention: Barriers to minimize dehydration.

  • Glandular Secretions: Houses sweat glands and oil glands that serve various functions.

Skeletal System

• Definition: Comprises bones and their functions.

• Functions:

  • Support and Protection: Provides a framework for the body and protects vital organs.

  • Hemopoiesis: Sites where blood cells are produced in bone marrow.

  • Mineral Storage: Stores calcium and other minerals essential for body processes.

  • Muscle Attachment: Features like bumps and scars serve as attachment points for muscles.

Muscular System

• Definition: Involves skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscles.

• Functions:

  • Movement: Facilitates movement and manipulation of the environment.

  • Posture Maintenance: Important for maintaining body alignment, especially in sedentary activities.

  • Heat Generation: Muscle contractions (e.g., shivering) increase body temperature.

  • Communication: Muscles are involved in facial expressions and speech.

Nervous System

• Definition: The regulatory control system of the body.

• Functions:

  • Control of Activities: Responds to sensory stimulation and coordinates body functions.

  • Central Nervous System (CNS): Comprises the brain and spinal cord.

  • Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): Includes all nerves outside the CNS.

  • Cognitive Functions: Involved in consciousness, intelligence, and memory.

Endocrine System

• Definition: Composed of glands that secrete hormones.

• Functions:

  • Hormonal Regulation: Regulates growth, chemical levels, and reproductive functions.

  • Long-term Responses: Acts slower and provides longer-lasting effects compared to the nervous system.

Cardiovascular System

• Definition: Comprises the heart and blood vessels.

• Functions:

  • Blood Circulation: Pumps blood to transport nutrients, hormones, gases, and waste products.

  • Homeostasis Maintenance: Helps maintain body temperature and pH balance.

Lymphatic System

• Definition: Facilitates transport of lymph fluid.

• Functions:

  • Lymph Transport: Collects excess tissue fluid and returns it to circulation.

  • Immune Function: Houses white blood cells, particularly lymphocytes, essential for immune responses.

Respiratory System

• Definition: Governs gas exchange.

• Functions:

  • Oxygen Supply: Provides oxygen for cellular respiration and removes carbon dioxide waste.

  • Anatomical Sites for Gas Exchange: Primarily occurs in the lungs and within individual cells.

Digestive System

• Definition: Responsible for nutrient absorption from food.

• Functions:

  • Food Breakdown: Mechanically and chemically breaks down food into absorbable units.

  • Nutrient Absorption: Transports nutrients through the bloodstream to cells.

  • Waste Excretion: Eliminates solid waste products from the body.

Urinary System

• Definition: Manages waste filtration and excretion.

• Functions:

  • Blood Filtration: Filters blood to remove waste through the kidneys.

  • Regulation of Blood Composition: Maintains chemical balance in the body.

  • Waste Disposal: Concentrates waste into urine for excretion.

Reproductive System

• Definition: Segregated into male and female systems for offspring production.

• Functions:

  • Male System: Produces sperm and male hormones in the testes.

  • Female System: Produces eggs in the ovaries, alongside female hormones and milk in mammary glands.

Anatomical Terminology

• Anatomical Position:

  • Standing upright with feet parallel and eyes forward, palms facing anterior and thumbs lateral.

  • All anatomical descriptions reference this standard position.

Body Planes

• Types:

  • Coronal (Frontal) Plane: Divides body into anterior and posterior parts.

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

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

Directional Terminology**:

• Pairs: Anterior/Posterior, Superior/Inferior, Medial/Lateral, Proximal/Distal.

• Detail: Terminology always needs a reference point (e.g., the nose is superior to the mouth).

Regional Anatomy

• Body Divisions:

  • Axial Region: Main vertical axis (head and trunk).

  • Appendicular Region: Limbs (arms and legs).

  • Common Terms: Oral (mouth), Nasal (nose), Femoral (thigh).

Body Cavities

• Major Cavities:

  • Dorsal Cavity: Cranial cavity (brain) and vertebral canal (spinal cord).

  • Ventral Cavity: Thoracic cavity (lungs and heart) and abdominal pelvic cavity (digestive organs).

Serous Membranes

• Composition: Parietal and visceral layers with serous fluid between them to reduce friction.

• Examples:

  • Pleura: Surrounding lungs.

  • Pericardium: Surrounding heart.

  • Peritoneum: Surrounding most visceral organs.

Abdominal Pelvic Regions and Quadrants

• Nine Regions: Epigastric, Umbilical, Hypogastric, Right/Left Hypochondriac, Right/Left Lumbar, Right/Left Iliac.

• Simplified Quadrants: Right Upper, Left Upper, Right Lower, Left Lower.

Study Techniques

• Dissection: Key method for studying gross anatomy.

• Microscopy Types: Light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy to observe smaller structures.