 Physiology is the scientific

 Anatomy is the scientific

investigation of the processes or
discipline that investigates the
functions of living things.
body’s structures.
 The major goals when studying
 The word anatomy means to
human physiology are to
dissect or cut apart and separate
understand and predict the body’s
the parts of the body for study.
responses to stimuli and to
 In addition, anatomy examines understand how the body
the relationship between the maintains conditions within a
structure of a body part and its narrow range of values in a
function. constantly changing environment.

Gross anatomy is the study of  The body can be studied at six

structures that can be examined levels of organization:
without the aid of a microscope.
1.) Chemical
 In systemic anatomy, the body is
2). Cell
studied system by system.
3.) Tissue
 In regional anatomy, the body is
studied area by area. 4.) Organ
 Surface anatomy involves 5.) Organ system
looking at the exterior of the body
6.) Whole organism.
to visualize structures deeper inside
the body.

 Microscopic anatomy is the study

of structures so small that they
 The chemical level of
must be studied using a
organization involves how atoms
microscope.
interact and combine into
 Cytology examines the structural molecules.
features of cells.
 This is important because a
 Histology examines tissues, which molecule’s structure determines
are composed of cells and the its function.
materials surrounding them.
 For example, collagen molecules
are strong ropelike protein fibers
that give skin structural strength
and flexibility.
 Cells are the basic structural and
 An organism is any living thing
functional units of all living
considered as a whole— whether
organisms.
composed of one cell, such as a
 Cells contain smaller structures bacterium, or of trillions of cells, such
inside called organelles. as a human.

 Organelles carry out particular  The human organism is a network

functions, such as digestion and of organ systems, all mutually
movement, for the cell. dependent on one another.

 A tissue is composed of a group

of similar cells and the materials
surrounding them.

 The characteristics of the cells

and surrounding materials
determine the functions of the
tissue.

 The body is made up of four basic

tissue types: (1) epithelial, (2)
connective, (3) muscle, and (4)
nervous.

 An organ is composed of two or

more tissue types that perform
one or more common functions.

 Examples of organs include: the

urinary bladder, heart, stomach,
and lung.

 An organ system is a group of

organs that together perform a
common function or set of functions
and are therefore viewed as a unit.

 We consider 11 major organ

systems: (1) integumentary, (2)
skeletal, (3) muscular, (4) nervous, (5)
endocrine, (6) cardiovascular, (7)
lymphatic, (8) respiratory, (9)
digestive, (10) urinary, and (11)
reproductive.
 Responsiveness

 It is an organism’s ability to sense

changes in its external or internal
environment and adjust to those
changes.

 Responses include actions such as

moving toward food or water and
moving away from danger or poor
environmental conditions.

 Organisms can also make adjustments

that maintain their internal
environment.

Growth

 It refers to an increase in the size or

number of cells, which produces an
overall enlargement of all or part of an
organism.

 An increase in the materials

surrounding cells can also contribute to
growth.

Development

 It includes the changes an organism

undergoes through time, beginning with
fertilization and ending at death.

 The greatest developmental changes

occur before birth, but many changes
continue after birth, and some go on
Organization throughout life.
 It is the specific interrelationships among Reproduction
the parts of an organism and how those
 It is the formation of new cells or new
parts interact to perform specific functions.
organisms.  Reproduction of cells allows
 In turn, cellular function depends on the for growth and development.
precise organization of large molecules.
 All living organisms pass on their genes
 Disruption of this organized state can to their offspring.
result in loss of functions, or even death.

Metabolism

 It is the ability to use energy and to

perform vital functions.

 Metabolism refers to all of the chemical

reactions taking place in the cells and
internal environment of an organism.

 Metabolism is necessary for other vital

functions, such as responsiveness, growth,
development, and reproduction.
  Anatomical position refers to a person
standing erect with the face directed
forward, the upper limbs hanging to the
sides, and the palms of the hands facing
forward.

 A person is supine when lying face upward

and prone when lying face downward.

 Axial region  A sagittal plane separates the body

or a structure into right and left
a. Head
halves.
b. Neck
 A median plane is a sagittal plane
c. Trunk that passes through the midline of
i. Thorax – the chest cavity where the heart the body, dividing it into equal right
and lungs are located. and left halves.
ii. Abdomen – contains organs such as liver,
 A transverse (horizontal) plane runs
stomach, and intestines.
iii. Pelvis – contains the bladder and the parallel to the ground, dividing the
reproductive system. body into superior and inferior
portions.
 Appendicular region
 A frontal (coronal) plane divides the
a. Upper extremities
body into front (anterior) and back
b. Lower extremities (posterior) halves.
 Organs are often sectioned to reveal their  The thoracic cavity is more superior to the
internal structure abdominopelvic cavity and houses primarily
the heart and lungs.
 A cut through the length of the organ is a
longitudinal section.  This cavity is further subdivided into
sections:
 A cut at a right angle to the length of an
organ is a transverse (cross) section. 1. two lateral pleural cavities, each of which
encloses a lung, and are surrounded by the ribs
 If a cut is made across the length of an
organ at other than a right angle, it is called 2. a medial mediastinum, which houses the
heart and its major blood vessels.
an oblique section.

 The body contains two types of internal  The abdominopelvic cavity is enclosed by
cavities: abdominal muscles and consists of

1. the dorsal body cavity 1. the more superior abdominal cavity

contains the majority of the digestive organs
2. the ventral body cavity.
2. the more inferior pelvic cavity contains the
 These cavities, which are closed to the
urinary bladder, urethra, rectum of the large
outside, contain our internal organs, providing
intestine, and reproductive organs.
protection for them.

 The abdomen is often subdivided

 The dorsal body encloses the organs of the
superficially into quadrants by two imaginary
nervous system, the brain and spinal cord.
lines—one horizontal and one vertical—that
 The two subdivisions of the dorsal body intersect at the navel.
cavity are
 The quadrants formed are
1. the cranial cavity, which houses the brain,
(1) the right-upper, (2) the leftupper, (3) the
and
right-lower, and (4) the left-lower quadrants.
2. the vertebral canal, which houses the spinal
cord.

 The ventral body cavity houses the vast  In addition to these quadrants, the abdomen
majority of our internal organs, collectively is sometimes subdivided into regions by four
referred to as the viscera. imaginary lines: two horizontal and two
verticals.
 The ventral body cavity also has two major
subdivisions,  These results in nine regions: (1) epigastric, (2)
right and left hypochondriac, (3) umbilical, (4)
1. the thoracic cavity and right and left lumbar, (5) hypogastric, and (6)
2. the abdominopelvic cavity. right and left iliac.
 The walls of the body cavities and the
surface of internal organs are in contact with
membranes called serous membranes.

 These membranes are double layered.

 The layer that lines the walls of the cavities

is called the parietal serous membrane.

 The layer covering the internal organs (the

viscera) is the visceral serous membrane.
  The peritoneal cavity houses many internal
 The pericardial cavity, containing the heart,
organs, such as the digestive organs and the
is housed in the mediastinum.
reproductive organs.
 The parietal serous membrane is called the
 The parietal serous membrane in the
parietal pericardium and the visceral serous
peritoneal cavity is called the parietal
membrane is called the visceral pericardium.
peritoneum.
 The space between the two pericardial
 The visceral serous membrane is called the
membranes is called the pericardial cavity
visceral peritoneum.
and is filled with pericardial fluid
 The space between the two serous membranes
is the specific location of the peritoneal cavity
and is filled with peritoneal fluid.

 Each of the two pleural cavities houses a

lung.  In addition to covering organs, a double-folded
sheet of visceral peritoneum attaches the
 The parietal serous membrane lining the
digestive organs at certain points to the posterior
pleural cavities is called the parietal pleura,
abdominopelvic cavity wall.
while the visceral serous membrane covering
the lungs is called the visceral pleura.  These regions of double-folded visceral
peritoneum are called mesenteries.
 The space between the two pleural
membranes is called the pleural cavity and is  The mesenteries also provide a pathway for
filled with pleural fluid. nerves and blood vessels to reach the digestive
organs