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Chapter 1: INTRO TO HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY
Anatomy & Physiology – What’s the difference? (Pages 4-7of text)
Anatomy  Structures
(tomy) = cut
(ana) = apart
Physiology  Function
(physio) = nature
(ology) = study of
Use Greek and Latin prefixes, suffixes, and root words to better understand medical terminology.
Levels of Structural Organization (Pages 8, 9, & 12 of text)
PHYSIOLOGY
LEVELS
ATOMS
(biochemistry)
MOLECULES
ANATOMY
EXAMPLES
ORGANELLES
Cell physiology
CELLS
(cytology)
TISSUES
(histology)
Organ physiology
ORGANS
(gross anatomy)
Systemic physiology
ORGAN SYSTEMS
ORGANISMS
LE 1-1-3
Atoms in
combination
The heart
Organ
Level
Complex
protein
molecule
Chemical or
Molecular
Levels
Protein filaments
Cardiac
muscle
tissue
Heart muscle cell
Cellular Level
Tissue Level
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Human Organ Systems (Pages 10-11 of text)
--note: some anatomical organs can be involved with more than one system
ex. pancreas is involved with both the digestive and endocrine system
A. Integumentary (skin, nails, sweat glands, hair…)
 protection
 water retention
 temperature regulation
 excretion of salts and urea
 Vitamin D production
 temp., pressure, and pain receptors of nervous system all found here
B. Skeletal (bone, ligaments, and cartilage)
 support
 levers for muscles to attach
 protection
 mineral storage (calcium)
 blood production
C. Muscular (skeletal muscles and associated tendons)
 movement/heat production
 maintaining posture
 facial expressions
 protection and support of other tissues
D. Nervous (brain, spinal cord, nerves and sensory receptors)
 senses
 evaluates (makes sense of what is happening and determines what is needed)
 quickly activates muscles or glands
E. Endocrine (hormones, pituitary, thyroid, pancreas, suprarenal, gonads, and adrenal)
 secrete hormones for growth, reproduction, and metabolism
 provides a much slower, but lasting affect within the body
F. Cardiovascular (blood, vessels, and heart)
 sometimes called the circulatory system along with the lymphatic system.
 transports oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, gases, wastes, hormones, and antibodies
 helps regulate heat, pH, and water levels
 helps fight disease
G. Lymphatic (spleen, tonsils, thymus, lymphatic vessels and nodes)
 collects excess fluids from tissues and returns them to blood stream
 fights disease - white blood cell production
H. Respiratory (lungs, bronchioles, trachea, larynx, alveoli, and nasal passage)
 gas exchange with blood
 maintains blood pH
 requires normal atmospheric pressure to work properly
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I. Digestive
(alimentary canal, accessory organs)
 food breakdown and absorption of water, ions, and macromolecules into blood
 elimination of indigestible substances
 absorption of water, vitamins and minerals, other chemicals
 vitamin production
J. Urinary
(kidneys, urinary bladder, ureter and urethra)
 cellular waste removal (nitrogen wastes) via the blood
 water, pH, and ion balance
 storage and removal of urine
K. Reproductive
Male: testes, epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicles, prostrate gland, penis, scrotum
Female: ovaries, uterine tubes, uterus, vagina, mammary glands
 production of male or female sex cells (sperm/oocytes) and suspending fluids
 production of sex hormones
 supports developing embryo from conception to delivery
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Anatomical Planes & Directions (Pages 17–21 of text)
Humans have bilateral symmetry (as opposed to spherical
symmetry, radial symmetry and asymmetrical body shapes).
Anatomical position – standing face forward with thumbs turned
and palms forward.
Supine – a person lying down in anatomical position, face up
Prone - a person lying down in anatomical position, face down
Anatomical directions - Using 3 imaginary planes to describe
where structures are in relationship to each other in the body.
(3D coordinate system)
1. Using the Median or sagittal plane:
Midsagittal – separated into equal right and left sides
Parasagittal – not separated into equal right and left sides


Medial – towards the midline
Lateral – away from the midline
2. Using the Horizontal or Transverse plane
(makes a cross section or axial section):


Superior – above or toward the head
Inferior – below or toward the feet
3. Using the Frontal or Coronal plane:


Anterior – towards the front of the body
Posterior – towards the back of the body
Or


Ventral – on the stomach side
Dorsal – on the back side
Or



Caudal – towards the tail
Cephalad – towards the head
Cranial – towards the head
out
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On a human anterior and ventral mean the same thing as do posterior and dorsal. How about on a
quadruped? What 2 sets of terms would mean the same thing on a dog or cat, for example?
Which image shows a
sagittal section of the
brain? Which shows a
coronal section? Which
shows an axial section?
Source:
http://www.mrsc.ucsf.edu/~
sarang/nutmeg/help1.html
July 17, 2008
4. Other anatomical directions not relating to the anatomical planes:


Proximal – the part of a limb that is closer to the trunk
Distal – the part of a limb that is farther away from the trunk


Superficial – towards the surface
Deep – more internal; away from the surface

Intermediate – between 2 structures
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Anatomical Regions and Cavities
1) Frontal – forehead
24) Antebrachial – forearm
2) Cranial – skull
25) Olecranon/cubital – posterior elbow
3) Facial – face
26) Antecubital – anterior surface of elbow
4) Cephalic – head
27) Carpal – wrist
5) Otic (auditory) - ear
28) Palmar – palm
6) Orbital (ocular) – eye area
29) Pollex – thumb
7) Buccal – cheek area
30) Digital – fingers, toes
8) Oral – mouth
31) Phalangeal – fingers, toes
9) Nasal – nose
32) Gluteal – buttocks
10) Mental – chin
33) Femoral – thigh
11) Cervical – neck region
34) Popliteal – posterior knee area
12) Thoracic – chest
35) Sural – (soo’ ral) – calf area
13) Mammary - breast
36) Patellar – anterior knee
14) Abdominal – lower anterior body trunk
37) Crural – lower leg (shin)
15) Umbilical – navel
38) Tarsal – ankle
16) Inguinal – where thigh meets body trunk
39) Calcaneal – heel
17) Pelvic – pelvis; above pubic
40) Plantar – sole of foot
18) Pubic – genital region
41) Pedal – foot
19) Lumbar – lower back
42) Hallux – great toe
20) Sacral – tail bone
43) Dorsal – back
21) Axillary – armpit
44) Manual – hand
22) Acromial – shoulder area
45) Vertebral - backbone
23) Brachial – upper arm
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LE 1-6
Frons or
forehead (frontal)
Cephalon
or head
(cephalic)
Cranium or skull
(cranial)
Facies or face
(facial)
Oris or mouth (oral)
Mentis or chin (mental)
Axilla or armpit (axillary)
Brachium or arm
(brachial)
Antecubitis or front
of elbow (antecubital)
Antebrachium or
forearm (antebrachial)
Carpus or wrist
(carpal)
Nasus or nose (nasal)
Oculus or
eye (orbital or ocular)
Auris or ear (otic)
Bucca or cheek (buccal)
Cervicis or neck (cervical)
Thoracis or thorax,
chest (thoracic)
Mamma or breast
(mammary)
Abdomen
(abdominal)
Umbilicus
or navel
(umbilical)
Crus or leg (crural)
Hallux or great toe
Upper
limb
Manus
or hand
(manual)
Inguen or groin
(inguinal)
Gluteus or buttock
(gluteal)
Popliteus or back
of knee (popliteal)
Pubis (pubic)
Femur or thigh
(femoral)
Tarsus or ankle
(tarsal)
Digits or phalanges
or toes (digital or
phalangeal)
Olecranon
or back
Trunk
of elbow
(olecranal)
Lumbus or loin
(lumbar)
Pollex or thumb
Patella or kneecap
(patellar)
Dorsum or
back
(dorsal)
Cervicis
or neck (cervical)
Pelvis (pelvic)
Palma or palm
(palmar)
Digits or phalanges or fingers
(digital or phalangeal)
Acromion
(acromial)
Cephalon
or head
(cephalic)
Sura or calf
(sural)
Calcaneus or heel of foot
(calcaneal)
Pes or foot
(pedal)
Planta or sole of foot
(plantar)
Lower
limb
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Body Cavities: Pages 19 & 22-24 of text
Functions of Body Cavities:
A. Protect internal organs by suspending and cushioning them
B. Permit internal organs to increase and decrease in size without alteration of external body tissues
1) Dorsal Body Cavity (two subdivisions)
a. Cranial Cavity – space inside skull
b. Spinal Cavity – extends from cranial cavity to end of vertebral column
2) Ventral Body Cavity (contains visceral organs of the chest and abdomen; subdivided by diaphragm)
a. Thoracic Cavity – inside rib cage; heart, lungs, etc
b. Abdominopelvic Cavity – divided into abdominal cavity and pelvic cavity
i. Abdominal Cavity – contains stomach, liver, intestines, etc.
ii. Pelvic Cavity – contains reproductive organs, bladder, & rectum
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4 Quadrants of abdominopelvic cavity:
1) Right upper quadrant
2) Right lower quadrant
3) Left upper quadrant
4) Left lower quadrant
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Homeostasis (pages 12-16 of text)
Many of the things that the body must do in order to survive are done subconsciously. The body’s
ability to maintain an internal environment that is remarkably stable compared to the external
environment is called homeostasis.
Homeo = the same/unchanging
Stasis = standing still
Components of homeostasis:



Receptor – senses a stimuli or environmental change
Control center – analyzes the signals that it receives from the receptors and
determines an appropriate response (brain/spinal cord)
Effector – responds as directed by the control center
Types of control mechanisms

Negative feedback – body senses that something has changed and the control center is
activated to regulate the change. This returns the body back to normal and the control
center can shut off again.
Negative feedback “negates” or opposes the original stimulus, minimizing change
e.g. Walking outside in cold weather. Body senses drop in temperature and
responds to warm the body up so that it doesn’t feel cold anymore. Once the
body is warmed up, the control center turns off again.
Thermoregulation, blood pressure, heart rate/pulse, etc.

Positive feedback – not as common. An initial stimulus produces a response that
exaggerates or enhances the change in the original conditions, rather than opposing it.
The control center does not turn off but keeps the process going, strengthening the
stimulus that is being sensed instead of diminishing it.
e.g. Blood clotting. When you cut yourself, a blood clot begins to form.
However, the blood clot that is starting to form sends out signals to further
accelerate additional clotting instead of shutting down the process.
Another example is the release of oxytocin to intensify the contractions that take place during childbirth.
Can you think of another?
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FigurePositive
01-05
Feedback: Blood Clotting
Clotting
Accelerates
Positive
Feedback
Loop
Break in blood
vessels will cause
bleeding
Damaged cells
release chemicals
Clotting
begins
Additional
chemicals
released
Blood clot plugs
break in vessel
wall; bleeding
stops
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LE 1-4
RECEPTORS
Temperature
sensors in skin
and
hypothalamus
Normal
temperature
disturbed
STIMULUS:
Body temperature
rises
Information
affects
CONTROL
CENTER
Thermoregulatory
center in brain
HOMEOSTASIS
Vessels
dilate,
sweating
increases
RESPONSE:
Increased heat loss,
body temperature
drops
Normal
temperature
restored
EFFECTORS
• Sweat glands
in skin increase
secretion
• Blood vessels
in skin dilate
Sends
commands
to
Body temperature (ºC)
Normal body
temperature
37.2
37
36.7
Vessels
constrict,
sweating
decreases
Normal
range
Time
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