What is Anatomy and Physiology???
 Anatomy is the scientific
study of the structure of
the human body, its
parts, their forms, and
how they are organized.
 Physiology is the study
of how the human body
parts function – what
they do and how they do
it.
Cells
• The basic unit of structure of all organisms (living things).
• Complex organisms have cells that contain organelles (tiny organs).
• Formed when cells organize into layers or structures with a
common function.
Tissue
• Formed by groups of tissue that interact with a common function.
Organ • Organs are complex structures with specialized functions
Organ
System
Organism
• Composed of groups of organs that function
closely together
• Composed of various organ systems.
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All living things:
 Have cellular organization.
 Contain similar chemicals.
 Use energy.
 Respond to their surroundings.
 Grow and develop.
 Reproduce.
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A CELL is the basic unit of structure and function
in an organism.
 Must have a microscope to see cells because they are
microscopic. (too small to see with the naked eye)
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Organisms may be composed of one or many
cells.
 Unicellular: single-celled organisms
▪ Example: Bacteria and Amoeba
 Multicellular: organisms composed of many cells that
are specialized into specific tasks.
▪ Example: animals, humans, and plants
Movement: Change in position of the body or of the
body part; motion of internal organ
 Responsiveness: Reaction to a change inside or
outside the body
 Growth: increase in body size without change in
shape
 Development is the process of change that occurs
during an organism’s life to produce a more
complex organism.
 Reproduction: production of new offspring
 Respiration: obtaining oxygen, removing carbon
dioxide, and releasing energy from food
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Digestion: Breakdown of food substances into
simpler forms that can be absorbed and used
Absorption: Passage of substances through
membranes and into body fluids
Circulation: movement of substances in body
fluids
Assimilation: Changing absorbed substances
into chemically different forms
Excretion: Removal of wastes produced by
metabolic reactions

Metabolism is the sum
total of chemical
reactions in the body
that break substances
down and build them
up.
 Helps us use and gain
energy.
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Water
 The most abundant
chemical in the body.
 Most living things can only
live a few days without
water.
 Organisms need water to
get chemicals from their
surroundings to break
down food, grow, move
substances, and
reproduce.
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Food (Source of Energy)
 Autotrophs are organisms
that make their own food.
Auto- means “self” and –
troph means “feeder.”
▪ Make their own food to carry
out their own life functions.
 Heterotrophs are
organisms that cannot
make their own food.
Hetero- means “other.”
▪ Obtain energy by feeding on
others.
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Oxygen
 Gas that makes up about
one-fifth of ordinary air.
 Used to release energy
from food substances.
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Heat
 Form of energy that is a
product of metabolism.
 Degree of heat present
partly determines the rate
at which reactions occur.
 Pressure
 Application of force to
something
 Ex. Force of air on
humans is important in
breathing
 Homeostasis
 Condition of a stable
environment through selfregulating control systems
 Set Point tells what a
particular value should
be.
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Homestasis
 Negative Feedback
▪ When a change from the
set point occurs,
homeostatic mechanisms
are activated to return the
body to normal conditions.
Once the deviation from
the set point begins to
lessen, the mechanism
begins to slow down.
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1.
Body Regions
Axial Region
a) Consists of the head,
neck, and trunk
Appendicular
Region
2.
a)
Consists of the
upper limbs and
lower limbs (aka
extremities)
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The body wall encloses
several BODY CAVITIES
each lined by a
membrane and consisting
of organs called viscera
(organs contained in body
cavities such as kidney,
brain, lungs, etc.)
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Cranial Cavity
 Enclosed by the cranium
(skull) and contains the
brain.

Vertebral Canal
 Enclosed by the vertebral
column (backbone) and
contains the spinal cord.
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The cranial and
vertebral canals are
continuous with each
other and are lined
with 3 membranes
called meninges.
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Thoracic Cavity
 Divided by the
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The Abdominoplevic
Cavity
mediastinum (seperates
the lungs)
 Other viscera (organs)
include the heart,
esophagus, trachea, and
thymus gland
 Consists of the ABDOMINAL
The thoracic cavity is
separated from the
abdominoplevic cavity by
a thick muscle called the
diaphragm.
 Pelvic Cavity (enclosed by
cavity and the PELVIC cavity.
 Abdominal Cavity contains:
▪ stomach, liver, spleen,
gallbladder, kidneys, and most
of the small and large intestines
hip bones) contains:
▪ Lower portion of large
intestines, urinary bladder, and
the internal reproductive
organs
Oral Cavity (teeth and
tongue)
 Nasal Cavity (located
in the nose and
connects to sinuses)
 Orbital Cavities (eyes
and associated
muscles and nerves)
 Middle Ear Cavities
(middle ear bones)
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 Integumentary
 Skeletal
 Muscular
 Nervous
 Endocrine
 Circulatory
 Lymphatic
 Respiratory
 Digestive
 Urinary
 Male Reproductive
 Female Reproductive
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Ventral – toward the
front or belly
Dorsal – toward the back
or spine
Anterior – toward the
ventral side
Posterior – toward the
dorsal side
Superior – above
Inferior – below
Medial – toward the
midsagital plane (middle)
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Lateral – away from the
midsagital
Proximal – closer to the
point of attachment or
orgin
Distal – farther from the
point of attachment
Superficial – closer to the
body surface
Deep – farther from the
body surface
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Sagittal refers to a
lengthwise plane that
divided into left and right
portions.
Transverse (horizontal)
refers to a plane that
divides the body into
superior (top) and inferior
(bottom) portions.
Coronal (frontal) refers to
a plane that divides the
body into anterior (front)
and posterior (back)
portions.