AMA 170 - Anatomy &
Physiology/Medical
Terminology/Pathology 1
Introduction
3 objectives to keep in mind as
you study:
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Analyze words by dividing into component
parts: root, suffix, combining form
Relate medical terms to structure and
function of human body
Be aware of spelling and pronunciation
problems (see the handouts on the website)
Analyze words by dividing into
component parts: root, suffix,
combining form
Root: foundation of the word
Suffix: word ending
Combining vowel: usually “o” links the two
Example:
cardi/o/logy
root/combining vowel/suffix
heart/combining vowel/study of
meaning: study of the heart
Structural organization of the
body
Cells: smallest living fundamental unit
Examples of some cells in the body:
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Muscle cells: contract
Nerve: conduct electrical impulses
Epithelial: skin and lining
Fat cell: contain empty spaces to store fat
Cells: smallest living
fundamental unit
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cell membrane: surrounds, protects and
regulates what goes in and out
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nucleus: controls the operations of the cells
and determines function
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chromosomes: 23 pairs in all human body cells
except sperm and egg which contain half so
that when reproduction occurs they combine;
contain genes that contain DNA that regulate
activity by their sequence which is like a code
that tells the cell what to do
Cells: smallest living
fundamental unit
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Cytoplasm: between nucleus and cell
membrane does the work of the cell
Mitochondria: found inside the cytoplasm are
the power plants; they create oxygen by
burning food
Endoplasmic reticulum: also found inside the
cytoplasm are like cellular tunnels in which
proteins are manufactured
Cell Chemical Reactions
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Catabolism: chemical reaction that breaks
down complex foods to release energy
Anabolism: process of building up complex
materials (amino acids) to make larger
proteins
Metabolism: both processes together; the
total chemical process going on
Tissues: groups of similar cells
working together to do a specific
job
For example:
 Muscle tissue contracts
 Epithelial tissue forms linings and
covers i.e. skin
 Connective tissue do just that: fat,
cartilage, bone and blood
 Nerve tissues conduct impulses all over
the body
Organs: structures composed of
several types of tissue
o
An organ (Latin: organum, "instrument, tool")
is a group of tissues that perform a specific
function or group of functions.
o
Usually there is a main tissue and sporadic
tissues. The main tissue is the one that is
unique for the specific organ.
o
For example, main tissue in the heart is the
myocardium, while sporadic are the nervous,
blood, connective etc.
Systems: groups of organs
working together to perform
complex functions
There are 9 body systems: Digestive, Urinary,
Respiratory, Reproductive, Endocrine, Nervous,
Circulatory, Musculoskeletal, Skin & Sense organs
A group of related organs is an organ system. Organs
within a system may be related in any number of ways,
but relationships of function are most commonly used.
For example the urinary system comprises organs
that work together to produce, store, and carry
urine.
Body Cavity: space within the
body that contains internal
organs
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The human body consists of the following cavities:
dorsal body cavity
 cranial cavity, enclosed by the Skull and contains the brain,
eyes, and ears.
 spinal canal, enclosed by the spine and contains the spinal
cord.
 ventral body cavity
 thoracic cavity, enclosed by the ribcage and contains the
lungs and heart.
 abdominopelvic cavity
 abdominal cavity, enclosed by the ribcage and pelvis
and contains the kidneys, ureters, stomach,
intestines, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas./pelvic
cavity, enclosed by the pelvis and contains bladder,
anus and reproductive system.
Things to study further…..
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Study the regions, quadrants, planes,
divisions of the spinal column and
positional and directional terms
Study the prefixes and suffixes in
chapters 3 and 4…practice, use cards,
CD, and repetition… this will carry you
throughout the entire text.