Lab Exercise 1 notes: The Language of Anatomy
Gross Anatomy: The study of Body Structures visible to the naked eye
Anatomical Position: Body is Erect, feet slightly apart, arms hanging at sides with palms facing
forward.
Regional Anatomy:
The body is divided into 2 main regions:
Axial Region: Includes the head, neck and trunk and runs along the vertical axis
of the body.
Appendicular Region: includes the limbs which are also called extremities or
appendages.
Regions of the Human Body
Region
Description
Region
Description
Abdominal
Acromial
Antebrachial
Antecubital
Axillary
Brachial
Buccal
Calcaneal
Carpal
Cephalic
Cervical
Coxal
Crural
Digital
Femoral
Fibular (Peroneal)
Located below ribs/above hips
Point of the shoulder
Forearm
Anterior surface of the elbow
Armpit
Arm (upper portion/upper arm)
Cheek
Heel of the foot
Wrist
Head
Neck
Hip
Leg
Fingers or toes
Thigh
Side of leg
Nasal
Occipital
Olecranal
Oral
Orbital
Otic
Palmar
Patellar
Pedal
Pelvic
Perineal
Plantar
Pollex
Popliteal
Pubic
Sacral
Frontal
Gluteal
Hallux
Inguinal
Lumbar
Mammary
Manus
Mental
Forehead
Buttocks
Big toe
Groin
Lower Back
Breast
Hand
Chin
Scapular
Sternal
Sural
Tarsal
Thoracic
Umbilical
Vertebral
Nose
Back of the head
Back of elbow
Mouth
Bony eye socket
Ear
Palm of hand
Kneecap
Foot
Pelvis
Between Anus/external genitalia
Sole of foot
Thumb
Back of knee
Genital
Posterior region between hip
bones
Shoulder Blade
Breast bone
Calf
Ankle
Chest
Navel
Spine
Directional Terms:
The Following directional terms assume the person is in Anatomical position:
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Superior/Inferior: Above/Below, refer to placement along the long axis of the body.
Anterior/Posterior: Front/Back, in humans, the most anterior structures are those that are most
forward, i.e. face, chest and abdomen. Posterior structures are towards the backside of the body.
Medial/Lateral: toward midline/away from midline (medial plane). The sternum is medial to the
ribs, the ear is lateral to the nose.
The next term pairs are more absolute and apply in any body position and consistently
have the same meaning in all vertebrate animals.
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Cephalad (Cranial)/Caudal: Towards the head/toward the tail, used interchangeably
with Superior and inferior in humans but in 4 legged animals synonymous with anterior
and posterior respectively.
Ventral/Dorsal: Belly side/back side, in animals the terms are used with the assumption
the animal is standing. In humans Ventral and Dorsal are used interchangeably with
anterior and posterior, in 4 legged animals they are interchangeable with Inferior and
superior.
Proximal/Distal: Nearer the trunk or attached end/further from the trunk or attached
end. These terms primarily locate various areas of the limbs or extremities and may also
be used to indicate regions (closer to or farther from the head) of internal tubular
organs.
Superficial/Deep: Toward or at body surface/away from body surface i.e. skin is
superficial to muscles and lungs are deep to rib cage.
Body Planes and Sections:
In order to observe internal body structures sometimes it is necessary to make a section or cut which is made along
an imaginary surface called a plane. A section is named for the plane on which it is cut. Anatomists commonly refer
to three planes that lie at right angles to one another.
Body Cavities: The axial region of the body has 2 large cavities that protect the organs within
them.
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Dorsal Body Cavity: Subdivided into the Cranial cavity (Rigid skull, encases the
brain) and the vertebral/spinal cavity (runs through vertebral column and encloses
spinal chord)
Ventral Body Cavity: Divided into the superior Thoracic cavity which is separated
from the rest of the ventral cavity by the diaphragm and contains the heart and
lungs which are protected by the rib cage.
Abdominopelvic Cavity: Inferior to the Thoracic Cavity described as having 2 areas
with no physical barrier the superior abdominal cavity which houses the stomach,
intestines, liver and other organs and an inferior pelvic cavity, which is enclosed by
the bony pelvis and contains reproductive organs, bladder and rectum.
Serous Membranes of the Ventral Body Cavity:
The walls of the ventral cavity and the organs within are covered with a thin, double layered membrane called the
Serosa/Serous Membrane.
Parietal Serosa: Lines the cavity walls
Visceral Serosa: Covers the external surfaces of the organs
The membranes produce a fluid that allows the visceral organs to move around with a minimum of friction as well
as sometimes compartmentalizing the various organs to prevent infection spreading from one organ to another.
Peritoneum: Lines the abdominal cavity and covers its organs
Pleura: Serosa enclosing the lungs
Pericardium: Surrounds the heart
Abdominopelvic Quadrants and Regions
Other Body Cavities:
Oral Cavity: Mouth, contains tongue and teeth, is continuous with the rest of the digestive tube.
Nasal Cavity: Posterior to the nose and is part of the respiratory system
Orbital Cavities: Hold the eyes in an anterior facing position
Middle ear cavities: medial to the eardrum (carved into the bony skull) contains the tiny bones that transmit
sound vibrations to the hearing receptors in the inner ears.
Synovial Cavities: Are enclosed within fibrous capsules that surround the freely moving joints in the body. Like the
serous membranes of the ventral cavity, membranes lining synovial cavities secrete a lubricating fluid to lubricate
joints to reduce friction as they move