Chapter 1: Organization of the Body
Anatomy & Physiology are branches of biology that are concerned with the form and functions of the
body.
Anatomy: Study of body structure of an organism
Physiology: Deals with body functions of the living organisms and its parts
Science & Society
Experiment: Using detailed observations and vigorous tests
Hypothesis: Scientists sort out each element of an idea until a reasonable conclusion about its validity is
made
Controlled Experiments: Rigorous experiments that eliminate any influences or biases not being directly
tested
Theory: If the results of observations and experiments are repeatable and to verify the hypothesis
Laws: Theories in which scientists have an unusually high level of confidence
Cadavers – Dead bodies
Anatomy & Physiology
Dissection: Cutting it apart
Biology: Scientific study of life
Gross Anatomy: Study of body parts visible to the naked eye
Microscoptic Anatomy: Microscopes to examine the smallest structures of the body (cell, tissues,
molecules)
Cytology: Study of cells
Histology: Study of tissues
Developmental Anatomy: Study of human growth and development
Pathological Anatomy: Study of the diseased body structure
Systemic Anatomy: Study the body by systems
Systems: Groups of organs that have a common function
- Bones in the skeletal system
- Muscles in the muscular system
Physiology
Physiology can be divided into three
1. Type of organism involved (human physiology or plant physiology)
2. Organizational level studied (molecular or cellular physiology)
3. Specific or systemic function being studied (neurophysiology, respiratory physiology, or
cardiovascular physiology)
Language of science and medicine
IFAA: – International Federation of Associations of Anatomists
Terminologia Anatomica: The structure we can see without magnification
Terminologia Histologica: Lists terms for microscoptic anatomy – the study of body structure requiring
significant magnification for the purpose of visualization
Eponyms: Terms based on a person’s name
Characteristics of Life:
Autopoiesis: Living organisms are self-organizing or self mainting and nonliving structures are not
Cell Theory: Any independent structure made up of one or more microscopic units
Cell: Living organism
Metabolism: Breakdown of nutrient materials to produce energy and the transformation of one
material into another.
Levels of Organization
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Chemical Level
Organelle Level
Cellular Level
Tissue Level
Organ Level
System Level
Organism Level
Chemical Level
Atoms: 100 different chemical building blocks of nature (so tiny)
Molecules: Combinations of atoms form a larger chemical grouping
Macromolecules: Molecules often combine with other atoms and molecules to form larger and more
complex chemicals
Cytoplasm: Molecules and macromolecules in living material form a gel-like material made of fluids,
particles, and membranes
Organelle Level
Organelles: Chemical structures may be organized within larger units called cells to form various
structures
- A structure made of molecules organized in such way that it can perform a specific function
- Tiny organs that allows each cell to live
- Could not survive outside the cell and cell would not survive without organelle either
Ex: Mitochondria: The “powerhouses” of cells that provide energy needed by the cell to carry on day to
day functioning, growth, and repair
Cellular Level
Cellular Level: The most important function of the chemical and organelle levels of organization is that
of furnishing the basic building blocks required for the next higher level of body structure
Cell: The smallest and most numerous structural units that possess and exhibit the basic characteristics
of a living matter.
- Each cell is surrounded by a membrane and is characterized by a single nucleus surrounded by
cytoplasm that includes numerous organelles required for process of day-to-day living
Differentiate: To perform unique functions
Tissue Level
Tissue: A group of a great many similar cells that all developed together from the same part of the
embryo and all perform a certain function.
- Tissue cells are surrounded by varying amounts and kinds of nonliving, intercellular substances,
or the matrix.
- Tissues are the fabric of the body
Four major tissue types:
1. Epithelial
2. Connective
3. Muscle
4. Nervous
Organ Level
Organ: A structure made up of several different kinds of tissue arranged so that together they can
perform a special function
- Each organ has a unique size, shape, appearance, and placement in the body, and each can be
identified by the pattern of tissues that form it.
Ex: Heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, brains, spleen
Organ System Level
System: Involves varying numbers and kinds of organs arranged so that together they can perform
complex functions for the body
There are 11 major systems that compose the human body:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Integumentary
Skeletal
Muscular
Nervous
Endocrine
6. Cardiovascular
7. Lymphatic/Immune
8. Respiratory
9. Digestive
10. Urinary
11. Reproductive
Skeletomuscular System: Skeletal and muscular systems work together to produce athletic movements
Nueroskeletomuscular System: Concepts of nervous control of movement and study
I.e: Sensory nervous system & motor nervous system
Organism Level
- Can reproduce itself
- Maintain ongoing repair and replacement of worn or damaged parts
Anatomical Position
Anatomical Position: how the body moves, the posture, or the relationship of one area to another
assume the body as a while in a specific position
- A reference position that gives meaning to the directional term used to describe the body parts
and regions
Bilateral Symmetry: The right and left side of the body are mirror images of each other and only
one plane can divide the body into left and right halves
- Balanced proportions
Ipsilateral and contralateral are used to identify the placement of one body part with respect to
another on the same or opposite side of the body.
Ipsilateral: Same side
Contralateral: Opposite side
Supine & Prone are terms used to describe the position of the body when it is not in the anatomical
position.
Supine position: Body is lying face upward
Prone position: Body is lying face downward
Anatomical Directions
Superior & Inferior
Superior: Toward the head, up or above
Inferior: Toward the feet, lower, or below
Anterior & Posterior
Anterior: Front, in front of (Ventral: Upright position (toward the belly)
Posterior: Back, in back of (Dorsal: Toward the back)
Medial & Lateral
Medial: Toward the midline of the body
Lateral: Toward the side of the body or away from the midline
Proximal & Distal
Proximal: Toward or nearest the trunk of the body/ nearest the point of origin of one of its part
Distal: Away from, farthest from the trunk or the point of origin of a body part
Superficial & Deep
Superficial: Nearer the surface
Deep: Farther away from the body surface
Terms Related to Organs
Lumen: Hollow area of any organs
Ex: stomach, intestine, airways, lungs, blood vessels, urinary organs, etc
Central: Near the center
Peripheral: Around the boundary
Medullary: Inner region or core of an organ
Cortical: Outer region or layer of an organ
Basal: Base or widest part of the organ
Apical: Narrow tip of an organ
Anatomical Compass Rosette
A = Anterior
D = Distal
I = Inferior
L = (opposite M) = Lateral
L = (opposite R) = Left
P (opposite A) = Posterior
P (opposite D) = Proximal
S = Superior
M = Medial
R= Right
Body Planes & Sections
Body Pane: Section (cut) the body of an organ along such an imagined flat surface
Section: The resulting cut of the body or organ
Three Body planes that lie at right angles to one another
1. Sagittal
2. Coronal
3. Transverse
Sagittal Plane
Sagittal Plane: Lengthwise plane running from front to back and top to bottom, dividing
the body or any of its parts into right and left sides
Sagittal Section: A flat cut made along a sagittal plane
Median sagittal section/ midsagittal section: If sagittal section is made in the exact
midline of the body, resulting in equal and symmetrical right and left halves
Coronal Planes
Coronal Plane: Any lengthwise plane running from side to side and top to bottom,
dividing the body or any parts into anterior and posterior portions
Frontal Plane: May also be called a coronal plane
Coronal section/frontal section: A cut made along a coronal plane
Transverse Planes
Transverse Planes: Any crosswire plane that divides the body or any of its parts into
upper and lower parts
Horizontal Plane: May also be called besides the Transverse plane
Transverse section/Horizontal Section: A cut along any transverse plane of the body or
an organ
Other Planes & Sections
Cross section: A cut along a plane parallel with the short axis of an organ
Longitudinal section: A cut along the long axis of an organ
Oblique section: Diagonal cuts
Cavaties
Body Cavaties: Large space in which many internal organs arise during early development
- Two main cavities are subdivided into Ventral and Dorsal
Oral cavity & Nasal cavity: Smaller spaces in local regions of the body
Dorsal cavities: Separate developmental process along the posterior aspects of the body, smaller bonywalled form that house organs of the central nervous system
- Located in the back part of the body and includes a cranial above and a spinal cavity below
Ventral Cavities: Located in the front side of the trunk and together comprise the main body cavity
- Includes Thoracic cavity (chest cavity) & abdominopelvic cavity
Thoracic Cavity: Subdivided into mediastinum in the center and pleural cavities to the
sides.
Mediastinum: Contains the heart and other structures surrounded by fibrous tissue.
Pleural cavities: On the left and right side of the mediastinum are spaces in which the
lungs
resides
Parietal: One layer of the membrane
Visceral: Layer lines in the cavity and doubles back on itself, layer covering the organs
Abdominopelvic cavity: Has an upper portion and a lower portion, the pelvic cavity
- Subdivided into the abdominal cavity above the pelvis and the pelvic activity within the
pelvis
- Contains the liver, gallbladder, ureters, stomach, pancreas, spleen, & kidneys
Parietal Peritoneum: The membrane lining the inside of the abdominal cavity
Visceral peritoneum: Membrane that covers the organs within the abdominal cavity
Peritoneal Cavity: Space or opening between the two membrane
Abdominopelvic Quadrants
1. Right upper quadrant or RUQ (right superior quadrant)
2. Right lower quadrant or RLQ (right inferior quadrant)
3. Left upper quadrant or LUQ (left superior quadrant)
4. Left lower quadrant or LLQ (left inferior quadrant)
Abdominopelvic Regions
Upper regions
1. Right hypochondriac region
2. Epigastric region
3. Left hypochondriac region
Middle regions
4. Right lumbar (flank) region
5. Umbilical region
6. Left lumbar (flank) region
Lower regions
7. Right iliac (inguinal) region
8. Hypogastric (public) region
9. Left iliac (inguinal) region
Hypochondriac: “under cartilage” aka rib cartilage
Epigastric: Upon or around the stomach
Iliac (ileum): Lowest part of the small intestine
Hypogastric: Below the stomach
Body Regions
The body as a whole can be subdivided into two major portions or components:
1. Axial
2. Appendicular
Axial: Consists of the head, neck, torso, or trunk
Appendicular: Consists of the upper and lower extremities and their connections to
axial portion
the