 Hippocrates:
He is the founder of the
science of anatomy.(370 ---460 BC)
 Herophilus: He is the father of Anatomy.
“It is concerned with the consideration of various structures
which make up the human body.”
Branches:
i.
Systematic Anatomy
ii.
Regional Anatomy /Topographical Anatomy
iii. Surface Anatomy
iv.
Radiological Anatomy
v.
Morphology
vi.
Comparative Anatomy
vii. Embryology
viii. Teratology
ix.
Statistical Anatomy
x.
Anthropology
xi.
Cross-section Anatomy
xii. Cytology
xiii.
xiv.
Applied Anatomy/ Clinical Anatomy
Histology
Anatomical position
 In
order to avoid confusion when describing
the body, it is always described in the
anatomical position.

In the anatomical position, a person stands
erect, legs together and arms by their sides,
with their head, eyes, toes and palms of the
hands facing forward. It is important to
remember that the palms face forward as their
relaxed position is generally facing inwards.
Importance:
 The anatomical position allows us to describe
the position of structures in relation to their
surroundings, e.g. ˜the heart lies above the
diaphragm. The anatomical position avoids
confusion as to whether the body is lying down
or standing up.
 You should also bear in mind that when
looking at a person in the anatomical position,
their right side will be on your left. The
structures will always be described as they are
to the subject rather than as they appear to you.
Planes
There are three major anatomical planes;
1) Axial
2) Coronal
3) Sagittal
 Axial
(also know as the transverse plane): This
plane cuts the body horizontally, into superior
(upper) and inferior (lower) portions
 Coronal
(also known as the frontal plane): This
plane cuts the body vertically, into anterior
(front) and posterior (back) portions.
 Sagittal:
This plane cuts the body vertically,
into left and right portions.
Direction is used, when the body is in the anatomical
position to explain the location of a structure relative to the
structures surrounding it.
Anterior (or ventral): Towards the front of the body (in
front of) e.g. The sternum lies anterior to the heart.
 Posterior (or dorsal): Towards the back of the body
(behind). The heart lies posterior the sternum.
 Superior (or cranial): Above (on top of). The heart lies
superior to the diaphragm.
 Inferior (or caudal): Below (underneath). The diaphragm
lies inferior to the heart.
 Lateral: Away from the mid line of the body (towards the
sides). The lungs lie lateral to the heart.
 Medial: Towards the mid line of the body (towards the
middle). The heart lies medial to the lungs.

Deep Away from the body surface (towards the inner
body). The heart is deep to the sternum.
 Superficial Towards the external surface of the body.
The sternum is superficial to the heart.
 Proximal Nearer to the trunk of the body. The shoulder
is proximal to the elbow.
 Distal Furthest from the trunk of the body. The elbow is
distal to the shoulder.


The body is split up into two main areas, the axial and
appendicular regions.

The axial region refers to the head, vertebral column
and trunk, and the appendicular region refers to the
pelvic girdles and the upper and lower limbs. Each area
is further divided into descriptive regions.
Axial regions
Cephalic
 Frontal
 Facial
 Occipital
 Orbital
 Buccal
 Thoracic
 Sternal
 Umbilical
 Inguinal
 Pubic
 Genital
 Perineal
 Dorsum

Description
Head
Forehead
Face
Back of the head
Eye cavity
Cheek
Chest
Sternum
Navel (belly button)
Groin
Mons pubis (pubic bone)
Reproductive organs
Perineum
Back
Vertebral
Spinal column
 Cervical
Neck
 Thoracic
Middle of the back
 Lumbar
Lower back Sacral Sacrum
Appendicular / Upper Limb
 Pectoral
Chest
 Clavicular
Clavicles
 Acromial
Acromion of the shoulder
 Scapular
Scapula
 Interscapular
Between the two scapulae
 Axillary
Armpit
 Brachial
Arm
 Antebrachial
Forearm
 Cubital
Elbow

Carpal
 Digits
 Pollicis
 Palmar
Lower Limb
 Gluteal
 Coxal
 Femoral
 Patellar
 Popliteal
 Crural
 Tarsal
 Calcaneal
 Pedal
 Plantar

Wrist
Fingers
Thumb
Palm of the hand
Buttocks
Hip
Thigh
Front of the knee
Back of the knee
Leg
Ankle
Heel
Foot
Sole of the foot

1.
2.
There are two main cavities within the body,
Ventral
Dorsal
The dorsal body cavity is at the back of the body and is the
smaller of the two cavities. It can be further divided into the
upper and lower portions, the cranial cavity and the
vertebral canal respectively.
 The ventral body cavity is at the front of the body and is
the larger of the two cavities. It can be further divided into
three cavities, the thoracic cavity, abdominal cavity and
pelvic cavity. The thoracic and abdominal cavities are
divided by the diaphragm and the abdominal and pelvic
cavities are continuous with each other

DORSAL CAVITY
Small cavity at the back of the body.
1) Cranial cavity
Upper portion , bounded by the skull . Contain brain and
meninges.
2) Vertebral canal
Lower portion. Bounded by the vertebral column,
intervertebral discs and surrounding ligaments. Contain spinal
cord and spinal nerve roots.
VENTRAL CAVITY
Large cavity at the front of the body.
 Thoracic cavity:
Large cavity above the diaphragm. It is bound laterally
by the ribs (covered by costal pleura) and the
diaphragm inferiorly (covered by diaphragmatic
pleura) Contain Heart, lungs, trachea, oesophagus,
large blood vessels and nerves.
Abdominal cavity
Large cavity below the diaphragm. It is bound
superiorly by the diaphragm, laterally by the body wall,
and inferiorly by the pelvic cavity. Contain
gastrointestinal tract, spleen, kidneys and adrenal
glands.
 Pelvic cavity
Small cavity below the brim of the pelvis. It is bounded
superiorly by the abdominal cavity, posteriorly by the
sacrum, and laterally by the pelvis . Contains urinary
bladder, genitals, sigmoid colon and rectum.

 The
abdomen can be divided by two lines into 4
quadrants or by 4 lines into 9 regions.
 The two lines that divide the abdomen into
quadrants form a cross, the centre of which is
positioned over the umbilicus (belly button).
These quadrants are often used to indicate the
location of pain.
 Right upper quadrant
 Left upper quadrant
 Right lower quadrant
 Left lower quadrant
 There
are two vertical lines and two horizontal
lines that divide the abdomen into a grid. The
vertical lines also known as lateral lines are
positioned using the middle of each clavicle as a
reference.
 The upper horizontal line (also known as the
transpyloric or subcostal line) is positioned at the
level of the pylorus of the stomach close to the
subcostal margin of the ribs.
 The lower horizontal line (also known as
transtubercular line) is positioned at the level of
the anterior superior iliac spines of the coxal (hip)
bone
Regions Name
 Right hypochondriac region
 Left hypochondriac region
 Epigastric region
 Right lateral region
 Left lateral region
 Umbilical region
 Right inguinal region
 Hypogastric (pubic) region
 Left inguinal region
1) PRE-NATAL LIFE: ( Life before birth)
a)
OVUM: Fertilization to end of 1st week.
b)
EMBRYO: Second to Eighth week.
c)
FOETUS: Third to Tenth month.
2) POST-NATAL LIFE (Life after birth till death)
a)
NEW BORN: Neonatal period. Birth to end of 2nd week
b)
INFANCY: Third week to the end of 1st year.
3) CHILDHOOD:
i.
Early
ii.
Middle
iii. Later
Early Childhood: Milk tooth period ( 2nd to 6th
year inclusive)
ii.
Middle Childhood: Permanent tooth period (7th
to 9th or 10th year inclusive)
iii. Later Childhood: Pre-Pubertal period.
From 9-10 years to 12-15 years in female.
From 9-10 years to 13-16 years in males.
4) Adolescence:
The six years following puberty.
5) Adult :
i.
Prime & Transition: Between 20 years to 60
years.
ii.
Old Age & Senescence: From 60 years to death.
i.
CELL
CELL THEORY: The human body can be organized on the basis of
cell theory that the cell is the structural unit of the whole human body.
TISSUE
A collection of cells of similar morphology performing a special
function is called tissue. Epithelium, connective tissue , nervous tissue
and muscle tissue are its types.
ORGANS
An association of different tissues is called an Organ which perform
certain functions. E.g. heart , stomach & urinary bladder.
ORGAN SYSTEM
A group of organs working harmoniously to discharge a
specific function forms a system e.g.
Skeletal System
Muscular System
Cardiovascular System
Nervous System
Urogenital System
Endocrine System
Lymphatic System
 Each
hemisphere is greatly
folded forming gyri (folds) and
sulci (grooves) which increases
the surface area of the cerebral
cortex. Although the exact
location of the sulci and gyri
varies between different
individuals, there are a number
of large gyri and deep sulci
which can be identified as
constant landmarks.
 The
brain and spinal cord contain both grey and
white matter.
In the Brain
 The grey matter can be found in the cerebral
cortex, the basal ganglia and the limbic system. It
is made up of the cell bodies, dendrites and
synapses of the neurons and are grouped into
functionally important nuclei.
 The white matter is made up of the myelinated
fibres (axons) which connect the different parts of
the brain to each other as well as to the spinal cord.
In the Spinal Cord
 The spinal cord is oval in cross section and consists
of white and grey matter. The grey matter lies
centrally and is arranged into ventral, dorsal and
lateral grey horns (anterior and posterior horns). It
consists of neurons and neurites, neuroglia and blood
vessels. It appears grey because of the abundance of
neuronal cell bodies.
 The white matter surrounds the grey mater and is
white in colour due to the presence of myelin, which
insulates the nerve fibres.