Major Concepts of Anatomy and Physiology

1. Major Concepts of Anatomy and Physiology Part 1: Organization of the Human Body

2. What is A&P? • Anatomy: • The study of the structure of the human body. • Physiology: • The study of the function of the human body.

3. Subdivisions of Anatomy • Gross Anatomy: Studies structures visible to naked eye. • Histology: Studies structure of tissues visible through a microscope. • Neuroanatomy: Studies the structures of the human nervous system. • Embryology: Studies the development of human embryos. • Radiographic Anatomy: Studies the structures visible via x-ray.

4. Subdivisions of Physiology • Neurophysiology: Studies the function of the human nervous system • Cardiophysiology: Studies the human cardiovascular system. • Immunology: Studies the structure & function of the immune system. • Endocrinology: Studies the function of hormones and their effects. • Pathophysiology: Studies the changes brought on by disease and aging.

5. Homeostasis • Homeostasis: • The healthy internal balance of the human organism. • The body will always attempt to return to homeostasis if change occurs. • Feedback Systems are used to maintain homeostasis. • E.g. blood glucose, body temperature, etc. • Major fluctuations may indicate a problem!

6. Feedback Mechanisms • Negative Feedback Mechanisms: • Maintains the body condition in question within a small “normal range” of its set point. • Examples: • Blood sugar range (80-120mg/ml) • Body Temperature (36.5-38*C) • Blood pH • Your thermostat!

8. Feedback Mechanisms • Positive Feedback Mechanisms: • Strengthens of reinforces a change where the response to a stimulus actually increases the original stimulus. Produces a fairly rapid change. • Examples: • Labor

10. Hierarchy of Complexity • 6 Levels of the Hierarchy • Chemical Level • Cellular Level • Tissue Level • Organ Level • System Level • Organism Level • Moves from simple to complex.

11. Chemical Level The atoms and molecules that make up the cells of the body. • Subatomic Particles: • Smaller than atoms • Include protons, neutrons & electrons • Atoms: • The smallest unit of the elements • Formed by combinations of the subatomic particles

12. Chemical Level • Elements: • Fundamental substances composed of atoms • Chemically alike &cannot be separated into smaller substances by typical methods • Include Oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, & nitrogen • Molecules: • Composed of groups of atoms • Includes things like Glucose & Macromolecules • Macromolecules: • Composed of hundreds or thousands of molecules • Includes proteins, fats, carbohydrates, DNA, RNA

13. Cellular Level • Organelles: • Microscopic structures contained inside cells • Carry out individual functions • Include Mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes • Cells: • The basic building block of all organic organisms (living things)

14. Tissue Level • Tissue: • A mass of similar cells that perform the same specific function • FOUR PRIMARY TISSUES • Epithelium Tissue • Connective Tissue • Muscle Tissue • Nervous Tissue

15. Organ Level • Organ: • Structure composed of two or more separate tissue types working together to carry out a particular function • Distinct gross anatomical boundaries • Include stomach, heart, brain, etc.

16. System Level • Organ System: • A group of organs connected together to accomplish a unique collective function • Example: Digestive system • Separate organs include the esophagus, stomach, small & large intestines • Functions include digestion, absorption, and excretion

17. Organism Level • Organism: • A single complete individual • Composed of a number of different organ systems • 11 Systems in the Human Integumentary Skeletal Muscular Cardiovascular Nervous Endocrine Respiratory Digestive Lymphatic Reproductive Urinary

18. Six Characteristics of Living Organisms • Metabolism: All chemical reaction occurring within living cells. • Anabolism: Synthesis reactions to combine small molecules to form larger ones. Requires an input of energy. • Catabolism: Reactions reduce large, complex substances into simpler ones. Releases energy. • Growth: An increase in size through division and/or enlargement of cells. • Differentiation: The process of developing unspecialized cells into specialized cells with specific structure and function.

19. Six Characteristics of Living Organisms • Movement: Includes motion of a body part or materials through the body. • Responsiveness: The ability to detect and respond to changes in the environment. • Reproduction: The process of producing a new organism or forming new cells.

20. Anatomical Position • The anatomical position is the standard reference position for A&P. • Requires a person to… • Stand with feet flat on the floor • Arms at the sides • Palms, face, eyes, and feet face forward • All descriptions assume the body is in this position.

21. Directional Terms • Superior: Toward the top of the head • Inferior: Below or toward the feet • Anterior or Ventral: Front • Posterior or Dorsal: Back • Medial: Toward the midline/midsagittal plane • Lateral: Away from the midline • Proximal: Closer to midline or the point of limb attachment

22. Directional Terms • Distal: Farther away from the midline or point of limb attachment • Superficial: Closer to the surface of the body • Deep: Farther from the surface of the body

24. Anatomical Planes • Sagittal Plane: Extends vertically from head to toes; divides the body into left and right portions. • Midsagittal Median Plane: Passes exactly through midline (middle) of the body; divides the body into equal halves. • Parasagittal Plane: Any sagittal plane that passes through the body to the left or right of the midline; divides the body into unequal left & right portions.

26. Anatomical Planes • Frontal Coronal Plane: Vertically oriented plane • At right angles perpendicular to the sagittal plane • Divides the body into a front (anterior) and back (posterior) portion

28. Anatomical Planes • Transverse Plane: Passes through the body horizontally • Perpendicular to the long axis of the body • Divides the body into top (superior) and bottom (inferior) portions. • Typical plane of Computerized Tomography (CT) scans

30. Anatomical Planes • Oblique Plane: Passes through the body at an angle • Between the transverse plan and either a sagittal or frontal plane.

32. Surface Anatomy • Axial Region: The area of the body closest to the midline. Consists of.. • head • neck • Trunk • Thoracic region (chest above diaphragm) • Abdominopelvic region (below diaphragm)

33. Surface Anatomy • Appendicular Region: Are of body farthest away from the midline. Consists of the Appendages (upper and lower limbs, extremities). • Brachium: Arm from shoulder to elbow • Antebrachium: Forearm from elbow to wrist • Carpus: Wrist area • Metacarpus: Hand between carpus & phalanges • Manus: Hand • Digits (Phalanges): Fingers • Thigh: From hip to knee • Crus (Shank): From knee to ankle • Tarsus: Ankle between leg and metatarsus • Metatarsus: Foot from ankle to toes. • Pes: The foot • Digits (Phalanges): The toes

35. Body Cavities • Dorsal Cavity: Lined by the meninges (dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater). • Cranial Cavity: Contains the brain; enclosed in the skull. • Vertebral or Spinal Cavity: Contains the spinal chord; enclosed in the vertebral column. • Ventral Cavity • Thoracic Cavity: Contains the heart, lungs, & upper digestive system organs. • Abdominopelvic Cavity: Contains the stomach, liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, urinary bladder, small & large intestine. Kidneys located BEHIND abdominopelvic cavity. • Organs located in these cavities are referred to as viscera.

37. Abdominopelvic Cavity • 4 Abdominopelvic Quadrants: • Right Upper Quadrant • Left Upper Quadrant • Left Lower Quadrant • Right Lower Quadrant

38. Abdominopelvic Cavity • 9 Abdominopelvic Regions • Right Hypochondriac Region: Liver, gall bladder • Epigastric Region: Liver, stomach, pancreas • Left Hypochondriac Region: Stomach, spleen • Right Lateral or Lumbar Region: Ascending colon, gall bladder • Umbilical Region: Stomach, transverse colon, small intestine, pancreas • Left Lateral or Lumbar Region: Small intestine, descending colon • Right Inguinal or Iliac Region: Cecum, small intestine • Hypogastric Region: Small intestine, rectum, urinary bladder, reproductive organs • Left Inguinal or Iliac Region: Small intestine, sigmoid colon