ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION TO ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY

Anatomy & physiology plays the vital role in medical science, without the knowledge of Anatomy and Physiology there is no independent existence of other areas of study in medical science. Human anatomy is the branch of science which deals with the study of the internal and external structure of the human body whereas Physiology is defined as the branch of science that deals with the study of normal functions of the Human body.

Andreas Vesalius (1514-1564) for his best-known word ‘fabrica humani corporis’ in which he incorporated both anatomy and physiology, is known as the father of modern Anatomy and William Harvey (1578-1657), who discovered the system of blood circulation is regarded as the father of modern Physiology.

What Is Anatomy and Physiology?

Anatomy : is the study of the structure and relationship between body parts.

Physiology : is the study of the function of body parts and the body as a whole. Some specializations within each of these sciences follow:

Gross (macroscopic) anatomy : is the study of body parts visible to the naked eye, such as the heart or bones.

Histology : is the study of tissues at the microscopic level.

Cytology : is the study of cells at the microscopic level.

Neurophysiology : is the study of how the nervous system functions.

Organizations of living systems

Living systems can be defined from various perspectives, from the broad (looking at the entire earth) to the minute (individual atoms). Each perspective provides information about how or why a living system functions:

At the chemical level, atoms, molecules (combinations of atoms), and the chemical bonds between atoms provide the framework upon which all living activity is based.

The cell is the smallest unit of life. Organelles within the cell are specialized bodies performing specific cellular functions. Cells themselves may be specialized. Thus, there are nerve cells, bone cells, and muscle cells.

A tissue is a group of similar cells performing a common function. Muscle tissue, for example, consists of muscle cells.

An organ is a group of different kinds of tissues working together to perform a particular activity. The heart is an organ composed of muscle, nervous, connective, and epithelial tissues.

An organ system is two or more organs working together to accomplish a particular task. The digestive system, for example, involves the coordinated activities of many organs, including the mouth, stomach, small and large intestines, pancreas, and liver.

An organism is a system possessing the characteristics of living things—the ability to obtain and process energy, the ability to respond to environmental changes, and the ability to reproduce.

COMMONLY USED TERMINOLOGIES

- Anterior or Ventral – Front side of the body
- Posterior or Dorsal – Back side of the body
- Superior or Cranial – Towards head
- Inferior or Caudal – Towards feet
- Medial – In the Middle

Lateral – Away from the mid-point
Proximal – Starting point
Distal – Ending point
Superficial – Close to the skin or Towards surface of the body.
Deep – Away from skin or Away from the surface of the body.
Ipsilateral – On the same side of the body as another structure
Contralateral – On the opposite side of the body as another structure.
Invagination – Projection inside
Evagination – Projection outside

VARIOUS BODY POSITIONS

Anatomical position – When a person is standing straight with the eyes looking forward, both the arms the side of the body, palms facing forwards, both feet together.
Supine position – When a person is lying on his/her back, arms by the side, palms facing upwards and feet put together.
Prone position – Person lying on his/her face, chest and abdomen.
Erect position – Person standing straight.
Lithotomy position – Person lying on her back with legs up and feet supported in straps, mostly used during delivery of the baby.

VARIOUS BODY PLANES

Median/ Midsagittal plane – A plane passing through the center of the body dividing it into two equal right and left halves is the median or midsagittal plane.
Coronal/ Frontal plane – A plane which divides the body into anterior and posterior halves is called the coronal plane.
Transverse/ Axial plane – A plane which divides the body into upper and lower parts is called a transverse plane.
Sagittal/ Lateral plane – A plane which divides the body into two unequal left and right halves is called the sagittal plane.

BODY CAVITY

It is divided into two parts

Anterior/Ventral Cavity – It is divided into the Thoracic cavity, Abdominal cavity, and the Pelvic cavity.
Posterior/Dorsal Cavity – It is divided into Cranial Cavity and the Spinal Cavity.