The Human Body: An Orientation

ANATOMY - Study of the structure and the shape of the body and its parts and its relationship to one
another.
- Divided into two parts
- Derived from greek words tomy (to cut) and ana (apart)
A. Gross Anatomy- the study of large physical organs, eg heart
B. Microscopic Anatomy- the study of cells and structures that are not visible to the naked eye
PHYSIOLOGY - How the body and it's parts function
- Physio= nature; Ology= the study of
HOMEOSTASIS - To maintain relatively stable internal conditions despite continuously changing outside
environment
- Stage in where the body tries to keep itself in balance
- Necessary for survival
2 types of feedback control system
A. Negative feedback system
- Most common
-Example: when you are hungry, your body tells you that you should eat so you feed it, then when you
are full, it sends feed back to your brain saying you are full so you stop taking in food.
- The net effects of the response to the stimulus is to either shut off the original stimulus or reduce its
intensity.
B. Positive feed back system
- Less common
- Example: blood clotting Rare in the body as they tend to increase the original disturbance (stimulus)
and to push the variable farther from its original value
THE LANGUAGE OF ANATOMY ANATOMICAL POSITION
Standing erect, face forward, upper limbs by side, palms forward, lower limbs together
Directional Terms:
Superior (cranial/cephalic) - towards the head, upper part of a structure, above
Inferior( Caudal) - away from the head end or toward the lower part of a structure or the body, below.
Anterior (Ventral) - Toward or at the front of the body; in front of
Posterior(dorsal) - Toward or at the backside of the body; behind
Medial- toward or at the midline of the body; on the inner side of
Lateral- away from the midline of the body; on the outer side of
Intermediate- between a more medial and a more lateral structure
Proximal- close to the origin of the body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk
Distal- farther from the origin of the body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk.
Superficial (external) - toward or at the body surface Deep( internal) - away from the body surface; more
internal
Regional Terms

BODY PLANES AND SECTIONS

1. Sagittal Section - Cut along the longitudinal plane of the body - Dividing the body or organ into
superior and inferior parts
2. Frontal/ Coronal - Divides the body(or organ) into anterior and posterior parts
3. Transverse/Cross Section - Cut along a horizontal plane - Divides the body or organ into superior
and inferior parts

ANATOMICAL DIRECTIONS - Important to help locate a certain point in the body

BODY CAVITIES
2 sets of internal body cavities
Provides protection to the organs
1. DORSAL BODY CAVITY - subdivided into
a. cranial cavity -inside the body skull
-protects the brain
b. spinal cavity -spinal cord is protected by the bony vertebrae
2. VENTRAL BODY CAVITY subdivided into:
a. thoracic cavity
• separated by the diaphragm (dome shaped muscle)
• organs are protected by the ribcage
• mediastinum- separated the lungs into your right and left lungs, contains trachea and heart
• organs: heart, trachea
b. abdominopelvic cavity these two cavities are separated by the diaphragm

ABDOMINAL CAVITY
• stomach, liver, intestines, etc.
• Most vulnerable
• walls of the cavity are formed only of trunk muscles
• not reinforced by bone
PELVIC CAVITY
• reproductive organs, bladder, and rectum.
4 ABDOMINAL QUADRANTS
1. Right Upper Quadrant
2. Right Lower quadrant
3. Left Upper quadrant
4. Left Lower quadrant
9 ABDOMINOPELVIC REGIONS
- the superior transverse plane: superior to the ribs
- the inferior transverse plane: superior to the hip bones
- parasagittal planes: lie just medial to the nipples
1. Right hypochondriac region -hypo= below, chondriac= rib cartilage
2. Epigastric region-epi= above, gastric= stomach
3. Left hypochondriac region
4. Right lumbar region- lumbar= lumbar vertebrae, lateral side,
5. Umbilical region- umbilicus is located
6. Left Lumbar region
7. right iliac (inguinal region)- iliac crest on hip bone
8. Hypogastric (pubic) region-hypo=below, gastric=stomach
9. Left illiac (inguinal region)
OTHER BODY CAVITIES

ORAL CAVITY

• contains teeth, tongue, tonsils, continuation of your digestive cavity

DIGESTIVE CAVITY NASAL CAVITY

• posterior part of the nose

• part of respiratory system

ORBITAL CAVITIES

• house the eyes and present them in an anterior position

MIDDLE EAR CAVITIES

• lie medial to the eardrums

• contain tiny bones that transmit sound vibration to the hearing receptors in the inner ears

LEVELS OF STRUCTURAL ORGANIZATION

Chemical Level

• atoms combine to form molecules 1

Cellular Level

• cells are made up of molecules

Tissue level

• tissues consist of similar types of cells

Organ level

• different types of tissues form organs

Organ system level

• organ systems consist of different types of organs that work together

Organismal level

• human organisms are made out of many organ systems

TISSUES- consist of groups of similar cells that have a common function

ORGAN- structure composed of two or more tissue types that perform a specific function for the body

ORGAN SYSTEM- a group of organs that work together to accomplish a common purpose.

ORGAN SYSTEM OVER VIEW

INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM
- External covering of the body

- Skin, hair and finger nails

- Waterproofs the body and cushions and protects the deeper tissues from injury

- Produces vitamin D

- Excretes salts in perspiration

- Helps regulate body temperature

- Where sensory receptors are located

SKELETAL SYSTEM

- Consists of bones, cartilages, and joints.

- Supports the body

- Provides a framework that the skeletal muscles use to cause movement

- Also has protective functions

- Cavities of skeletons are where blood cells are formed

- The hard substance of bones acts as a storehouse for minerals

MUSCULAR SYSTEM

- Skeletal muscles form the muscular system

- Muscle contraction, movement, talk etc.

NERVOUS SYSTEM

- Body's fast-acting control system

- Consists of brain, spinal cord, nerves, and sensory receptors

- Sensory receptors detect changes in temperature, pressure, or light, and send messages (via electrical
signals called nerve impulses) to the central nervous system( brain and spinal cord) so that it is
constantly informed about what is going on.

- The central nervous system then assesses this information and responds by activating the appropriate
body effectors (muscles or glands, which are organs that produce secretions)

- Stimuli-Sensory receptors-nerve impulsese-effectors

ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

- Slowly controls body activities

-Endocrine glands produce chemical molecules called hormones and release them into the blood to
travel to relatively distant target organs
- The endocrine glands are the ff:

a. Pituitary

b. Thyroid

c. Parathyroids

d. Adrenals

e. Thymus

f. Pancreas

g. Pineal

h. Ovaries(female)

i. Testes (male)

- Endocrine glands are not connected automatically in the same way that other organ systems are.

- Growth, reproduction, and the use of nutrients by cells are all controled (at least in part) by hormones

- Endocrine glands- hormones- travel in the blood- target organs

CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM

- Primary organs are the heart and blood vessels

- Blood as a carrier Cardiovascular system delivers oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and other substances
to, and picks up waste such as carbon dioxide from, cells near sites of exchange

- WBC (white blood cells) and chemicals in the blood help to protect the body from such foreign
invaders as bacteria, viruses, and tumour cells.

- The heart propels blood out of its chambers into blood vessles to be transported to all body tissues

LYMPHATIC SYSTEM

- Complements the cardiovascular system

- Organs include lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, and other lymphoid organs such as the spleen and
tonsils

- When fluid is leaked into tissues from the blood, lymphatic vessels return it to the blood stream so that
there is enough blood to continuously circulate through the body.

- The lymph nodes and other lymphoid organs help to cleanse the blood and house white blood cells
involved in immunity.

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

- The main function is to keep the body supplied with oxygen and to remove carbon dioxide
– Consists of the nasal passages, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs.

- Gases are exchanged through tiny air sacs in the lungs.

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

- Tube running through the body from mouth to anus Organs include oral cavity, esophagus, stomach,
small and large intestines, and rectum plus a number of accesory organs (liver, salivary glands, pancreas
etc.)

- Their role is to break down food and deliver the nutrients to the blood for dispersal to body cells

URINARY SYSTEM

- Excretory system

- Removes nitrogen- containing wastes from the blood through urine

- Maintains water and electrolyte balance of the body

- Regulates the acid-base balance of the body

- Regulate blood pressure

REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

- Role is to produce offspring