TAGOLOAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Baluarte, Tagoloan, Mis. Or.

Member: Association of Local Colleges and Universities (ALCU)
Member: Association of Local Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (ALCUCOA)

Handout # 1

The Human Body: An Orientation

Objectives: At the end of the session, the student is expected to

1. Define and differentiate anatomy and physiology.
2. Explain why study anatomy and physiology.
3. Explain how anatomy and physiology are related.
4. Define the following terms:
a. Chemical components
b. Organelle
c. Cell
d. Tissue
e. System
f. Organism
5. Name the levels of structural organization and briefly explain how they are related.
6. Describe and demonstrate the correct anatomical position.
7. Identify the planes of the human body.
8. Identify the 2 divisions of the human body.
9. Identify the minor and major body cavities, and list the chief organs in each cavity.
10. Name the quadrants and regions in the abdominal wall.

AN OVERVIEW OF ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

Anatomy (from Greek word: ana – apart, up and tomy – to cut)

 literally means “cutting up / cutting apart”
 is the study of the structure and shape of the body and body parts
and their relationships to one another (gross & microscopic)

Physiology (physio – nature and logy – study)

 is the study of how the body parts work or function
 is the study of the functions of the different organs and tissues of
the human body

Importance of Studying Anatomy and Physiology

 evaluate physiological and normal functions of the body
 understand the recommended treatment
 use to evaluate research and literatures
 basis for research

Relationship between Anatomy and Physiology

 each body parts has a specific function, in order for a body to
function as one

LEVELS OF STRUCTURAL ORGANIZATION

 Chemical level / Chemical components
- Atoms
 are tiny building blocks of matter
 smallest unit of matter
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 ions – charged atoms

 combine to form molecules
- Molecules
 examples are water, sugar, proteins
 form microscopic cells
 Cellular level
- Cells - the smallest units of all living things; basic
structural and functional unit of an organism
- in simple organism – composed of single cell; in
complex organism (humans and trees) – cells grouped together to form tissues
 Tissue Level
- consist of groups of similar cells that have a
common function
 Organ Level
- is a structure composed of 2 or more tissue types
- performs a specific function for the body
 Organ system / System Level
- is a group of organs that cooperate to accomplish a
common purpose or to carry out one or more general processes
 Organismal Level
- organism – highest level of structural organization

Organ System Overview

System Organs Functions
1 Integumentary Skin and  is the external covering
integumentary of the body
derivatives (hair,  waterproofs the body
nails and  cushions / protects
glands) deeper tissues from injury
 excretes salts/urea in
perspiration
 helps regulate body
temp
 has receptors for pain,
temp, pressure  alerts us as to what is happening at the
body surface
2 Skeletal Bones,  supports the body
cartilage,  provides framework that
ligaments and skeletal m. can use to cause movement
joints  has protective funct (eg;
skull)
 blood formation
(hematopoiesis) occurs in the cavities of bone
 the hard substance of
bone acts as storage for minerals
3 Muscular Muscles  have only one function…
to contract and results in movement
 skeletal m. form the
muscular system
4 Nervous Brain, spinal  is the body’s fast–acting
cord, nerves control system
and sensory  sensory receptors detect
receptors changes in and outside the body  sends messages via
electrical signals called nerve impulses to the CNS
5 Endocrine Endocrine  controls body activities,
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glands but it acts much more slowly

 endocrine glands
produce chem molecules called hormones and release
them into the blood to travel to target organs
6 Cardiovascular Heart, blood  the primary organs are
vessels and the heart / blood vessels
blood  blood transports
O2,nutrients,hormones,etc to and from tissue cells
 white blood cells / chem.
in the blood – protect the body from foreign invaders like
bacteria toxins, tumor cells
7 Lymphatics Lymph vessels  complementary to that of
and lymph the CVS
nodes  it returns fluid leaked
from the blood vessel back to the blood
 nodes help cleanse the
blood. It also contains the cells involved in immunity
8 Respiratory Nasal  keep the body constantly
passages, supplied with oxygen and to remove carbon dioxied
pharynx, larynx,
trachea, bronchi
and lungs
9 Digestive Oral cavity,  is basically a tube
esophagus, running through the body from mouth to anus
stmach,
intestines and
rectum
10 Urinary Kidneys,  often called the excretory
ureters, bladder system
and urethra  removes N2-containing
wastes like urea and uric acid. These are derived from the
breakdown of protein and nucleic acids from cells
 maintains water and salt
balance of body
 regulate acid-base
balance of the blood
11 Reproductive Gonads,  exists primarily to
genitals of produce offspring
males and  sperms are produced by
females the testes
 other male reproductive
system structures are:
- scrotum
- accessory
glands
- penis
- duct
system (which carries sperm to the outside of the
body)
 The ovary of the female
produces eggs
 The female duct system
consists of
- uterine
tubes
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- uterus
- vagina

THE LANGUAGE OF ANATOMY

 Anatomical Position
- To avoid confusion, it is always assumed that the
body is in a standard position. It is important to understand this position because most body
terminology used in anatomy book refers to this body positioning regardless of the position the
body happens to be in. The body is erect with the feet parallel and the arms hanging at the
sides with the palms facing forward.
- In numbering fingers: thumbs are 1  little finger as
5
- In numbering toes: big toes as 1  little toes as 5
- Stand up and assume the anatomical position

Regional Terms
Anterior Body Landmarks Posterior Body Landmarks
 Abdominal –  Cephalic -
anterior body trunk; inferior to ribs head
 Antecubital –  Deltoid –
anterior surface of elbow curve of shoulder form by deltoid
 Axillary –  Gluteal –
armpit buttock
 Brachial –  Lumbar –
arm back area bet ribs and hips
 Buccal –  Occipital
cheek area – posterior surface of head
 Carpal – wrist  Popliteal
 Cervical – – posterior knee area
neck region  Scapular
 Digital – – shoulder blade region
fingers, toes  Sural –
 Femoral – posterior surface of lower leg
thigh  Vertebral
 Inguinal – – area of spine
area where thigh meets body trunk
 Nasal – nose  Plantar –
area sole of the foot (inferior body surface)
 Oral – mouth
 Orbital – eye
area
 Patellar –
anterior knee
 Peroneal –
lateral part of leg
 Pubic –
genital region
 Sternal –
breastbone area
 Tarsal – ankle
region
 Thoracic –
chest
 Umbilical –
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navel

Directional Terms – refers to the body in the anatomical position regardless of its actual positions;
used to describe the position of structures in relation to other structures or body parts
 Super  Lateral
ior (cephalad)(cranial) - awa
- y from the midline of the body
- - arm
 Inferio s are lateral to the chest
r (caudal)  Proximal
- - clos
- e to the origin of a body part
 Anteri - clos
or (ventral) e to the point of attachment of a limb to a body
- part
- - eg;
 Poste elbow is proximal to the wrist
rior (dorsal)  Distal
- - farth
- er from the origin of a body part
 Media - knee
l is distal to the thigh
-  Superficial
- - towa
rd the body surface
- skin
is superficial to the skeleton
 Deep
- awa
y from the body surface
- lung
s are deep to the rib cage

Body Planes and Sections

 When preparing to look at the internal structures of the body, a
section, or cut is made through the body wall or through an organ, along an imaginary line called a
plane.
 Sagittal  Frontal
section (coronal) section
- - a cut made alon
the body - divides the bod
-  Transverse
 Midsagittal (cross) section
(median) section - a cut made alon
- - divides the bod
body inferior parts
-

Body Divisions
 Axial  Appendicul
Division – central framework of the body ar Division
- - upper limbs
- 
- 
 
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 
 - shoulder girdles
- lower limbs






Body Cavities
 The body has two sets of internal cavities that provide different
degrees of protection to the organs within them
 Both of which are located on the axial portion of the body
 These are the dorsal and ventral body cavities

 Dorsal Body Cavity

- has two subdivisions, which are continuous with
each other
- Cranial Cavity
 is the space inside the bony skull;
contains the brain
- Spinal Cavity
 extends from the cranial cavity
nearly to the end of the verteb column; contains the spinal cord

 Ventral Body Cavity

- is much larger than dorsal cavity
- contains all the structures within the chest and
abdomen
- Thoracic Cavity
 is separated from the rest of the
ventral cavity by a dome-shape muscle, the diaphragm
 the organs in the thoracic cavity
(lungs, heart, and others) are protected by the rib cage
 Pleural Cavity – left and right
lateral portion of the thoracic cavity; contain lungs
 Pericardial Cavity – contain within
the mediastinum; contains the heart
 Mediastinum – central portion of
the thoracic cavity and located between the pleural cavities; from sternum to the vertebral
column and from the neck to the diaphragm; contains all the thoracic viscera except the lungs
- Abdominopelvic - is the cavity inferior to the
diaphragm
 Abdominal cavity – containing the
stomach, liver, intestines and other organs, and an inferior pelvic cavity
 Pelvic cavity – enclosed by bones
of the pelvis; contains: urinary bladder, part of the large intestine and internal reproductive
organs
 Minor Body Cavities
- orbital cavity – eyes
- nasal cavity – olfactory epithelium
- buccal cavity – tongue, teeth, palate, uvula and
tonsils
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Quadrants
 are named according to their relative positions
- Right upper quadrant (RUQ)
- Right lower quadrant (LLQ)
- Left upper quadrant (LUQ)
- Left lower quadrant (LLQ)
 Abdominopelvic cavity can be divided into 9 separate regions by 4
planes
- umbilical region
 is the centermost region, deep to
and surrounding the umbilicus
- epigastric region
 superior to the umbilical region
- hypogastric (pubic) region
 is inferior to the umbilical region
- right and left iliac, or inguinal regions
 lateral to the hypogastric region
(iliac – superior part of hip bone)
- right and left lumbar regions
 lateral to the umbilical region
(lumbus - loin)
- right and left hypochondriac regions
 flank the epigastric region and
contain the lower ribs (chondro – cartilage)