CHAPTER 1: THE HUMAN BODY

 Anatomy – study of the structure and shape of the body and its parts
 Gross anatomy – large structures; easily observable
 Microscopic anatomy – very small structures; can only be viewed with microscope
 Physiology – study of how the body and its parts work or function

Organ System Overview

 Integumentary
 Forms the external body covering
 Protects deeper tissue from injury and drying out
 Synthesizes vitamin D
 Location of cutaneous nerve receptors
 Skeletal
 Protects and supports body organs
 Provides muscle attachment for movement
 Site of blood cell formation
 Stores minerals
 Muscular
 Allows locomotion
 Maintains posture
 Produces heat
 Nervous
 Fast – acting control system
 Responds to internal and external change
 Activates muscles and glands
 Endocrine
 Secretes regulatory hormones: growth, reproduction, and metabolism
 Cardiovascular
 Transports materials in body via blood pumped by heart: oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, and
wastes
 Lymphatic
 Returns fluids to blood vessels
 Disposes of debris
 Involved in immunity destroys bacteria and tumor cells
 Respiratory
 Keeps blood supplied with oxygen
 Removes carbon dioxide
 Digestive
 Breaks down food
 Allows for nutrient absorption into blood
 Eliminates indigestible material
 Urinary
 Eliminates nitrogenous wastes
 Maintains acid – base balance
 Regulation of materials: water and electrolytes
 Reproduction
 Production of offspring

Necessary Life Functions

 Maintain Boundaries – keeps the body’s internal environment distinct from the external environment (the skin
and membranes
  Movement – locomotion and movement of substances
 Responsiveness – ability to sense changes and react
 Digest – break-down and delivery of nutrients
 Metabolism – all chemical reactions within the body; production of energy; and making body structures
 Excretion – elimination of waste from metabolic reactions
 Reproduction – production of future generation; and provides new cells for growth and repair
 Growth – increasing of cell size and number

Survival Needs
 Nutrients
 Chemicals for energy and cell building
 Includes carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, vitamins, and minerals
 Oxygen
 Required for chemical reactions
 Water
 60-80% of body weight
 Provides metabolic reactions
 Stable body temperature
 Atmospheric pressure must be appropriate

Homeostasis
 Maintenance of a stable internal environment = a dynamic state of equilibrium
 Homeostasis must be maintained for normal body functioning and to sustain life
 Homeostatic imbalance – a disturbance in homeostasis resulting in disease
 Maintaining Homeostasis
o The body communicates through neural and hormonal control systems
 Receptor
 Responds to changes in the environment (stimuli)
 Sends information to control center
 Control Center
 Determines set point
 Analyzes information
 Determines appropriate response
 Effector
 Provides a means for response to the stimulus
Feedback Mechanisms
 Negative Feedback
 Includes most homeostatic control mechanisms
 Shut off the original stimulus, or reduces its intensity
 Works like a household thermostat
 Positive Feedback
 Increases the original stimulus to push the variable farther
 In the body this only occurs in blood clotting and birth of a baby

The Language of Anatomy

 Special terminology is used to prevent misunderstanding
 Exact terms are used for: position, direction, regions, and structures
Orientation and Directional Terms
Term Definition Illustration Example
Superior (cranial or Toward the head end or The forehead is superior to
cephalad) upper part of a structure or the nose
the body; above

Inferior (caudal) Away from the head end The navel is inferior to the
or toward the lower part of breastbone
a structure or the body;
below

Anterior (ventral) Toward or at the front of The breastbone is anterior

the bod; in front of to the spine

Posterior (dorsal) Toward or at the front of The heart is posterior to

the body; behind the breastbone

Medial Toward or at the midline The heart is medial to the

of the body; on the inner arm
side of

Lateral Away from the midline of The arms are lateral to the
the body; on the outer side chest
of

Intermediate Between a more medial The armpit is intermediate

and a more lateral between the breastbone
structure and shoulder
Proximal Close to the origin of the The elbow is proximal to
body part or the point of the wrist (meaning that the
attachment of a limb to the elbow is closer to the
body trunk shoulder or attachment
point of the arm than the
wrist is)

Distal Farther from the origin of The knee is distal to the

a body part or the point of thigh
attachment of a limb to the
body trunk

Superficial Toward or at the body The skin is superficial to

surface the skeleton
 Deep Away from the body The lungs are deep to the
surface rib cage

Body Landmarks
Anterior Posterior

Body Planes Body Cavities

Abdominopelvic
Quadrants Major Organs Regions