Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology
→ The Human Body: An Introduction
Anatomy
- Studies the structure, shape, form of the
body parts and their relation
● Types of Anatomy
Gross Anatomy
- Body parts/structures that can be
easily observed with the naked eye
Microscopic Anatomy
- Observed using a microscope
Physiology
- Studies the different functions of body
parts/organs that help keep us alive
● Subdivision of Physiology
Systemic
- Studies the different function of
different organ systems
Cellular
- Studies the physiological process
that cells undergo
Pathological
- Studies the disordered physiological
process during instances of
diseases and/or injuries
(clearer image on phone)
Language of Anatomy
Special terminology is used to prevent
misunderstanding
Exact terms are used for:
→ position
→ direction
→ regions
→ structures
Anatomical Position
- Standard position used to avoid confusion
- Terminology refers to this position
regardless of actual body position
→ stand erect, feet parallel, arms hanging
at the side with palms facing forward and
thumbs pointing away from the body
● Supine
- Subject is lying down and
facing up
● Prone
- Lying with face down
Directional terms
- Explain location of one body structure in
relation to another
- Allows to describe the relationship between
two structures
● Superior (Cranial or Cephalic)
- Toward the head or upper
part of the structure/body;
above
● Inferior (Caudal)
- Away from the head or toad
the lower part of a structure
or the body; below
→ example: the nose is superior to
the mouth; the relation of the mouth
to the nose is inferior
● Anterior (Ventral)
- Toward or at the front of the
body; in front of
● Posterior (Dorsal)
- Toward or at the backside of
the body; behind
→ example: the breastbone is
anterior to the spine; the relation of
the kidney to the abdominal wall is
posterior
● Medial Regional terms
- Toward or at the midline of There are many visible landmarks on the
the body; on the inner side of surface of the body. Once you have
● Lateral knowledge of proper anatomical terms, you
- Away from the midline of the can be specific when referring to different
body; on the outer side of regions of the body.
● Intermediate ● Anterior Body Landmarks
- Between a more medial and
more lateral structure
→ example: The heart is located in
the middle of the left and right lung,
therefore the heart is medial to
the lungs. The lungs are located on
the sides of the heart, therefore the
lungs are lateral to the heart. The
eyes are located in the middle of the
nose and the ear, therefore the
eyes are intermediate to the nose
and the ear
● Proximal
- Close to the origin of the
body part or point of
attachment to a limb to the
body trunk
● Distal
- Farther from the origin of a
body part or the point of
attachment of a limb to the
❖ Cephalic
body trunk
➔ Frontal - forehead
→ example: the knee is proximal to
➔ Orbital - eye area
the ankle since the knee is nearer to
➔ Nasal - nose area
the hip or the point of attachment
➔ Buccal - cheek area
compared to the ankle. The wrist is
➔ Oral - mouth
distal to the elbow since the wrist is
➔ Mental - chin
farther to the shoulder than the
❖ Cervical - neck region
elbow
❖ Thoracic - area between the neck and
● Superficial (external)
abdomen, supported by the ribs and
- Toward or at the body
sternum and costal cartilages
surface
➔ Sternal - breastbone
● Deep (internal)
➔ Axillary - armpit
- Away from the body surface;
➔ Pectoral - relating to or occurring in
more internal
or on the chest
→ example: the skin is superficial to
❖ Abdominal - anterior body trunk inferior to
the skeleton since the skin is found
the ribs
outside of the body and the skeleton
➔ Umbilical - navel
is inside. The lungs are deep to the
❖ Pelvic - area overlying the pelvis anteriorly
rib cage because the lungs are
➔ Inguinal (groin) - area where thigh
found inside of the rib cage.
meets the body trunk
❖ Pubic (genital) ❖ Back (dorsal)
❖ Upper limb ➔ Scapular- the shoulder blade region
➔ Acromial - point of the shoulder ➔ Vertebral - pertaining to the area of
➔ Deltoid - curve of the shoulder the spinal column
formed by large deltoid muscle ➔ Lumbar- area of the back between
➔ Brachial (arm) the lips on the hips or this is also
➔ Antecubital - anterior surface of the known as colloid
elbow ➔ Sacral - area between the hips at the
➔ Antebrachial (forearms) base of the spine and
➔ carpal (wrist) ➔ Gluteal - the bottom area now
❖ Manus (hand) ❖ Upper limb
➔ Digital - fingers ➔ Acromial - points of the shoulder
❖ Lower limb ➔ brachial arm
➔ Coxal (hip) ➔ Olecranal - posterior surface of the
➔ Femoral (thigh) that applies to both elbow
anterior and posterior ➔ antebrachial (forearm)
➔ Patellar - anterior knee ❖ Manus (hand)
➔ Crural (leg) - anterior leg or shin ➔ Digital (fingers)
➔ Fibular - lateral part of the leg ❖ Lower limb
❖ Pedal (foot) ➔ Femoral (thigh)
➔ Tarsal (ankle) ➔ Popliteal - posterior knee area
➔ Digital - toes ➔ Sural (calf) - posterior surface of the
leg
● Posterior Body Landmarks ➔ Fibular - lateral part of leg
❖ Pedal (foot)
➔ Calcaneal - heel of foot
➔ Plantar - sole of the foot actually on
the inferior body surface

Body Planes and Sections

Sections
❖ Cephalic
➔ Occipital - posterior surface of the
head or base of the skull
❖ Cervical - posterior portion of the neck
region
- are cuts along imaginary lines known as
planes
To better understand the structure or
function sections are made to see the
internal structure of the body or organ
three types of planes or sections exist as
right angles to one another
● Sagittal section
- divides the body or organ into left
and right parts
- Cutting body into left and right
portions regardless of its size and
volume on each side
● Median or Midsagittal
- divides the body or organ into equal
left and right parts
 ● Frontal section
- is a cut along a lengthwise plane
divides the body or organ into
anterior and posterior parts
● Transverse or Cross section
- it is a cut along a horizontal plane
dividing the body or organ into
superior and inferior parts
2 Internal Body Cavities
● Dorsal
- Has 2 subdivisions
→ Cranial Cavity
- Houses the brain
- Protected by the skull
→ Spinal cavity
- Houses the spinal cord
- Protected by the vertebrae
● Ventral
- Has 2 subdivision separated by the
diaphragm
- Contains all the structures within the
chest and abdomen
→ Thoracic cavity
- Cavity superior to the
diaphragm
- Houses the heart, lungs, and
other organs
- Mediastinum
> the central region
> houses heart, trachea, and
other visceral organs
> separate the lungs into the
right and left cavities in the
thoracic cavity
- Protected by the rib cage
→ Abdominopelvic cavity
- Cavity inferior to the
diaphragm
- Superior abdominal cavity
> contains the stomach, liver,
and other organs
> Protected only by trunk
muscles
- Inferior pelvic cavity
> contains reproductive
organs, bladder, and rectum
> protected somewhat by
bony pelvis
- No physical structure
separates abdominal from
pelvic cavities
- The pelvic cavity is not
immediately inferior to the
abdominal cavity but rather,
this tips away from the
abdominal cavity in the
posterior direction
- Abdominopelvic cavity
subdivisions
> 4 Quadrants of Abdominopelvic Cavity (Subd.)
- Named according to their relative location
with respect to anatomical position
 ● RUQ
- Contains the liver, right kidney,
gallbladder, portion of the colon and
pancreas
● LUQ
- Contains stomach, left kidney,
spleen, portion of the colon and
pancreas
● RLQ
- Appendix, colon, small intestine,
ureter, major vein and artery to the
right leg
● LLQ
- Contains colon, small intestine,
ureter, major vein and artery to the
left leg
Midline contains the aorta, pancreas small
intestine, bladder and the spine
> 9 Regions of Abdominopelvic Cavity (Subd.)
Other body cavities
● Hypochondriac Region
➔ Right hypochondriac region
- Liver, right kidney and the
large small intestine
➔ Left hypochondriac region
- Liver’s tip, stomach
pancreas, left kidney, spleen,
large and small intestine
● Epigastric Region
- Superior to the umbilical region
- Contains the liver, stomach, spleen,
duodenum, adrenal glands, and
pancreas
● Lumbar Region
- Lateral to the umbilical region and
spinal column between the bottom
ribs and the hip bone
➔ Right Lumbar Region
- Ascending colon, small
intestine, and right kidney
➔ Left
- Descending colon, small
intestine, left kidney
● Umbilical Region
- Center most region
- Deep to and surrounding the
umbilicus
- Contains the duodenum, small
intestine, transverse colon
● Iliac Region
- Lateral to the hypogastric region
➔ Right Iliac (Inguinal) Region
- Appendix, secum, ascending
colon, and small intestine
➔ Left Iliac (Inguinal) Region
- Contains sigmoid colon
descending colon, small
intestine
● Hypogastric (Pubic) Region
- Inferior to the umbilical region
- Contains the bladder sigmoid colon,
small intestine, reproductive organs
these body cavities provide varying degrees
of protection to the organs within them
● Smaller cavities, most in the head open to
the body exterior
● Oral and digestive cavities
- Oral cavity is connected with the
digestive cavity which open to the
anus
● Nasal cavity
- posterior to the nose
- respiratory
● Orbital cavities
- house eyes
- anterior position
● Middle ear cavities
- carve into the skull and lie medial to
the ear drums
- contains tiny bones that transmits
sound vibration to the hearing
receptors in the inner ear