Terminology and Basic

Definitions
Anatomy & Physiology

Khyber Medical University Peshawer.

 Definitions
•  No medicine without physiology
•  No surgery without Anatomy
• Physiology: This is the study of function of organ or
body or cell.
• Anatomy: The study of structure (shape, size, location)
of an organ or a cell is called anatomy.
• Pathology: The study of abnormalities or diseases is
called pathology.
• Etiology: The study of causes of diseases is known as
etiology.
• Cell: The basic structural and functional
unit of life.
• Organelles (i.e. cell membrane, nucleus,
ribosomes). A small organ of a cell,
which performs a particular function.
• Tissues (i.e. epithelial, connective, muscle, nervous). A tissue
is defined as a group of similar cells that performs a
specialized function. Two or more tissues combine to form
organ.
• Organ (i.e. skin, heart, brain). An organ is defined as a
structure consisting of a group of tissues that performs a
specialized function. Two or more organs combine to form
system.
• Organ systems (i.e. integumentary, cardiovascular). An organ
system is defined as a group of organs that act together to
carry on a specialized function. The eleven organ systems
collectively form the organism.
• Diffusion: The movement of molecules of a
substance from the area of its higher
concentration to the area of its lower
concentration is called diffusion.
For example, Exchange of gases in the lungs or

body tissues.
• Osmosis: The movement of water molecules from
its higher concentration to its lower concentration
through a semi permeable membrane.
e.g. Absorption of water by small intestine.
• Facilitated Diffusion: The movement of molecules from
the area of its greater (higher) concentration to the area
of its lesser (lower) concentration with the help of
channels or carriers. Eg, Intake of glucose by cells.
• Active Transport: The movement of molecules from its
lower concentration to the higher concentration with
the help of consumption of cellular energy (in the form
of ATP). e.g. Sodium Potassium Pump (Na-K pump).
• Filtration: The movement of water and dissolved
substances from the area of its higher pressure to the
area of its lower pressure is called filtration.
e.g. formation of urine in the renal tubules.
• Phagocytosis: The engulfment (swallowing) of a
solid substance (e.g. bacteria etc.) by phagocytic
cells is called phagocytosis.
Example: White Blood Cells engulf bacteria.
• Pinocytosis: The uptake of fluid and dissolved
substance.
Example: Cells of the kidney tubules reabsorb
dissolved proteins

Endocytosis
Exocytosis
 Organization level of a body

• Atoms  molecules & compounds

 cells  tissues  organs 
systems  body
 Directional and Non-Directional Terms
1. Superficial towards the surface Patellar knee cap
2. perineal pelvic floor 20. Hepatic liver
3. Plantar sole of foot 21. Iliac hip
4. Popliteal back of knee 22. Inguinal groin
5. Femoral thigh 23. Lumber small back (loin)
6. Frontal front 24. Mammary breast
7. Gastric stomach 25. Nasal nose
8. gluteal buttock 26. Inferior below/lower
9. Brachial upper arm 27. Anterior or ventral toward the front
10. Buccal/oral mouth 28. Axillary Arm pit
11. Cardiac heart 29. Internal within interior to
12. survical neck 30. External outside
13. Cranial of head 31. Occipital back of head
14. Cranium head 32. Orbital eye related
15. Deltoid shoulder 33. Parietal crown of head
16. volar palm 34. Pulmonary lungs
17. Superior above 35. Renal kidney
18. Temporal side of head 36. Sacral base of spine
19. Umbilical navel 37. Mental Chin
1. Central main part
2. peripheral extending away from the main part
3. proximal closer to the origin.
4. distal Away from the origin
5. parietal pertaining to the wall of a cavity.
6. visceral pertaining to the organ in a cavity.
7. posterior or dorsal toward the back
8. medial toward the midline
9. Lateral Away from the midline
10. Ipsilateral Organs on the same side
11. Contralateral Organs on the opposite sides
 Cont….
• Cubital = elbow
• Antecubital = anterior elbow
• Brachial = upper arm
• Antebrachial = forearm
• Buccal = cheek
• Pubic = pelvic
• Tarsal = ankle
• Calcaneal = heel
• Coxal = hip
Relationship between Anatomy and Physiology

• Anatomy explains the structure while

physiology explains the function
• Anatomical Position:
• standing erect, face forward, upper limbs
at sides, palms forward.
• Anatomy and physiology are the sciences
that most closely relate to the human body.
Anatomy explains the structure while
physiology explains the function of the body
of a human being. Thereby it is clear that
both are interrelated to one another intently
and both need to be learned and understood
parallel to each other.
 SOLUTIONS
• When a solute is dissolved in a solvent it forms
a solution. Eg. Sugar dissolved in water.
• Strength of a solution: The amount of solute
particles dissolved per unit volume of a
• solution is called strength or tonicity of the
solution.
• When we compare the tonicity of one solution
to another solution we use the terms as:
--- hypotonic, isotonic, and hypertonic.
 SOLUTIONS Cont…
• Hypotonic Solution
• A solution having strength (concentration) lesser than
the other one is said to be
• hypotonic solution.
• Isotonic Solution
• A solution having strength equal to the other one is
considered to be isotonic solution.
• Hypertonic Solution
• A solution having strength greater than the other one
is called hypertonic solution.
 BODY CAVITIES
Dorsal and Ventral Cavities
• Dorsal Cavities
Cranial cavity-----brain
Vertebral canal-----spinal cord
 BODY CAVITIES
Ventral Cavities
 Thoracic Cavity:
• Lungs
• Mediastinum
• Thymus
• Heart
• Esophagus
• Trachea
 BODY CAVITIES
• ABDOMINOPELVIC CAVITY
 ABDOMINAL CAVITY
• Stomach
• Liver
• Gallbladder
• Pancreas
• Spleen
• Small intestine
• Large intestine
• Kidneys
 BODY CAVITIES
PELVIC CAVITY
• Urinary bladder
• Internal reproductive organs
 Body Planes and Sections
• A plane is an imaginary line that separates two portions of the
body or an organ.
• Sections and planes are:
• Frontal (coronal) Section
• Divides a body into front and back portions.
• Sagittal Section
• cuts a body into right and left portion.
• A mid sagittal plane gives equal right and left halves.
• A parasagittal plane cuts a body or an organ into two unequal
right and left parts.
• Transverse Section
• Divides a body into upper and lower portions.
• Longitudinal Section
• Cut along the long axis of a body or an organ.
Plans
 Abdominopelvic Regions and Quadrants

• To describe the location of abdominal and pelvic

organs easily, the abdomenopelvic region is divided
into two ways—
• 1) Either into Nine regions or 2) Four quadrants.
• The nine regions are made by drawing two
transverse and two vertical lines
• The top horizontal, the subcostal line is drawn just
inferior to the rib cage, across the inferior portion of
the stomach. The bottom horizontal one is
transtubercular line.
• The two vertical lines are midclavicular lines.
Nine Abdominopelvic Regions
 Abdominopelvic Regions and Quadrants

• Right Hypochondriac Region Contains

• Right lobe of Liver, gall bladder, a part of right
kidney
• Left Hypochondriac Region Contains
• A Part of stomach, spleen, a small part of
pancreas, a part of left kidney
 Abdominopelvic Regions and Quadrants

• Right Lumber Region

• Part of small intestine,
• Superior part of cecum
• Ascending colon,
• Inferior part of right kidney
• Left Lumber Region
• Part of small intestine,
• Descending colon,
• An inferior part of left kidney
 Abdominopelvic Regions and Quadrants

• Right Iliac Region

• Lower end of cecum, appendix
• Left Iliac Region
• Part of small intestine,
• Part of sigmoid colon
 Abdominopelvic Regions and Quadrants

• Epigastric Region
• Greater part of liver, greater part of stomach,
• Greater part of pancreas
• Umbilical Region
• Part of small intestine,
• Transverse colon of large intestine
• Hypogastric Region
• Part of sigmoid colon
• Urinary bladder when full