Introduction to Human Anatomy and

Physiology

PREPARED By

RAO KARAM HUSSAIN

MBA(HHCM),BSN,DPBCN,RN,BSc
 Objectives
1. Define the term Anatomy & Physiology (A&P)

2. Discuss characteristics of Life.

3. Understand the relationship between A&P.

4. Define level of organization of the body .

5. Understand Body Systems and organ of system.

6. Discuss body cavities and list the organs lying

within each cavity.
 Objectives
7. Define anatomical position.
8. Describe the various body planes.
9. Identify abdominal pelvic region & quadrant.
10. Identify the organs present in Nine (9)
abdominal pelvic regions.
11. Briefly discuss the importance of abdominal
pelvic quadrants and regions.
 Objective No-1: Defination.

• Human anatomy: it is the

study of the structure of
human body and its
constitutes parts. Also called
Morphology.
• Physiology – the function of
the body parts, what they do
and how they do it
 Cont…
• The word “anatomy” comes from the Greek
words “ana,” meaning “up,” and “tome,”
meaning “a cutting.” Traditionally, studies of
anatomy have involved cutting up, or dissecting,
organisms.
• Now, however, imaging technology can show us
much about how the inside of a body works,
reducing the need for dissection.
 Cont…
• Gross anatomy: is the study of the larger
structures of the body, those visible without the
aid of magnification.
• Macro- means “large,” thus, gross anatomy is
also referred to as macroscopic anatomy.
• In contrast, micro- means “small,” and
microscopic anatomy is the study of structures
that can be observed only with the use of a
microscope or other magnification devices.
 Cont…
• Microscopic anatomy includes:
• Cytology: the study of cells
• Histology: the study of tissues.
• Regional anatomy: is the study of the
interrelationships of all of the structures in a
specific body region, such as the abdomen
 Cont…
• Systemic anatomy: is the study of the structures
that make up a discrete body system—that is, a
group of structures that work together to perform
a unique body function.
• Physiology: it is the study of the functions of the
normal human body.
 Objective No-2: Characteristics of Life

• Movement - self initiated change in position, motion

of internal parts
• Responsiveness (irritability) - Ability to sense changes
within, or around the organism and react to them
• Growth - increase in body size
• Reproduction - Parents produce offspring / producing
new individuals
• Respiration - Obtaining oxygen (O2), using it to
release energy from food substances, and getting rid of
wastes
• Digestion - Chemically changing (breaking down)
food substances, and getting rid of wastes
• Absorption - Passage of Digested products (food
substances) through membranes and into body fluids
• Circulation - Movement of substances throughout the
body
• Assimilation - Changing absorbed substances into
chemically different substances
• Excretion - Removal of wastes
• I am walking to Mcdonalds (movement)
• I stop at the traffic light (response)
• My body is growing (growth)
• I am breathing air (respiration)
• I get a hamburger and eat it (digestion)
• My body absorbs the hamburger (absorption)
• The hamburger circulates in my body (circulation)
• The hamburger is changed to things my body needs
(assimilation)
• Eventually, I go to the bathroom (excretion)
• Someday I may reproduce (reproduction)
• Metabolism = all the physical and
chemical changes

• Bodily needs = food, oxygen,

water, heat

• Homeostasis = tendency of the

body to maintain a stable, balanced,
internal environment. “Sameness”
 Objective No-3:Relationship Between A&P
• The relationship between anatomy and
physiology are that they will always correlate
with each other anatomy being the study of the
actual physical organs and their structure as well
as their relationship to each other.

• While physiology studies how those organs work

to function the whole body as organ systems.
Objective No-4: Level of Organization of The
Body
• Chemical Level
• Cellular Level
• Tissue Level
• Organ Level
• Organ System Level
• Organism Level
Human Body Systems
• Axial Portion - head, neck, trunk
• Appendicular Portion - arms & legs

1. Several body cavities

2. Layers of membranes within cavities
3. Variety of organs and organ systems within cavities
(VISCERA = internal organs. "Visceral organs")
 Objective No-5: Body Cavities
• Body cavities are spaces inside the body containing internal
organs.
• Body is divided into two main cavities.
1. Dorsal cavity.
2. Ventral cavity.
1. Dorsal Cavity: Contains
a. Cranial cavity: Brain and parts of brain.
b.Ventral cavity: Spinal cord, vertebrae and spinal nerves.
 Body Cavities
• Ventral cavity:
a. Thoracic cavity: is divided into main
a. Two pleural cavities: containing two lungs and line
covering and thoracic part.
b. Pericardial cavity: containing heart.
c. Mediastinum: it is the region between the two lungs
from breast bone to back containing heart and all their
structures in the thoracic cavity except lungs.
b. Abdominal cavity: contains digestive system organs
and separated from thoracic by diaphragm.
 Body Cavities
Dorsal = back side
Ventral = front side
Thoracic = chest (heart, trachea, lungs..)
Abdomen = stomach area (spleen, intestines)
Pelvic = lower abdomen (bladder, reproductive
organs)
DIAPHRAGM: Separates the thoracic and pelvic
region
SEROUS MEMBRANE - covers and surrounds
organs
SEROUS FLUID - lubricates organs
It's easier to visualize the body cavities on pictures -
see Body Cavity Label | Label 2
Label the body cavities (use your book)
• Serous Membrane - two layered, covers
organs
o Outer layer = parietal
o Inner layer = visceral (lines the organs)

• Serous fluid – lubricating fluid

• Pleura = lungs
• Pericardium = heart
• Peritoneum = organs (abdominopelvic region)
• Visceral Pleura / Parietal Pleura
• Visceral Pericardium / Parietal Pericardium
• Visceral Peritoneum / Parietal Peritoneum
 Systems of the Body

1. Locomotor System: it includes

a. Skeletal System: Bones
b. Articulacy system: Joints
c. Muscular System: Muscles
2. Blood Vascular System:
a. Circulatory system: it includes Heart , Blood and blood
Vessels.
b. Lymphatic System: Lymph and vessels.
 Systems of the Body
Digestive system: Start from mouth and ends at
anus. It includes alimentary canal or GI tract and
all organ present in it.
4. Respiratory System: it includes respiratory
passages carrying air and all organs which help
in breathing.
5. Uro-genital System: it includes
a. Urinary System: Kidneys, Ureters, Urinary bladder
and urethera.
b. Male and female Reproductive Systems.
 Systems of the Body
. Endocrine System: it includes endocrine glands
and hormone.
7. Nervous System:
a. Central Nervous System: Includes Brain and
spinal cord.
b.Peripheral Nervous system: includes nerves
given off from brain and spinal cord and
autonomic system.
 Systems of the Body
8. Special Senses:
Tongue = Taste
2.Eyes = Sight
3.Nose = Smell
4.Ears = Hearing
5.Skin = Touch
9. Excretory System: It includes organ helping in
excretion/removing waste products from the body.
Such as urinary system, lungs and colon
Objective No-6: Anatomical Position
• The erect position of the body with the face
directed forward, the arms at the side, and the
palms of the hands facing forward, used as a
reference in describing the relation of body parts
to one another.
Anatomical Terminology

Anatomical Position = standing erect, face forward,

arms at side, palms facing forward

*Study and learn the following terms*

1. Superior
2. Inferior
3. Anterior
4. Posterior
5. Medial
6. Lateral
7. Proximal
8. Distal
9. Superficial
10. Deep
 Objective No-7: Body Planes
• An anatomical plane is a structure used to
transect the human body, in order to describe the
location of structures or the direction of
movements. In human anatomy, three basic
planes are used:
• Sagittal plane
• coronal or frontal
• Transverse plane
 Sagittal Plane
• The sagittal plane, being a plane parallel
to the sagittal suture, divides the body into
sinister and dexter (left and right) portions.
• The midsagittal or median plane is in the
midline; i.e. it would pass through midline
structures such as the navel or spine, and
all other sagittal planes (also referred to as
parasagittal planes) are parallel to it.
• Median can also refer to the midsagittal
plane of other structures, such as a digit.
 Coronal or Frontal Plane
• The coronal or frontal plane
divides the body into dorsal
and ventral (back and front, or
posterior and anterior)
portions.
 Transverse or Axial Plane
• The transverse plane, also
known as an axial plane or
cross-section, divides the
body into cranial and caudal
(head and tail) portions. Or
• Upper or Lower portion.
Quadrants of abdominopelvic cavity
Quadrants of abdominopelvic cavity
1. Right Upper Quadrant
•The right upper quadrant contains the right portion
of the liver, the gallbladder, right kidney, a small
portion of the stomach, the duodenum, the head of
the pancreas, portions of the ascending and
transverse colon, and parts of small intestine.
•Pain in this region is associated with infection and
inflammation in the gallbladder and liver or peptic
ulcers in the stomach.
Quadrants of abdominopelvic cavity
2. Left Upper Quadrant
•The left upper quadrant is the location of the left
portion of the liver, part of the stomach, the
pancreas, left kidney, spleen, portions of the
transverse and descending colon, and parts of the
small intestine. Pain in this region is associated with
malrotation of the intestine and colon.
Quadrants of abdominopelvic cavity
3. Right Lower Quadrant

In the right lower quadrant sits the cecum,

appendix, part of the small intestines, the right half
of the female reproductive system, and the right
ureter. Pain in this region is most commonly
associated with appendicitis.
 Quadrants of abdominopelvic cavity
4. Left Lower Quadrant

The left lower quadrant houses the majority of the

small intestine, some of the large intestine, the left half
of the female reproductive system, and the left ureter.
Pain in this region is generally associated with colitis
(inflammation of the large intestine) as well as pelvic
inflammatory disease and ovarian cysts in females.
 Abdominopelvic cavity Regions
• There are 9 regions of abdominopelvic cavity.
1. Right Hypochondrium:
Liver, Gallbladder, Right Kidney, Small
Intestine
2. Left Hypochondrium:
Spleen, Colon, Left Kidney, Pancreas
3. Epigastrium
Stomach, Liver, Pancreas, Duodenum, Spleen,
Adrenal Glands
 Abdominopelvic cavity Regions
Right Lumber Region
Gallbladder, Liver, Right Colon
5. Left Lumber Region
Descending Colon, Left Kidney
6. Umbilical Region
Umbilicus, Jejunum, Ileum, Duodenum
 Abdominopelvic cavity Regions
7.Right Iliac Fossa:
• Appendix, Cecum
8.Left Iliac Fossa:
• Descending Colon, Sigmoid Colon
9.Hypogastrium:
• Urinary Bladder, Sigmoid Colon, Female
Reproductive Organs
Abdominopelvic cavity Regions
Objective No11. Briefly discuss the importance of
abdomino pelvic quadrants and regions

• The human abdomen is divided into quadrants and

regions by anatomists and physicians for the
purposes of study, diagnosis, and treatment.
• The division into four quadrants allows the
localisation of pain and tenderness, scars, lumps,
and other items of interest, narrowing on which
organs and tissues may be involved.
 Importance of 9 abdominal regions
• Anatomists and medical personnel divide the
abdominopelvic cavity into smaller regions to facilitate
study and discussion.
• These divisions are often used to categorize the
individual abdominal organs by their location and
function and are used by clinicians to help diagnose the
source of abdominal pain and determine appropriate
treatment.
 References
• Waugh, A., & Grant, A. (2009). Ross and
Wilson: Anatomy and Physiology in Health and
Illness. (11th edition). Churchill Livingstone
• Tortora, G. J. (2000). Principles of Human
Anatomy and Physiology (3rd ed). New York:
Happer & Row.
• Hall, J. E., & Guyton, A. C. (2011). Guyton and
Hall textbook of medical physiology.
Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier.