Overview of Human Anatomy

Anatomy The science of structure relationships revealed by dissection Physiology The science of body functions Macroscopic anatomy The study of large body structures visible to the naked eye Regional anatomy The study of all structures in one area studied together Systematic anatomy The study of the gross anatomy of bodily systems Surface anatomy The study of internal body structures in relation to the overlying skin surface Microscopic anatomy The study of structures too small to be seen with the naked eye Cytology The study of cellular anatomy Histology The study of the structure of tissues Developmental anatomy The study of structural changes in individuals from conception through to old age Embryology The study of the developmental changes that occur before birth Chemical level The level of organization in the human body involving atoms and molecules Molecular level The level of organization in the human body involving water and proteins Cellular level The level of organization in the human body involving neurons Tissue level The level of organization in the human body involving cardiac tissue Organ level The level of organization in the human body involving the heart and lungs System level The level of organization in the human body involving the circulatory system 1/4 Organism level The highest level of organization in the human body Palpation The technique of feeling the body with hands Auscultation The technique of listening to evaluate the functioning of certain organs Percussion The technique of tapping on the body surface with the fingertips and listening to echo Anatomical position The body is erect with feet together, palms face forward, and thumbs pointing away from the body Prone position The body is face down Supine position The body is face up Superior The direction towards the head Inferior The direction away from the head Anterior The direction towards the front of the body Posterior The direction towards the back of the body Medial The direction towards the middle of the body Lateral The direction away from the middle of the body Ipsilateral On the same side of the body Contralateral On opposite sides of the body Parietal The outer wall of a body cavity Visceral The covering of an organ within the ventral body cavity Sagittal plane Splits the body into left and right Frontal plane Divides the body into front and back Transverse plane Divides the body into top and bottom 2/4 Axial region The main axis of the body, including the head, trunk, neck, and ribs Appendicular region Consists of appendages that are attached to the body Abdominopelvic regions Regions of the abdomen and pelvis Quadrants Four divisions of the abdomen Cranial cavity The cavity that holds the brain Oral cavity The cavity of the mouth Nasal cavity The cavity within and posterior to the nose Orbital cavity The cavities that hold the eyes Middle ear cavities The cavities carved into the temporal bone of the skull, lying just medial to the tympanic membranes Synovial cavities Joint cavities enclosed within fibrous capsules that surround freely movable joints Axial skeleton The upper half of the skeleton Appendicular skeleton The lower half of the skeleton Vertebral column The flexible bony column that extends from the base of the skull to the small of the back Cardiovascular system The system responsible for the circulation of blood throughout the body Respiratory system The system responsible for breathing and gas exchange Upper respiratory tract Includes the nose, nasal cavity, mouth, throat, and voice box Lower respiratory tract Includes the trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli Conducting zone 3/4 The part of the respiratory system that conducts air to the sites of gaseous exchange Respiratory zone The part of the respiratory system where gas exchange occurs Anatomy The study of the structure of the body Physiology The study of the function of the body Right lung The lung with 3 lobes: superior, middle, and inferior Left lung The lung with 2 lobes 4/4