INTRODUCTION TO GENERAL ANATOMY

HUMAN ANATOMY
is the study o f the normal structures o f the human body, their functions and relationships with one
another
the identification and description of the structures of living things
comes from the Greek ana- meaning "up", and tome- meaning "a cutting".
o Anatomy, especially in the past, has depended heavily on dissection. In Greek and Latin the
words "anatomy" and "dissection" have virtually the same meanings. Although both words
have similar origins, anatomy has evolved to become a broad discipline of its own, while
dissection remains a techniue of anatomical science
Andreas Vesalius- !"ather of Anatomy#
$his discipline is otherwise known as HUMAN STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY which is the study o f the
normal structures of the living human body.
%ere, emphasis is in the transfer and application of all anatomical information from study of human
cadavers to the living human body.
DIVISIONS &
A. Gross / Macroscoic Ana!o"# or Gross Hu"an S!ruc!ural $iolo%#- study o f normal structures
o f the human big enough to be studied by unaided 'naked( eye.
$his includes&
S#s!e"ic Ana!o"# - study of structures of specific body systems e.g. nervous and circulatory
systems.
Re%ional Ana!o"# - study o f structures by body region, e.g. head region, thoracic region.
Sur&ace Ana!o"# - study of the landmarks on the body surface of the different visceral organs.
$. Microscoic Ana!o"# or Microscoic Hu"an S!ruc!ural $iolo%#- study of structures of the
human body through use o f microscope.
$his includes&
C#!olo%# -chemical and microscopic study o f microscopic cells
His!olo%# - study of normal tissues in the body
C. E"'r#olo%#/De(elo"en!al Ana!o"#
o study of the development of the human body from fertili)ation of ovum up to the period of
e*trauterine life
o study of structural changes from conception to birth
D. Neuroana!o"# or Neural Hu"an S!ruc!ural $iolo%#- study of normal microscopes, gross
features and development of the nervous system.
METHODS O) STUDY IN ANATOMY
+. S#s!e"ic- an approach to anatomic study organi)ed by organ systems, emphasi)ing
an overview of the system throughout the body
,. Re%ional- an approach to anatomic study based on regions, parts, or divisions of the
body 'the foot or the inguinal region(, emphasi)ing the relationships of various systemic
structures 'muscles, nerves, and arteries( within that area
*. Sur&ace
the study of the structural relationships of the e*ternal features of the body to the
internal organs and parts
$he study of the configuration of the surface of the body, especially in relation to its
internal parts
-. Radiolo%ic/Radio%ra+ic- the study of the structure and morphology of the tissues and
organs of the body based on their *-ray visuali)ation and other imaging techniues.
LEVELS O) STRUCTURAL ORGANI,ATION O ) THE $ODY
-. CHEMICAL LEVEL - includes atoms, the smallest unit of matter and the molecules with two or
more atoms .oining together.
/*ample o f atoms& 0, %, 1, 0a
.. Cell Le(el
Cells are the basic structural and functional units of organisms, such as plants and animals
Although cell types differ in their structure and function, they have many characteristics in
common
*. Tissue Le(el
A tissue is a group of cells with similar structure and function that have similar e*tracellular
substances located between them
/. Or%an Le(el
An organ is composed of two or more tissue types that together perform one or more common
functions
0. Or%an S#s!e" Le(el
An organ system is a group of organs classified as a unit because of a common function or set
of functions
2e have ++ ma.or organ systems&
o Integumentary 3ystem
o 3keletal 3ystem
o 4uscular 3ystem
o Lymphatic 3ystem
o 5espiratory 3ystem
o 6igestive 3ystem
o 7ervous 3ystem
o /ndocrine 3ystem
o 0ardiovascular 3ystem
o 8rinary 3ystem
o 5eproductive 3ystem
$he coordinated activity of the organ system is necessary for normal function. 9ecause the
organ system are so interrelated, dysfunction in the organ system can have profound effects on
other systems
1. Or%anis" Le(el
An organism is any living thing considered as a whole, whether composed of one cell, such as
bacterium, or trillions of cells, such as a human.
ANATOMICAL 2OSITION
A person in the anatomical position is standing
erect (or lying supine as if erect) with the head
, eyes and toes directed forward, the upper
limbs by the sides with the palms facing
forward, and the lower limbs together with the
toes pointing forward
o All descriptions in human anatomy are
e*pressed in relation to the anatomical
position.
o 6escription of anatomical structures in
cadavers or in the living human body is
based on this position.
ORGANI,ATION O) THE $ODY
A. 2lanes and Sec!ions
ANATOMICAL 2LANES
imaginary flat surfaces
Anatomical descriptions are also based on four imaginary planes 'median, sagittal, coronal,
and hori)ontal( that pass through the body in the anatomical position.
+. Median lane - the imaginary vertical line
passing longitudinally through the body from
front to back dividing it into E3UAL right and
left halves.
o 1therwise known as !Midsa%i!!al
lane#
,. Sa%i!!al lane - imaginary vertical plane
passing through the body parallel to the
median plane dividing this into right and left
parts.
o 7amed after the sagittal suture of the skull
with which they are parallel.
o $wo types&
a. Midsa%i!!al- the sagittal plane that
passes through the median plane of
the body: otherwise known as !Median
lane#
b. 2arasa%i!!al- the sagittal plane that
divides the body into right and left
portions, but do not pass through the
median plane
;. Coronal lane or )ron!al- imaginary vertical
planes passing through the body at right
angles to the median plane, dividing it into
anterior 'front( and posterior 'back( portions.
o 7amed after the coronal suture of
the skull, which is a coronal plane.
-. Trans(erse or +ori4on!al lane- imaginary plane passing through the body at right angles
to both the median and coronal planes dividing the body into upper and lower parts.
SECTIONS O) THE $ODY
+. Lon%i!udinal sec!ion or (er!ical - body part is cut on the direction of the long a*is o f
the body, or any of its parts. 4ay be cut in median, sagittal, or coronal planes
,. Trans(erse sec!ions or cross sec!ion - are parts of the body which are cut at right
angles to the longitudinal a*is of the body, or its parts.
;. O'li5ue sec!ions- are sections of the body that are not cut in one of the anatomical
planes of the body 'e.g. they slant or deviate from these planes(.
$. Ana!o"ical Direc!ions
ANATOMICAL TERMS O) RELATIONSHI2 6DIRECTIONAL TERMS7
Ter" Meanin% E8a"le
3uperior 'cranial( $oward the top of body '7earer
to the head(
$he neck is superior to the chest
Inferior 'caudal( $oward the bottom of the body
'7earer to the feet(
$he nose is inferior to the forehead
Anterior 'Ven!ral( $oward the front of the body $he sternum is anterior to the heart
<osterior 'Dorsal( $oward the back of the body $he heel is posterior to the toes
4edial $oward the middle or midline of
the body
$he inde* finger is medial to the thumb
Lateral Away from the midline of the body $he nipple is lateral to the breastbone
<ro*imal $oward the trunk or point of
origin 'describes relative
position in a limb or another
appendage(
$he elbow is pro*imal to the wrist
6istal Away from the trunk or point of
attachment
$he knee is distal to the hip
3uperficial
'e*ternal(
$oward the surface of a part:
away from the surface
$he skin is superficial to the muscle
6eep 'internal( $oward the inside of a part $he bone is deep to the muscle.
<arietal $oward the wall: away from
internal structures
$he parietal pleura forms the e*ternal
wall of the pleural cavity
=isceral $oward an internal organ: away
from the outer wall 'describes
positions inside a body cavity(
$he visceral pleura of an organ, covers
the e*ternal surface of a lung
C. $od# Ca(i!ies and Re%ions
CAVITY9 refers to the hollow of a body: a fluid filled space in many animals where organs typically
develop
+. Cranial ca(i!#- within a skull: organ& brain
,. Sinal 6Ver!re'ral7 ca(i!#- within the vertebral column
;. T+oracic ca(i!#- within the rib cage
2leural ca(i!ies- left one-third and right one-third of the thoracic cavity
Medias!inu"- middle one-third of the thoracic cavity: partition containing the heart,
the thymus, the trachea, the esophagus, and other structures
-. A'do"inoel(ic ca(i!#9 from the diaphragm to the bottom of the trunk
A'do"inal ca(i!#9 from the diaphragm to the rim of the pelvic bones
o 1rgans found& stomach, liver, most of the intestines, pancreas, spleen, kidneys
2el(ic ca(i!#9 from the pelvic rim to the floor of the trunk
o 1rgans& <ortions of the intestines, urinary bladder, internal reproductive organs
A$DOMINO2ELVIC REGIONS
9ecause the abdominopelvic cavity is so large, and contains so many organs, it is often
convenient to subdivide it into nine abdominopelvic regions.
o $he regions are bounded by a grid made by imagining two hori)ontal planes 'one .ust
below the ribs, the other .ust above the hip bones( and two sagittal planes 'each .ust
medial to the nipple(
o $his arrangement forms three >dimensional, tic-tac-toe grid in the abdominoplevic
cavity
D. Sur&ace Re%ions
a. An!erior asec!
+. abdominal- area overlying the abdominal cavity
,. a*illary- armpit
;. brachial- upper arm
-. buccal- cheek
?. cervical- neck
@. antebrachial 'cubital(- lower arm
A. femoral- upper leg 'thigh(
B. orbital- eye
C. patellar- anterior knee .oint
+D. pubic- lower front of trunk, between legs
++. thoracic- chest
+,. tibial- anterior lower leg
'. 2os!erior asec!
+. calf- posterior lower leg
,. cervical- neck
;. gluteal- buttocks
-. lumbar- lower back
?. occipital-posterior of head
@. popliteal- posterior knee .oint
A. scapular- shoulder blade
B. thoracic- upper back