Introduction to anatomy and

physiology
Dr. Sushant Aryal
MBBS, MD
 HUMAN ANATOMY

•Science that deals with the structure of the human body.

•The term “ANATOMY “is derived from Greek word.

• Ana: separate, apart from

• Temnein: to cut up, cut open
• Initially, anatomy was studied mainly by dissection

• Dissection (also called anatomization)
 Process of disassembling and observing something to
determine its internal structure and as an aid to
discerning the functions and relationships of its
components.

• “Herophilus” is called the father of anatomy.

• He was a Greek physician, and was one of the first to

dissect the human body.
SUBDIVISION OF ANATOMY
A. Cadaveric anatomy:-Studied on dead bodies usually with
the naked eye (macroscopic or gross anatomy).

This can be done by one of the two approaches.

1. Regional anatomy:-The body is studied in parts like the

upper limb, lower limb, thorax, abdomen, head and neck
and brain.
2. Systemic anatomy:-The body is studied in system like the
skeletal system(osteology),muscular system(mycology),
articulatory system(arthrology),vascular
system(angiology), nervous system(neurology),and
respiratory, digestive, urogenital and endocrine system.
B. Living anatomy:-
• Studied on living human beings by inspection, palpation,
percussion, auscultation, endoscopy, radiography, and
electromyography.

C. Embryology (developmental anatomy:-

• The study of the prenatal and postnatal developmental
changes.

D. Histology (microscopic) anatomy:-The study of the

structures with the aid of a microscope.
•  Histology (the study of tissues)
•  Cytology (the study of cells)
E. Surface anatomy:-
• The study of deeper parts of the body is relation to the
skin surface.
• It is helpful in clinical practice and surgical operations.

E. Radiological anatomy:-
• The study of the bones and deeper organs by plan and
contrast radiograph by ultrasound and computerized
tomography (CT) scans.

F. Comparative anatomy:-
• Relates to the comparison of anatomical structures (both
gross and microscopic) in different animals
H. Physical anthropology:-relates to the comparison of the
anatomy of different races of humans.
I. Applied anatomy (clinical Anatomy):-Deals with the
application of the anatomical knowledge to the medical
and surgical practice.
J. Experimental anatomy:-The study of the factors which
influence and determine the form structure and function
of deferent parts of the body.
K. Genetics:-Deals with the study of the information present
in the chromosomes.
ANATOMICAL PLANE
Coronal planes
• Oriented vertically and divide the body into anterior and
posterior parts.

Sagittal planes
• Oriented vertically, but are at right angles to the coronal
planes and divide the body into right and left parts.
Median sagittal plane.
• The plane that passes through the center of the body
dividing it into equal right and left halves

Transverse, horizontal, or axial planes

• Divide the body into superior and inferior parts.
Terms used to describe the location of structures relative to
the body as a whole or to other structures

1. Anterior (or ventral) : Front

Posterior : Back(or dorsal)

• Nose is an anterior (ventral) and Vertebral column is a

posterior (dorsal)
• Nose is anterior to the ears and the vertebral column is
posterior to the sternum.
2. Medial and lateral describe the position of structures
relative to the median sagittal plane and the sides of the
body.

• Medial: Toward the median plane

• Lateral : Away

• Thumb is lateral to the little finger. The nose is medial

to the eyes

3. Superior and inferior describe structures in reference

to the vertical axis of the body.

• Head is superior to the shoulders and the knee joint is

inferior to the hip joint.
4. Proximal and distal are used with reference to being
closer or farther from a structure's origin.
Proximal : Near
Distal : away

• Hand is distal to the elbow joint.

5. Cranial (towards the head) and caudal (towards the tail)

are sometimes used instead of superior and inferior
respectively.
6. Superficial and deep.
• Used to describe the relative positions of two
structures with respect to the surface of the body.

• Sternum is superficial to the heart and the stomach is

deep to the abdominal wall.

7. Ipsilateral: Same side

Contralateral : Opposite side
 BODY MOVEMENTS

1. Flexion
• Movement in which angle of the joints is reduces.

2. Extension
• Movement in which angle of the joints is increase

3. Adduction
• Movement toward midline of the body in the coronal
plane

4. Abduction
• Movement away from the midline of the body in the
coronal plane
• Medial rotation : Inward rotation

• Lateral rotation : Outward rotation

• Circumduction : Combined movements of

flexion, extension, abduction, adduction ,medial and
lateral rotation 

• Pronation: Rotation of forearm so that the palm is turned

backward

• Supination: Rotation of the forearm so that the turned

forward
Inversion
• Movement of the foot so that the sole faces in a medial
direction

Eversion
• Is the opposite movement of the foot so that the sole
faces in a lateral direction
The anatomical position
• Is the standard reference position of the body used to
describe the location of structures.

• Standing upright with feet together, hands by the side and

face looking forward.
• The mouth is closed and the facial expression is neutral.
• The rim of bone under the eyes is in the same horizontal
plane as the top of the 'opening to the ear' and the eyes are
'open' and focused on something in the distance.
• The palms of the hands face forward with the fingers
straight and together and with the pad of the thumb turned
90° to the pads of the fingers.
• The toes point forward.
POSITIONS OF BODY
• The supine position of the body is lying on the back.

• The prone position is lying face downward.

• Right Lateral Recumbent is lying on their right side.

• Left Lateral Recumbent is lying on their left side

  Body cavity 
• It is any space
• Filled by  viscera, or fluid

Dorsal body cavity

1. Cranial cavity
• Enclosed by the skull and contains Brain and lined by
Meninges

2. Vertebral canal
• Enclosed by the spine and contains the spinal cord and
lined by meninges
Ventral body cavity

1. Thoracic cavity
• Enclosed by the ribcage and contains the lungs and heart
and lined by pleura and pericardium
2. Abdomino-pelvic cavity
• Enclosed by the ribcage and pelvis and contains the
kidneys, ureters, stomach, intestines, liver, gallbladder,
and pancreas and lined by peritoneum.
A. Abdominal cavity
• Thoracic diaphragm AND pelvic inlet
B. Pelvic cavity
• Pelvic inlet (the superior opening of the pelvis) and pelvic
floor.