Introduction to Anatomy
Anatomy – is the science of the structure and function of the body
• Clinical Anatomy – focuses on the macroscopic structure and function of the body in relation
to the medical practice and other health sciences
• Basic Anatomy- provides understanding of the overall structure and function of the body
Anatomic Position- standing erect with the upper limbs by the side and the face and palms of the hands
directed forward
• Median Sagittal Plane- vertical plane passing through the body dividing it into equal left and
right halves
o Paramedian – planes that are parallel to the median and is situated on either side of the
median plane
o Medial – structure situated nearer to the median plane
o Lateral- structure that lies farther away from the median plane
• Coronal Planes- imaginary vertical planes that are in a right angle with the median plane
• Horizontal or Transverse Planes- right angles to both the median and coronal planes
• Other terms:
o Anterior – front of the body
o Posterior – back of the body
o Palmar- hand (anterior)
o Dorsal- hand (posterior)
o Plantar- foot (lower surface)
o Dorsal- foot (upper surface)
o Proximal – closer to the root of the limbs (example: arm is proximal)
o Distal- farther to the root of the limbs (example: forearm and hand is distal)
o Superficial and deep – distance of structure from the surface of the body
o Superior and inferior- denote levels relatively high or low with reference to the upper
and lower ends of the body
o Internal and external – distance of a structure from the center of an organ or cavity
o Ipsilateral – refers to the same side of the body (ex: left hand and left foot)
o Contralateral- refers to the opposite sides of the body
o Supine – position of the body is lying on the back (facing up)
o Prone- position is lying face downward
Terms Related to Movement
Joint – a site where two or more bones come together
Flexion- is a movement that occurs in the sagittal plane; usually an anterior movement except knee that
moves posteriorly
Extension – means straightening the joint
Lateral flexion – movement of the trunk in the coronal plane
, Abduction – movement of a limb away from the midline of the body in the coronal plane
Adduction- movement of a limb toward the body in the coronal plane
Rotation- movement of a part of the body around its long axis
Medial rotation- movement that results in the anterior surface of the part facing medially
Lateral rotation – movement that results in the anterior surface of the part facing laterally
Pronation of the forearm- medial rotation of the forearm in such a manner that the palm of the hand
faces posteriorly
Supination of the forearm- lateral rotation of the forearm from the pronation position so the palm of
the hand faces anteriorly
Circumduction – combination in sequence of the movements of flexion, extension, abduction and
adduction
Protraction- move forward
Retraction – move backward
Inversion- movement of the foot so that the sole faces in a medial direction
Eversion- movement of the foot so that the sole faces in a lateral direction
Basic Structures:
SKIN:
• Epidermis- superficial
- Stratified epithelium whose cells become flattened as they mature and rise to the surface
• Dermis- deep
- Dense connective tissue containing many blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and nerves
- Connected to the underlying deep fascia or bones by the superficial fascia otherwise known as
subcutaneous tissue
Appendages of the Skin:
▪ Nail – keratinized plates on the dorsal surface of the tips of the fingers and toes
▪ Hairs- grow out of follicles, which are invaginations of the epidermis into the dermis
- Follicles lie obliquely to the skin surface and their expanded extremities, called
hair bulbs, penetrate to the deeper part of the dermis. Each hair bulb is concave
at its end, and the concavity is occupied by vascular connective tissue called
hair papilla.
- Arrector pili, a band of smooth muscle that connects the undersurface of the
follicle to the superficial part of the dermis
- Sympathetic nerve fibers – innervates the muscle causing the contraction that
moves the hair in a move vertical position ; also compresses the sebaceous
Anatomy – is the science of the structure and function of the body
• Clinical Anatomy – focuses on the macroscopic structure and function of the body in relation
to the medical practice and other health sciences
• Basic Anatomy- provides understanding of the overall structure and function of the body
Anatomic Position- standing erect with the upper limbs by the side and the face and palms of the hands
directed forward
• Median Sagittal Plane- vertical plane passing through the body dividing it into equal left and
right halves
o Paramedian – planes that are parallel to the median and is situated on either side of the
median plane
o Medial – structure situated nearer to the median plane
o Lateral- structure that lies farther away from the median plane
• Coronal Planes- imaginary vertical planes that are in a right angle with the median plane
• Horizontal or Transverse Planes- right angles to both the median and coronal planes
• Other terms:
o Anterior – front of the body
o Posterior – back of the body
o Palmar- hand (anterior)
o Dorsal- hand (posterior)
o Plantar- foot (lower surface)
o Dorsal- foot (upper surface)
o Proximal – closer to the root of the limbs (example: arm is proximal)
o Distal- farther to the root of the limbs (example: forearm and hand is distal)
o Superficial and deep – distance of structure from the surface of the body
o Superior and inferior- denote levels relatively high or low with reference to the upper
and lower ends of the body
o Internal and external – distance of a structure from the center of an organ or cavity
o Ipsilateral – refers to the same side of the body (ex: left hand and left foot)
o Contralateral- refers to the opposite sides of the body
o Supine – position of the body is lying on the back (facing up)
o Prone- position is lying face downward
Terms Related to Movement
Joint – a site where two or more bones come together
Flexion- is a movement that occurs in the sagittal plane; usually an anterior movement except knee that
moves posteriorly
Extension – means straightening the joint
Lateral flexion – movement of the trunk in the coronal plane
, Abduction – movement of a limb away from the midline of the body in the coronal plane
Adduction- movement of a limb toward the body in the coronal plane
Rotation- movement of a part of the body around its long axis
Medial rotation- movement that results in the anterior surface of the part facing medially
Lateral rotation – movement that results in the anterior surface of the part facing laterally
Pronation of the forearm- medial rotation of the forearm in such a manner that the palm of the hand
faces posteriorly
Supination of the forearm- lateral rotation of the forearm from the pronation position so the palm of
the hand faces anteriorly
Circumduction – combination in sequence of the movements of flexion, extension, abduction and
adduction
Protraction- move forward
Retraction – move backward
Inversion- movement of the foot so that the sole faces in a medial direction
Eversion- movement of the foot so that the sole faces in a lateral direction
Basic Structures:
SKIN:
• Epidermis- superficial
- Stratified epithelium whose cells become flattened as they mature and rise to the surface
• Dermis- deep
- Dense connective tissue containing many blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and nerves
- Connected to the underlying deep fascia or bones by the superficial fascia otherwise known as
subcutaneous tissue
Appendages of the Skin:
▪ Nail – keratinized plates on the dorsal surface of the tips of the fingers and toes
▪ Hairs- grow out of follicles, which are invaginations of the epidermis into the dermis
- Follicles lie obliquely to the skin surface and their expanded extremities, called
hair bulbs, penetrate to the deeper part of the dermis. Each hair bulb is concave
at its end, and the concavity is occupied by vascular connective tissue called
hair papilla.
- Arrector pili, a band of smooth muscle that connects the undersurface of the
follicle to the superficial part of the dermis
- Sympathetic nerve fibers – innervates the muscle causing the contraction that
moves the hair in a move vertical position ; also compresses the sebaceous
