The four areas of Anatomy
- Histology (Microscopic features)
- Gross Anatomy (Macroscopic features)
- Neuroanatomy
- Embryology
Structure of the human body
Structure drives function at every level of the body. From smallest to largest they are:
1. Chemical
2. Cellular
3. Tissue
4. Organ
5. Organ System
6. Organism
There are two main parts of the body:
- Axial; The main body. Includes all major organs and runs straight through the middle of the body
- Appendicular; The four limbs attached to the axial region (Arms and legs)
Language of Anatomy
Universal anatomical position is defined as:
- Standing upright
- Feet parallel and on the floor
- Head level looking forward
- Arms at sides
- Palms forward and thumbs out
Directional terms:
These terms are relative to the point of the body you are describing
- Superior (Above/Towards the head)
- Inferior (Below/Towards the ground)
- Anterior/Ventral (Towards the front)
- Posterior/Dorsal (Towards the back)
- Medial (Towards the centre of the body)
- Lateral (Away from the centre of the body)
- Proximal (Closer to the origin)
, - Distal (Away from the origin)
- Superficial (Shallow/Closer to the surface)
- Deep (Deep/Farther from the surface)
- Parietal (Connective tissue/Muscles)
- Visceral (Tissue lining the outside of organs
Planes of the body:
- Sagittal (Divides body into left and right)
- Coronal (Divides body into front and back
- Horizontal (Divides body into up and down)
- Oblique (Divides body at an angle)
- Longitudinal (A plane perpendicular to the horizontal plane)
Quadrants:
The Abdominal and pelvic categories can be divided into quadrants. These quadrants are based on the
position of the body, not the observer.
Organ Systems
- Integumentary (Skin)
- Skeletal (Bones and joints)
- Muscular (Muscles)
- Nervous (Brain, Spinal cord and nerves)
- Endocrine (Glands for hormones)
- Digestive (Mouth, Stomach, Intestines)
- Respiratory (Trachea, Lungs)
- Cardiovascular (Heart, Veins and arteries)
- Lymphatic (Vessels for immune responses)
- Urinary (Kidney, Bladder, and Urethra)
- Reproductive System (Genitals)
Body Cavities
There are distinct spaces where these organs are contained, known as body cavities:
Dorsal (Back)
1. Cranial (Houses the brain)
2. Vertebral (Houses the spinal cord)
Ventral (Front)
1. Thoracic (Above diaphragm)
, - Superior mediastinum (Esophagus and trachea) Protected by the sternum
- Pericardial (Heart)
- Pleural X2 (Each contains a lung)
2. Abdomino-pelvic (Below diaphragm)
- Abdominal (Contains digestive system)
- Pelvic (Contains Urinary and reproductive systems)
Basic Tissue
There are four basic tissues in the human body:
- Epithelial
- Connective
- Nervous
- Muscular
Epithelial tissue
- Made of side by side cells with very little in between
- There are two types:
1. Covering epithelium: Covers external and internal surfaces
2. Glandular Epithelium: Cells that produce and secrete product (Hormones, Sweat)
- Epithelial cells are renewed constantly
- They are joined by specialized junctions:
1. Tight Junctions
2. Adhering Junctions
3. Desmosomes
4. Gap Junctions
- Cells have and outward facing side and inward facing side (Apical and Basal)
- Epithelial cells are attached to the basal lamina
- They have no direct contact with blood vessels. They receive nutrients from underlying tissues
Functions of epithelial tissue
- Support and protection
- Permeability
, - Sensation
- Secretion
Classification of epithelial tissue
1. Cell organisation
- Simple: One row of cells. Simple epithelium is used for absorption/secretion
- Stratified: Multiple rows. Stratified epithelium is used for protection
- Transitional: cells vary in shape and are rounded at the surface. Used for stretching
- Pseudostratified: Single layer of cells suggesting stratification. Typically has cilia for moving
mucous
2. Cell Shape
- Squamous: Thin, flat cells
- Cuboidal: Equal of all sides, nucleus in the middle
- Columnar: Tall, rectangular cells. Nucleus is oval and basal
Cells are named by combining [Cell organisation] [Cell Shape] ex. Simple Squamous
Connective Tissue
Connective tissue is the most widespread and abundant type of tissue in the body. It is the most diverse
type and has 3 main types:
1. Connective tissue proper
2. Supporting Connective tissue
3. Specialized connective tissue
Connective tissue has 5 main functions:
1. Support and protection
2. Structural Framework
3. Medium for exchange
4. Storage and repair
5. Defense
Components of connective tissue:
- Cells: CTs contain many different types of cells. Some are permanent residents (Fibroblasts) and
some are wandering and pass through the tissue
- Fibres: Made of proteins formed by long peptide chains, there are three main fibre types:
1. Collagen fibres
2. Reticular fibres
3. Elastic fibres
- Histology (Microscopic features)
- Gross Anatomy (Macroscopic features)
- Neuroanatomy
- Embryology
Structure of the human body
Structure drives function at every level of the body. From smallest to largest they are:
1. Chemical
2. Cellular
3. Tissue
4. Organ
5. Organ System
6. Organism
There are two main parts of the body:
- Axial; The main body. Includes all major organs and runs straight through the middle of the body
- Appendicular; The four limbs attached to the axial region (Arms and legs)
Language of Anatomy
Universal anatomical position is defined as:
- Standing upright
- Feet parallel and on the floor
- Head level looking forward
- Arms at sides
- Palms forward and thumbs out
Directional terms:
These terms are relative to the point of the body you are describing
- Superior (Above/Towards the head)
- Inferior (Below/Towards the ground)
- Anterior/Ventral (Towards the front)
- Posterior/Dorsal (Towards the back)
- Medial (Towards the centre of the body)
- Lateral (Away from the centre of the body)
- Proximal (Closer to the origin)
, - Distal (Away from the origin)
- Superficial (Shallow/Closer to the surface)
- Deep (Deep/Farther from the surface)
- Parietal (Connective tissue/Muscles)
- Visceral (Tissue lining the outside of organs
Planes of the body:
- Sagittal (Divides body into left and right)
- Coronal (Divides body into front and back
- Horizontal (Divides body into up and down)
- Oblique (Divides body at an angle)
- Longitudinal (A plane perpendicular to the horizontal plane)
Quadrants:
The Abdominal and pelvic categories can be divided into quadrants. These quadrants are based on the
position of the body, not the observer.
Organ Systems
- Integumentary (Skin)
- Skeletal (Bones and joints)
- Muscular (Muscles)
- Nervous (Brain, Spinal cord and nerves)
- Endocrine (Glands for hormones)
- Digestive (Mouth, Stomach, Intestines)
- Respiratory (Trachea, Lungs)
- Cardiovascular (Heart, Veins and arteries)
- Lymphatic (Vessels for immune responses)
- Urinary (Kidney, Bladder, and Urethra)
- Reproductive System (Genitals)
Body Cavities
There are distinct spaces where these organs are contained, known as body cavities:
Dorsal (Back)
1. Cranial (Houses the brain)
2. Vertebral (Houses the spinal cord)
Ventral (Front)
1. Thoracic (Above diaphragm)
, - Superior mediastinum (Esophagus and trachea) Protected by the sternum
- Pericardial (Heart)
- Pleural X2 (Each contains a lung)
2. Abdomino-pelvic (Below diaphragm)
- Abdominal (Contains digestive system)
- Pelvic (Contains Urinary and reproductive systems)
Basic Tissue
There are four basic tissues in the human body:
- Epithelial
- Connective
- Nervous
- Muscular
Epithelial tissue
- Made of side by side cells with very little in between
- There are two types:
1. Covering epithelium: Covers external and internal surfaces
2. Glandular Epithelium: Cells that produce and secrete product (Hormones, Sweat)
- Epithelial cells are renewed constantly
- They are joined by specialized junctions:
1. Tight Junctions
2. Adhering Junctions
3. Desmosomes
4. Gap Junctions
- Cells have and outward facing side and inward facing side (Apical and Basal)
- Epithelial cells are attached to the basal lamina
- They have no direct contact with blood vessels. They receive nutrients from underlying tissues
Functions of epithelial tissue
- Support and protection
- Permeability
, - Sensation
- Secretion
Classification of epithelial tissue
1. Cell organisation
- Simple: One row of cells. Simple epithelium is used for absorption/secretion
- Stratified: Multiple rows. Stratified epithelium is used for protection
- Transitional: cells vary in shape and are rounded at the surface. Used for stretching
- Pseudostratified: Single layer of cells suggesting stratification. Typically has cilia for moving
mucous
2. Cell Shape
- Squamous: Thin, flat cells
- Cuboidal: Equal of all sides, nucleus in the middle
- Columnar: Tall, rectangular cells. Nucleus is oval and basal
Cells are named by combining [Cell organisation] [Cell Shape] ex. Simple Squamous
Connective Tissue
Connective tissue is the most widespread and abundant type of tissue in the body. It is the most diverse
type and has 3 main types:
1. Connective tissue proper
2. Supporting Connective tissue
3. Specialized connective tissue
Connective tissue has 5 main functions:
1. Support and protection
2. Structural Framework
3. Medium for exchange
4. Storage and repair
5. Defense
Components of connective tissue:
- Cells: CTs contain many different types of cells. Some are permanent residents (Fibroblasts) and
some are wandering and pass through the tissue
- Fibres: Made of proteins formed by long peptide chains, there are three main fibre types:
1. Collagen fibres
2. Reticular fibres
3. Elastic fibres
