Introduction to Terminology and Body Organization Study Guide
Anatomy and Physiology
Introduction to Terminology and Body Organization | Study Guide
• Anatomy (dissection) is the examination of the structure of the human body.
A. Systemic Anatomy - the study of the body's structure through systems - this is the method followed by most
basic textbooks.
B. Regional Anatomy - the study of the anatomy of the body by region (head, abdomen, arm, etc...) - the technique
used in the majority of medical and dentistry schools.
C. Surface Anatomy - the study of exterior characteristics (bony projections) that aid in the identification of
underlying structures.
D. Anatomical Imaging - methods for creating images of inside structures (X-rays, ultrasound, magnetic
resonance imaging
• Physiology is the study of the activities and parts of the body.
A. Physiology's Two Major Goals
1. Predicting the body's reactions to stimuli.
2. How the body must maintain circumstances within a small value range in the face of an ever-changing
environment. Divisions of physiology
1. The organism at issue (Human Physiology – the study of a specific organism, the human) 2
2. The several layers of organisation inside an organism (cellular and systemic physiology emphasise specific
organisational levels)
Anatomy and Physiology
Introduction to Terminology and Body Organization | Study Guide
• Anatomy (dissection) is the examination of the structure of the human body.
A. Systemic Anatomy - the study of the body's structure through systems - this is the method followed by most
basic textbooks.
B. Regional Anatomy - the study of the anatomy of the body by region (head, abdomen, arm, etc...) - the technique
used in the majority of medical and dentistry schools.
C. Surface Anatomy - the study of exterior characteristics (bony projections) that aid in the identification of
underlying structures.
D. Anatomical Imaging - methods for creating images of inside structures (X-rays, ultrasound, magnetic
resonance imaging
• Physiology is the study of the activities and parts of the body.
A. Physiology's Two Major Goals
1. Predicting the body's reactions to stimuli.
2. How the body must maintain circumstances within a small value range in the face of an ever-changing
environment. Divisions of physiology
1. The organism at issue (Human Physiology – the study of a specific organism, the human) 2
2. The several layers of organisation inside an organism (cellular and systemic physiology emphasise specific
organisational levels)
