🧍 Human Anatomy & Physiology (Compendium 1)
🔹 What Are ‘Anatomy’ and ‘Physiology’?
Anatomy = The study of body structure (what things are and where they are)
Example: studying bones or muscles
Physiology = The study of **body function** (how things work)
Example: how the heart pumps blood
🔹 Levels of Anatomy & Physiology
Gross (macroscopic) anatomy – Big structures you can see
Microscopic anatomy – Structures only visible under a microscope (e.g., cells, tissues)
Systemic physiology – How entire systems work (e.g., respiratory system)
Cellular physiology – How cells function
🔹 Six Levels of Organisation in the Body
1. Chemical – Atoms and molecules
2. Cellular – Basic unit of life
3. Tissue – Groups of similar cells (e.g., muscle tissue)
4. Organ – Two or more tissues working together (e.g., heart)
5. Organ System – Group of organs with a common function
6. Organism – A complete living being
🔹 Six Characteristics of Living Organisms
1. Metabolism – All chemical reactions (including breaking down food)
2. Responsiveness – Detect and react to changes
3. Movement – Internal and external motion
4. Growth – Increase in size or number of cells
5. DiKerentiation – Specialisation of cells
,6. Reproduction – Forming new cells or organisms
🔹 What is Homeostasis?
The body’s ability to maintain a stable internal environment despite external changes
Example: Keeping body temperature around 37°C
Maintained by negative feedback loops
Example: Sweating to cool down
🔹 Anatomical Position
The standard reference position:
- Standing upright
- Facing forward
- Arms at sides
- Palms facing forward
- Feet flat and facing forward
Used as the base to describe body parts consistently
🔹 Directional Terms (Anatomical Language)
Superior: Toward the head
Inferior: Toward the feet
Anterior (ventral): Front
Posterior (dorsal): Back
Medial: Toward the midline
Lateral: Away from midline
Proximal: Closer to trunk (used for limbs)
Distal: Farther from trunk
Superficial: Toward surface
,Deep: Inside the body
🔹 Body Planes
Sagittal: Divides left and right
Midsagittal: Equal halves
Parasagittal: Unequal
Frontal (coronal): Front and back
Transverse (horizontal): Top and bottom
🔹 Major Body Cavities
Dorsal Cavity
- Cranial cavity* – Brain
- Spinal cavity* – Spinal cord
Ventral Cavity
- Thoracic cavity – Heart, lungs (pleural & pericardial)
- Abdominopelvic cavity
- Abdominal – Stomach, liver, intestines
- Pelvic – Bladder, reproductive organs
🔹 Abdominal Quadrants (Used in clinical settings)
Right Upper (RUQ) – Liver, gallbladder
Left Upper (LUQ) – Stomach, spleen
Right Lower (RLQ) – Appendix, right ovary
Left Lower (LLQ) – Left ovary, sigmoid colon
🔹 Abdominal Regions (Used for anatomy detail)
1. Right hypochondriac
2. Epigastric
, 3. Left hypochondriac
4. Right lumbar
5. Umbilical
6. Left lumbar
7. Right iliac (inguinal)
8. Hypogastric (pubic)
9. Left iliac
🔹 Serous Membranes – Properties
Thin, slippery, double-layered membranes
Line body cavities that do not open to the outside
Produce serous fluid to reduce friction
Two layers:
Parietal – Lines cavity wall
Visceral – Covers the organ
🔹 Serous Membranes – Location & Function
Pleura: Covers the lungs
Pericardium: Covers the heart
Peritoneum: Covers abdominal organs
Function: Prevent friction between organs and cavity walls during movement (e.g., heart
beating, lungs expanding)
Here’s a clear, easy-to-remember **cheat sheet** for your final anatomy study set —
perfect for study notes, summarising, or flashcards.
🧫 Cells, Tissues & Histology – Cheat Sheet (Compendium 2)
🔹 Functional Characteristics of a Cell
🔹 What Are ‘Anatomy’ and ‘Physiology’?
Anatomy = The study of body structure (what things are and where they are)
Example: studying bones or muscles
Physiology = The study of **body function** (how things work)
Example: how the heart pumps blood
🔹 Levels of Anatomy & Physiology
Gross (macroscopic) anatomy – Big structures you can see
Microscopic anatomy – Structures only visible under a microscope (e.g., cells, tissues)
Systemic physiology – How entire systems work (e.g., respiratory system)
Cellular physiology – How cells function
🔹 Six Levels of Organisation in the Body
1. Chemical – Atoms and molecules
2. Cellular – Basic unit of life
3. Tissue – Groups of similar cells (e.g., muscle tissue)
4. Organ – Two or more tissues working together (e.g., heart)
5. Organ System – Group of organs with a common function
6. Organism – A complete living being
🔹 Six Characteristics of Living Organisms
1. Metabolism – All chemical reactions (including breaking down food)
2. Responsiveness – Detect and react to changes
3. Movement – Internal and external motion
4. Growth – Increase in size or number of cells
5. DiKerentiation – Specialisation of cells
,6. Reproduction – Forming new cells or organisms
🔹 What is Homeostasis?
The body’s ability to maintain a stable internal environment despite external changes
Example: Keeping body temperature around 37°C
Maintained by negative feedback loops
Example: Sweating to cool down
🔹 Anatomical Position
The standard reference position:
- Standing upright
- Facing forward
- Arms at sides
- Palms facing forward
- Feet flat and facing forward
Used as the base to describe body parts consistently
🔹 Directional Terms (Anatomical Language)
Superior: Toward the head
Inferior: Toward the feet
Anterior (ventral): Front
Posterior (dorsal): Back
Medial: Toward the midline
Lateral: Away from midline
Proximal: Closer to trunk (used for limbs)
Distal: Farther from trunk
Superficial: Toward surface
,Deep: Inside the body
🔹 Body Planes
Sagittal: Divides left and right
Midsagittal: Equal halves
Parasagittal: Unequal
Frontal (coronal): Front and back
Transverse (horizontal): Top and bottom
🔹 Major Body Cavities
Dorsal Cavity
- Cranial cavity* – Brain
- Spinal cavity* – Spinal cord
Ventral Cavity
- Thoracic cavity – Heart, lungs (pleural & pericardial)
- Abdominopelvic cavity
- Abdominal – Stomach, liver, intestines
- Pelvic – Bladder, reproductive organs
🔹 Abdominal Quadrants (Used in clinical settings)
Right Upper (RUQ) – Liver, gallbladder
Left Upper (LUQ) – Stomach, spleen
Right Lower (RLQ) – Appendix, right ovary
Left Lower (LLQ) – Left ovary, sigmoid colon
🔹 Abdominal Regions (Used for anatomy detail)
1. Right hypochondriac
2. Epigastric
, 3. Left hypochondriac
4. Right lumbar
5. Umbilical
6. Left lumbar
7. Right iliac (inguinal)
8. Hypogastric (pubic)
9. Left iliac
🔹 Serous Membranes – Properties
Thin, slippery, double-layered membranes
Line body cavities that do not open to the outside
Produce serous fluid to reduce friction
Two layers:
Parietal – Lines cavity wall
Visceral – Covers the organ
🔹 Serous Membranes – Location & Function
Pleura: Covers the lungs
Pericardium: Covers the heart
Peritoneum: Covers abdominal organs
Function: Prevent friction between organs and cavity walls during movement (e.g., heart
beating, lungs expanding)
Here’s a clear, easy-to-remember **cheat sheet** for your final anatomy study set —
perfect for study notes, summarising, or flashcards.
🧫 Cells, Tissues & Histology – Cheat Sheet (Compendium 2)
🔹 Functional Characteristics of a Cell
