A&P 1 Exam 1| Latest Updated 2025/2026 (Graded A+)
Homeostasis ✔️regulation of stable internal body functions
Anatomy ✔️"to cut apart"; study of structure of body parts and relationships to each other
Physiology ✔️study of the function of the body parts; how they work to carry out life-sustaining activities
Gross (macroscopic anatomy) ✔️study of large, visible structures
Microscopic anatomy ✔️need instrument to see; study of structures too small to be visible to naked eye
Histology ✔️study of tissues
Cytology ✔️study of cells
Developmental Anatomy ✔️study of structural changes that occur between conception and adulthood
Embryology ✔️study of developments before birth
Gross/Macroscopic Anatomy ✔️studies large body structures such as stomach, lungs, heart
Systemic Anatomy ✔️ex. cardiologist
Regional Anatomy ✔️ear, nose, throat
Microscopic Anatomy ✔️ex. cytology, histology
Radiological Anatomy ✔️study of anatomy using, non-invasive technology
Computed tomography (CT) ✔️uses x-rays, invented in 1970s x-rays pass through body in thin cross-sections. Computer puts images of the
cross-sections together to give 3D image
Ultrasound ✔️uses sound waves which get reflected/scattered when the the wave hits something-analyzed by computer to generate 2D or 3D
image
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) ✔️uses magnets
Positron emission tomography (PET) ✔️uses radioactive labeled substance
Anatomic Position ✔️subject is:
standing erect
facing forward
upper limbs hanging to the sides
palms face forward
Supine ✔️subject is laying on their back face upward
Prone ✔️subject is on their belly downward
Superior (cranial) ✔️toward the head end or upper part of a structure or the body; above
Inferior (caudal) ✔️away from the head end or toward the lower part of a structure of the body; below
Ventral (anterior) ✔️toward or at the front of the body; in front of
Dorsal (posterior) ✔️toward or at the back of the body; behind
Medial ✔️toward or at the midline of the body; on the inner side of
Lateral ✔️away from the midline of the body; on the outer side of
, Intermediate ✔️between a more medial and a more lateral structure
Proximal ✔️closer to the origin of the body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk
Distal ✔️farther from the origin of a body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk
Superficial (external) ✔️toward or at the body surface
Deep (internal) ✔️away from the body surface; more internal
Directional terms ✔️allow explanation of where body parts are in relation to one another
Superior example ✔️towards head, above, aka cranial cephalic, the shoulder is superior to the pelvis
Inferior example ✔️away from the head, below, aka caudal (tail), the abdomen is inferior to the neck
Bilateral ✔️two-sided, affecting both sides equally, humans are bilaterally symmetrical (symmetrical about the midline)
Ipsilateral ✔️located on same side of body, ex. right leg and right arm
Contralateral ✔️on opposite side, ex. right arm and left leg
Anterior example ✔️in front of, aka ventral, the sternum in anterior to the spine
Posterior example ✔️back of the body, behind, aka dorsal, the heart is posterior to the ribcage
Medial example ✔️toward the middle of the body, the inner side of, the nose is medial to the eye
Lateral example ✔️away from the midline, on the other side of, the ear is lateral to the eye
Proximal example ✔️closer to the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk, the elbow is proximal to the wrist
Distal example ✔️further from the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk, the knee is distal to the thigh
Superficial example ✔️toward the body's surface, aka external, skeletal muscles are superficial to bones
Deep example ✔️away from the body's surface, internal, the lungs are deep to the ribs
Axial region ✔️head, neck, trunk (think axis)
Appendicular ✔️appendages/limbs
Sagittal ✔️vertical plane that divides the body into right and left halves
Midsagittal ✔️equal, on midline
Parasagittal ✔️unequal, off midline
Frontal ✔️vertical plane that divides the body into anterior and posterior halves
Transverse ✔️horizontal plane that divides the body into superior and inferior parts
2 Main Body Cavities ✔️dorsal body cavity and ventral body cavity
Dorsal body cavity ✔️contains cranial cavity (in the skull contains brain) and vertebral cavity (contains spinal cord)
Ventral body cavity ✔️divided into 2 main cavities separated by diaphragm, thoracic and abdominopelvic
Thoracic cavity ✔️superior to diaphragm; contain heart and lungs, pleural cavities (2) and mediastinum
Pleural cavities (2) ✔️contains lungs
Mediastinum ✔️contains pericardial cavity which encloses heart
Abdominopelvic cavity ✔️inferior to diaphragm; 2 parts not separated by muscle or membrane; abdominal cavity and pelvic cavity
Homeostasis ✔️regulation of stable internal body functions
Anatomy ✔️"to cut apart"; study of structure of body parts and relationships to each other
Physiology ✔️study of the function of the body parts; how they work to carry out life-sustaining activities
Gross (macroscopic anatomy) ✔️study of large, visible structures
Microscopic anatomy ✔️need instrument to see; study of structures too small to be visible to naked eye
Histology ✔️study of tissues
Cytology ✔️study of cells
Developmental Anatomy ✔️study of structural changes that occur between conception and adulthood
Embryology ✔️study of developments before birth
Gross/Macroscopic Anatomy ✔️studies large body structures such as stomach, lungs, heart
Systemic Anatomy ✔️ex. cardiologist
Regional Anatomy ✔️ear, nose, throat
Microscopic Anatomy ✔️ex. cytology, histology
Radiological Anatomy ✔️study of anatomy using, non-invasive technology
Computed tomography (CT) ✔️uses x-rays, invented in 1970s x-rays pass through body in thin cross-sections. Computer puts images of the
cross-sections together to give 3D image
Ultrasound ✔️uses sound waves which get reflected/scattered when the the wave hits something-analyzed by computer to generate 2D or 3D
image
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) ✔️uses magnets
Positron emission tomography (PET) ✔️uses radioactive labeled substance
Anatomic Position ✔️subject is:
standing erect
facing forward
upper limbs hanging to the sides
palms face forward
Supine ✔️subject is laying on their back face upward
Prone ✔️subject is on their belly downward
Superior (cranial) ✔️toward the head end or upper part of a structure or the body; above
Inferior (caudal) ✔️away from the head end or toward the lower part of a structure of the body; below
Ventral (anterior) ✔️toward or at the front of the body; in front of
Dorsal (posterior) ✔️toward or at the back of the body; behind
Medial ✔️toward or at the midline of the body; on the inner side of
Lateral ✔️away from the midline of the body; on the outer side of
, Intermediate ✔️between a more medial and a more lateral structure
Proximal ✔️closer to the origin of the body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk
Distal ✔️farther from the origin of a body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk
Superficial (external) ✔️toward or at the body surface
Deep (internal) ✔️away from the body surface; more internal
Directional terms ✔️allow explanation of where body parts are in relation to one another
Superior example ✔️towards head, above, aka cranial cephalic, the shoulder is superior to the pelvis
Inferior example ✔️away from the head, below, aka caudal (tail), the abdomen is inferior to the neck
Bilateral ✔️two-sided, affecting both sides equally, humans are bilaterally symmetrical (symmetrical about the midline)
Ipsilateral ✔️located on same side of body, ex. right leg and right arm
Contralateral ✔️on opposite side, ex. right arm and left leg
Anterior example ✔️in front of, aka ventral, the sternum in anterior to the spine
Posterior example ✔️back of the body, behind, aka dorsal, the heart is posterior to the ribcage
Medial example ✔️toward the middle of the body, the inner side of, the nose is medial to the eye
Lateral example ✔️away from the midline, on the other side of, the ear is lateral to the eye
Proximal example ✔️closer to the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk, the elbow is proximal to the wrist
Distal example ✔️further from the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk, the knee is distal to the thigh
Superficial example ✔️toward the body's surface, aka external, skeletal muscles are superficial to bones
Deep example ✔️away from the body's surface, internal, the lungs are deep to the ribs
Axial region ✔️head, neck, trunk (think axis)
Appendicular ✔️appendages/limbs
Sagittal ✔️vertical plane that divides the body into right and left halves
Midsagittal ✔️equal, on midline
Parasagittal ✔️unequal, off midline
Frontal ✔️vertical plane that divides the body into anterior and posterior halves
Transverse ✔️horizontal plane that divides the body into superior and inferior parts
2 Main Body Cavities ✔️dorsal body cavity and ventral body cavity
Dorsal body cavity ✔️contains cranial cavity (in the skull contains brain) and vertebral cavity (contains spinal cord)
Ventral body cavity ✔️divided into 2 main cavities separated by diaphragm, thoracic and abdominopelvic
Thoracic cavity ✔️superior to diaphragm; contain heart and lungs, pleural cavities (2) and mediastinum
Pleural cavities (2) ✔️contains lungs
Mediastinum ✔️contains pericardial cavity which encloses heart
Abdominopelvic cavity ✔️inferior to diaphragm; 2 parts not separated by muscle or membrane; abdominal cavity and pelvic cavity
