1. An Introduction to the Human Body
Lecture 1
An Introduction to the Human Body
Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

2. Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Introduction
You are beginning a study of the human body
You will learn how it is organized
You will learn how it functions
You will learn anatomical vocabulary so that you can communicate in common terms with others who study anatomy
Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

3. Definitions Anatomy Physiology
Describes the structures of the body:
what they are made of
where they are located
associated structures
Physiology
Is the study of:
functions of anatomical structures
individual and cooperative functions
All physiological functions are performed by specific anatomical structures
These functions follow standard physical and mechanical principles

4. Specialties of Anatomy
Gross anatomy, or macroscopic anatomy examines large, visible structures:
Surface anatomy: exterior features
Regional anatomy: body areas
Systemic anatomy: groups of organs working together
Developmental anatomy: from egg (embryology) to maturity
Clinical anatomy: medical specialties
Microscopic anatomy examines cells and molecules:
Cytology: cells and their structures
cyt = cell
Histology: tissues and their structures

5. Clinical - Noninvasive Diagnostic Techniques
Inspection - observing the body for any obvious changes from normal
Palpation - touching the body surfaces with the hands
Auscultation - listening to body sounds, often with the aid of a stethoscope
Percussion - tapping on the surface of the body with fingertips and listening to the resulting echo
Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

6. 6 Levels of Body Organization
Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

7. Levels of Body Organization: Definitions
Chemical level - includes atoms and molecules (two or more atoms joined together)
Cellular level - the basic structural and functional units of an organism
Tissue level - groups of cells and the material surrounding them that perform a specific function
Organ level - structures that are composed of two or more different types of tissues and have specific functions
System level - consists of related organs with a common function
Organismic level - any living individual, all the parts of the body functioning together
Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

8. Copyright Pearson Benjamin Cummings
Systems of the Body
There Are 11 Principal Organ Systems
Copyright Pearson Benjamin Cummings

9. Basic Anatomical Terminology
Anatomical position the subject stands:
Upright
Head level
Arms at the sides
Palms facing forward
Prone: lying face down
Supine: lying face up
Regional names:
Head
Neck
Trunk
Upper limbs
Lower limbs
Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

10. Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Key Directional Terms
Cranial – toward the head
Caudal – toward the tail
Dorsal - side toward the spine
Ventral - side opposite the spine
Anterior - toward the front
Posterior - toward the back
Superior – higher or above; e.g., the nose is superior to the mouth
Inferior – lower or below; e.g., the stomach is inferior to the heart
Medial - closer to the midline; e.g., the little finger is medial to the thumb
Lateral - farther from the midline; e.g., the thumb is lateral to the index finger
Proximal – toward the point of attachment
Distal - away from the point of attachment
Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

11. Abdominopelvic Quadrants
The four quadrants are formed by drawing two lines, one vertically and one horizontally through the umbilicus
Right upper quadrant (RUQ)
Left upper quadrant (LUQ)
Right lower quadrant (RLQ)
Left lower quadrant (LLQ)
Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

12. Abdominopelvic Regions
There are 9 abdominopelvic regions
Epigastric
Umbilical
Hypograstric (Pubic)
Right & left hypochondriac
Right & left lumbar
Right & left inguinal (iliac)
There are two horizontal lines - the top one, subcostal line, drawn inferior to the rib cage
Bottom horizontal line (transtubercular line) drawn just inferior to the tops of the hip bones
The two vertical lines are called the left and right midclavicular lines, drawn through the midpoints of the clavicles
Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

13. 3-D Terminology - Planes and Sections
Planes - imaginary flat surfaces that pass through the body (Fig. 1.3)
Frontal (coronal) plane - divides the body or organ into front and back portions
Transverse plane - divides the body or organ into upper and lower portions, also called cross-sectional or horizontal plane
Sagittal plane - a vertical plane that divides the body or organ into left and right parts
Midsagittal (median) plane - divides the body or organ into equal left and right parts
Parasagittal plane - divides the body or organ into unequal left and right parts
Oblique plane - passes through the body or organ at an angle
Section – one slice of a three-dimensional structure cut parallel to a plane
Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

14. Question: Anterior is equivalent to which other directional term:
In a dog?
In a human?
Superior is equivalent to which other directional term:

15. Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Body Cavities
Spaces within the body that help protect, separate, and support internal organs
Bones, muscles and ligaments separate body cavities from each other
Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

16. Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Body Cavities
Two major cavities, housing the brain and spinal cord, are the:
Cranial cavity
Vertebral (spinal) canal
The two major cavities in the trunk are the:
Thoracic cavity (superior)
Abdominopelvic cavity (inferior)
Separated by the diaphragm
Viscera - the organs located inside the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities
Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

17. Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Thoracic Cavity
The thoracic cavity has three smaller cavities:
Pericardial cavity
Two pleural cavities
Mediastinum - central part of the thoracic cavity, located between the lungs
Separates the pleural cavities
Houses the pericardial cavity
Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

18. Abdominopelvic Cavity
Abdominal cavity contains the:
Stomach
Spleen
Liver
Gallbladder
Small intestine
Most of the large intestine
Pelvic cavity contains the:
Urinary bladder
Parts of the large intestine
Internal organs of reproduction
Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

19. Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Body Cavity Membranes
Serous membranes:
Thin, slippery membranes that cover the viscera and also line the walls of each cavity
Visceral layer - covers and adheres to the viscera within the cavities
Parietal layer - lines the walls of the cavities
Cavity between – contains serous fluid
Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

20. Names of Major Cavity Membranes
Pleura - the serous membrane around the lungs
Pericardium - the serous membrane around the heart
Peritoneum - the serous membrane of the abdominal cavity
Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

21. The Human Body and Disease
Disorder - any abnormality of structure and/or function
Disease - a more specific term for an illness where signs and symptoms are recognized
Symptoms - are subjective, what the patient reports
Signs - are objective, what an examiner observes and measures
Diagnosis - the science and skill of distinguishing one disorder or disease from another
Epidemiology - the science that deals with the investigation of diseases and how they are transmitted
Pharmacology - the science that deals with the use of drugs in the treatment of disease
Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.