To start, what do you mean by Anatomy and Physiology?
Anatomy is the scientific discipline that investigates the structure of the body. It has two basic approaches: systematic and regional. It also has two general ways to examine the internal structures of a living person: surface anatomy and anatomical imaging.
Physiology is the scientific discipline that deals with the processes or functions of living things. Its major goals are (1) to understand and predict the body’s responses to stimuli and (2) to understand how the body maintains conditions within a narrow range of values in the presence of continually changing internal and external environments.
So basically that sums up the scope of the subject in hand. Seems boring and tedious right? Yes, it is but it is fun and interactive. You get to do observations and experiments about the human body and its functions. Also, you’ll get the privilege to discover a lot of in-depth knowledge about the inner workings of the human body.
Now, let’s start the ball rolling and the knowledge coming.
Anatomy is the scientific discipline that investigates the structure of the body. It has two basic approaches: systematic and regional. It also has two general ways to examine the internal structures of a living person: surface anatomy and anatomical imaging.
Physiology is the scientific discipline that deals with the processes or functions of living things. Its major goals are (1) to understand and predict the body’s responses to stimuli and (2) to understand how the body maintains conditions within a narrow range of values in the presence of continually changing internal and external environments.
So basically that sums up the scope of the subject in hand. Seems boring and tedious right? Yes, it is but it is fun and interactive. You get to do observations and experiments about the human body and its functions. Also, you’ll get the privilege to discover a lot of in-depth knowledge about the inner workings of the human body.
Now, let’s start the ball rolling and the knowledge coming.
The body can be studied at six structural levels: Chemical, Cell, Tissue, Organ, Organ System, and Organism.
There are also six essential characteristics of life which are organization, metabolism, responsiveness, growth, development, and reproduction.
The existence and maintenance of a relatively constant environment within the body despite fluctuations in either the external environment or the internal environment is called homeostasis.
We also learned the different body positions and the directional terms used to describe parts of the body relative to each other.
The anatomical position refers to a person standing erect with the face directed forward, the upper limbs hanging to the sides, and the palms facing forward. A person is supine if he/she is lying face up and prone when lying face down.
The existence and maintenance of a relatively constant environment within the body despite fluctuations in either the external environment or the internal environment is called homeostasis.
We also learned the different body positions and the directional terms used to describe parts of the body relative to each other.
The anatomical position refers to a person standing erect with the face directed forward, the upper limbs hanging to the sides, and the palms facing forward. A person is supine if he/she is lying face up and prone when lying face down.
Here are the different directional terms for the human body.
Health professionals use a number of terms when referring to different regions or parts of the body. These are the following:
Body Parts and Regions
Subdivisions of the Abdomen
Sometimes, it is also useful to study the human body using different planes. The different planes are sagittal (runs vertically through the body which separates it into right and left), transverse (runs parallel to the surface of the ground), and frontal (runs vertically from right to left which divides the body into anterior and posterior). Organs are sectioned too to reveal their internal structure. Longitudinal section (cut through the long axis), transverse section (cut at a right angle), and oblique section (cut made slanting).
The body also contains many cavities. The thoracic cavity is surrounded by the rib cage and is separated from the abdominal cavity by the diaphragm. It is divided into two by the mediastinum. It contains the heart, left and right lungs, thymus, trachea, esophagus, and other organs. The abdominal cavity is bounded primarily by the abdominal muscles and contains the stomach, spleen, kidneys, intestines, liver, and pancreas. The pelvic cavity is a small space enclosed by the bones of the pelvis and contains the urinary bladder, part of the large intestine, and the internal reproductive system.
Serous membranes line the trunk cavities and cover the organs of these cavities.
It can be found on the following areas.
Now, let’s go to the chemical basis of life.
The common elements that can be found in the human body are:
The common elements that can be found in the human body are:
Among the common elements that can be found in the human body, the following are the important ions in the human body.
There are also the four major groups of organic molecules essential to living organism and they are the following:
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is an essential important organic molecule found in all living organisms. It consists of adenosine (the sugar ribose with the organic base adenine) and three phosphate groups. It stores energy which can be used in cell processes.
Now let’s move on to the cell.
We all know that the basic unit of life is the cell. It determines the form and function of the human body. Also, the human body contains trillions of them. Its average size is one-fifth of the smallest dot you can make on a piece of paper with a sharp pencil. Each cell is a highly organized unit. It contains specialized structures called organelles that perform specific functions. The picture shows a generalized cell with its parts labeled.
We all know that the basic unit of life is the cell. It determines the form and function of the human body. Also, the human body contains trillions of them. Its average size is one-fifth of the smallest dot you can make on a piece of paper with a sharp pencil. Each cell is a highly organized unit. It contains specialized structures called organelles that perform specific functions. The picture shows a generalized cell with its parts labeled.
This table shows the different organelles in a cell, their functions, and their locations.
The different functions of the cell are cell metabolism and energy use, synthesis of molecules, reproduction and inheritance, and communication.
The cell membrane or plasma membrane is the outermost component of the cell. It encloses the cytoplasm and forms a boundary between materials inside the cell and materials outside it. Studies of the arrangement of molecules in the cell membrane have given rise to a model of its structure called the fluid-mosaic model.
The cell membrane or plasma membrane is the outermost component of the cell. It encloses the cytoplasm and forms a boundary between materials inside the cell and materials outside it. Studies of the arrangement of molecules in the cell membrane have given rise to a model of its structure called the fluid-mosaic model.
Movement across the membrane is possible. But the cell membrane is selectively permeable which means that they only allow some substances to pass through. The following is a table showing the types and characteristics of movement across the membrane.
A cell has a life cycle too. During growth and development, cell division allows for a dramatic increase in cell number after fertilization of an oocyte. The same process allows for the replacement of damaged tissue. The cell life cycle has two phases: interphase and cell division. DNA replicates during interphase and cell division occurs through mitosis.
Cells die too and it is called apoptosis or programmed cell death. It is a normal process by which cell numbers within various tissues are adjusted and controlled.
We’re now done with the cells. Let’s now go to tissues.
Tissues are group of cells with similar structure and function that have similar extracellular substances located between them. The microscopic study of tissue structure is called histology.
Tissues can be classified into four:
We’re now done with the cells. Let’s now go to tissues.
Tissues are group of cells with similar structure and function that have similar extracellular substances located between them. The microscopic study of tissue structure is called histology.
Tissues can be classified into four:
Let us begin with Epithelial Tissue.
Epithelium or epithelial tissue covers the external and internal surfaces throughout the body. Its functions are to protect underlying tissue, to act as a barrier, to permit the passage of substances, to secrete substances, and to absorb substances. It can also be classified as:
Epithelium or epithelial tissue covers the external and internal surfaces throughout the body. Its functions are to protect underlying tissue, to act as a barrier, to permit the passage of substances, to secrete substances, and to absorb substances. It can also be classified as:
Glands are structures that secrete substances onto a surface, into a cavity, or into the blood. Most are composed primarily of epithelium and are multicellular.
Next is Connective Tissue.
Connective Tissue is found throughout the body. It’s usually characterized by large amounts of extracellular material that separates cells from one another. Its functions are to enclose and separate other tissues, to connect tissues to one another, to support and move parts of the body, to store compounds, to cushion and insulate, and to transport. It is classified as:
Next is Connective Tissue.
Connective Tissue is found throughout the body. It’s usually characterized by large amounts of extracellular material that separates cells from one another. Its functions are to enclose and separate other tissues, to connect tissues to one another, to support and move parts of the body, to store compounds, to cushion and insulate, and to transport. It is classified as:
We are now in Muscle Tissue.
Its main characteristic is its ability to contract (shorten) making movement possible. Muscle contraction results from contractile proteins located within the muscle cells. Muscle cell are sometimes called muscle fibers because they often resemble tiny threads. There are three kinds: Skeletal Muscle (what we normally think of as the “muscle”), Cardiac Muscle (muscle of the heart), and Smooth Muscle (forms the walls of hollow organs except the heart).
Its main characteristic is its ability to contract (shorten) making movement possible. Muscle contraction results from contractile proteins located within the muscle cells. Muscle cell are sometimes called muscle fibers because they often resemble tiny threads. There are three kinds: Skeletal Muscle (what we normally think of as the “muscle”), Cardiac Muscle (muscle of the heart), and Smooth Muscle (forms the walls of hollow organs except the heart).
Last but not the least is the Nervous Tissue.
Nervous Tissue forms the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. It is responsible for coordinating and controlling many body activities. It consists of neurons and support cells.
Nervous Tissue forms the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. It is responsible for coordinating and controlling many body activities. It consists of neurons and support cells.
When damaged, tissues can repair themselves. Tissue repair is the substitution of viable cells for dead cells by regeneration or fibrosis. In regeneration, stem cells, which can divide throughout life, and other dividing cells regenerate new cells of the same type as those that were destroyed. In fibrosis, the destroyed cells are replaced by different cell types, which causes scar formation. It involves clot formation, inflammation, formation of granulation tissue, and the regeneration or fibrosis of tissue. In severe wounds, wound contracture can occur.
That's just the first part. Next, we’re going to start discussing the major topics of the subject which are the systems of the body.
That's just the first part. Next, we’re going to start discussing the major topics of the subject which are the systems of the body.