terminology, cells + embryology

• Anatomy


  To cut apart
• Categories of anatomy


  • Gross (macroscopic - visible to the naked eye) anatomy
  • Microscopic (not visible with the naked eye) anatomy
• Gross anatomy


  • Embryology (prior to birth)
  • Systemic (systems of the body)
  • Regional (regions of the body)
  • Surface (surface landmarks of structures of skin)
  • Comparative (similarities and differences of different species)
• Microscopic anatomy


  • Cytology (cells)
  • Histology (tissues)
• Levels of biological organisation

  1. Chemical

  2. Cellular

  3. Tissue

  4. Organ

  5. Organ system

  6. Organism
• Tissue types


  • Epithelial
  • Connective
  • Muscle
  • Nervous
• Organs are formed from the combination of two or more different tissues
• Organ Systems of the body

  • Integumentary
  • Skeletal
  • Muscular
  • Nervous
  • Endocrine
  • Cardiovascular
  • Lymphatic
  • Respiratory
  • Digestive
  • Urinary
  • Reproductive
• Integumentary system


  Consists of the skin, hair and nails. Provides protection, regulates body temp, prevents water loss, produces vitamin D and rich in sensory receptors
• Skeletal system


  Consists of bones, ligaments, cartilages and joints. Provides support and protection, facilitates movement, muscle attachment, stores minerals and growth, blood cell formation sites
• Muscular system


  Consists of skeletal muscles that attach to the bones of the skeletons. Produces body movement and generates heat through contraction
• Nervous system


  Consists of the brain, spinal cord and nerves. Fast-acting control system of the body, responds to external and internal stimuli to regulate the body's function
• Endocrine system


  Consists of endocrine glands, hormones and clusters of endocrine cells in other body organs. Slow-acting control system of the body, works with the nervous system to regulate the body's function and maintain homeostasis
• Cardiovascular system


  Consists of the heart, blood vessels and blood. Delivers nutrients, oxygen and other substances to the body's tissues and removes waste products from the tissues
• Lymphatic system


  Consists of lymph, lymphatic vessels and lymphoid tissues and organs. Helps maintain blood volume, transports dietary lipids and generates an immune response
• Respiratory system


  Consists of the respiratory tract and the lungs. Responsible for gas exchange between the air in the lungs and the blood and is also involved in sound production and olfaction (smell)
• Digestive system


  Consists of the gastrointestinal tract and accessory digestive organs. Digests ingested material, absorbs nutrients and expels waste products
• Urinary system


  Consists of kidneys and the urinary tract. Removes waste products from the blood, stores and expels urine and regulates blood volume, ion levels and acid-base balance
• Reproductive system


  Consists of the gonads (testes in males and ovaries in females). Produces gametes, sex hormones and facilitates fertilisation to produce offspring. Female system also supports foetal growth, development and delivery
• Anatomical position


  Common point of reference to describe body regions and structures. Head held straight and eyes looking directly forward (anteriorly), upper limbs held straight adjacent to the sides of their body, with the pam's of their hands facing forward (anteriorly), lower limbs straight and close together, with their feet parallel on the floor and their toes directed forward (anteriorly)
• Directional terms


  • Anterior: towards the front of the body
  • Posterior: towards the back of the body
  • Superior: towards the head
  • Inferior: towards the feet
  • Medial: towards the midline of the body
  • Lateral: away from the midline of the body
  • Proximal: towards the trunk of the body
  • Distal: away from the trunk of the body
  • Superficial: towards the surface of the body
  • Deep: away from the surface of the body
  • Ipsilateral: on the same side of the body
  • Contralateral: on the opposite side of the body
  • Ventral: towards the belly side of the body
  • Dorsal: towards the back side of the body
  • Rostral: towards the nose
  • Caudal: towards the tail/rear
• Ventral and dorsal terms in the central nervous system

  In the brain; ventral = inferior and dorsal = superior. In the spinal cord; ventral = anterior and dorsal = posterior
• Rostral and caudal terms in the central nervous system

  In the brain; rostral = anterior and caudal = posterior. In the spinal cord; rostral = superior and caudal = inferior
• Body planes


  • Coronal plane (frontal plane)
  • Sagittal plane (mid-sagittal or median plane)
  • Transverse plane (horizontal plane)
• Coronal plane


  Divides the body into anterior and posterior parts. A cut in the coronal plane = a coronal section
• Sagittal plane


  Divides the body into right and left parts (equal parts). When the sides are unequal it is referred to as a para-sagittal plane (para = near). A cut in the sagittal plane = a sagittal section
• Transverse plane


  Divides the body into superior and inferior parts. A cut in the transverse plane = a transverse section. Radiologists refer to this plane as the trans-axial or axial plane
• Body regions


  • Axial region
  • Appendicular region
• Axial region


  Central axis of the body (head, neck + trunk). Trunk can be divided into the thoracic region or thorax, the abdominal region or abdomen, the pelvic region or pelvis, the perineum and the back
• Appendicular region


  Consists of the appendages of the body - upper and lower limbs (arms and legs are colloquially terms). Upper limbs can be divided into shoulder, arm, forearm and hand. Lower limb can be divided into gluteal region, thigh, leg and foot
• Body cavities


  • Ventral cavity
  • Dorsal cavity
• Ventral cavity


  Thoracic cavity + abdominopelvic cavity
• Dorsal cavity


  Cranial cavity + vertebral canal
• Cranial cavity


  Within the skull and houses the brain
• Vertebral canal


  Within the vertebral column and houses the spinal cord
• Thoracic cavity


  Within the thoracic or rib cage and houses organs (heart + lungs). Superior to the diaphragm
• Abdominopelvic cavity


  Located below the diaphragm. Divided into larger abdominal cavity superiority and smaller pelvic cavity inferiorly. Houses most of the digestive organs (liver, stomach, small intestine) and other organs including the kidneys. The pelvic cavity is located within the bones of the pelvis and houses organs (urinary bladder, internal reproductive organs and parts of the large intestine)
• The thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities refer to the diaphragm as the structure that separates the cavities - strictly called the thoracic diaphragm (commonly referred to as 'the diaphragm')
• Cells


  The structural and functional units of all organisms
• Cells


  • Composed of characteristic parts that work together to allow them to perform specific body functions
  • Communication: nerve cells transmit nerve impulses that carry sensory and motor information around the body
  • Covering/lining: epithelial cells line organs such as the kidneys and intestines
  • Connection: red blood cells and cartilage cells occur in connective tissues which help connect and support other tissues
  • Movement: muscle cells are composed of contractile proteins, allowing movement to occur
  • Storage
  • Defence
  • Reproduction