Anatomy and Physiology General Introduction

A & P - a life science

I           Living Characteristics - definition of life is difficult

a.          Cellular construction

b.          Responsiveness (excitability)

c.          Growth/differentiation

d.          Reproduction

e.          Metabolism/excretion

f.           Evolution

II          Definitions

a.          Anatomy -study of structures (internal and external) and the physical relationship
to these parts

b.          Physiology - study of functions of body parts and how they interact

Subdivisions of Anatomy

Gross anatomy – examination w/o microscope

Microscopic Anatomy

Histology - tissues

Cytology - cells

Developmental Anatomy – changes from fertilized egg to adult

Embryology – changes from egg to 8th week in utero

Pathology – changes associated with disease

                       

                        Subdivisions of Physiology

Cell Physiology - functional interaction of cells

Systemic Physiology - functional interaction of organs which make a

System

Pathological Physiology - functional effects caused by disease on organ or

system

III       Levels of Organization - hallmark of sciences; handling large volumes of information

a.           Chemical - most basic; refer to periodic table

b.          Cellular - e.g. blood, muscle, nerve, chief and mucus cells

c.          Tissue - epithelial, connective, nervous, muscular

d.          Organ - e.g. heart, lung liver, spleen

e.          System -(11)

f.          Total organism

 

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IV       Systems

 

Integumentary

Skin and associated structures

Protection from external environment; temp control

Skeletal

Bones, cartilage and joints

Support, protection of soft tissue, mineral reservoir, produce blood cell

Muscular

Cardiac, smooth and skeletal

Movement, posture, produce body heat

Nervous                                 

CNS. PNS and sensory

Prompt regulation and coordination of body activities responding to stimuli

Endocrine

All glands producing hormones

Long term regulation of body activities through hormones

Cardiovascular

Heart, blood and vessels

Internal transportation, temp regulation, acid base balance, disease protection

Lymphatic

Lymph, lymph vessels and lymphatic tissue and organs

Filters body fluids, produces WBC, transports fats, defense against infection

Respirator.

Lungs and related passages

Deliver blood gases to exchange sites

Digestive

Long tube with associated organs

Process, absorb food and nutrients; eliminate solid waste

Urinary                                    

Organs which collect, produce and eliminate urine

Eliminate liquid waste, regulate blood chemistry, regulates acid base balance

Reproductive

Organs which produce, transport and store reproductive cells                  

Production of sex cells, maintains related organs for reproduction          


 

 

 

V         Structural Plan

a.         General features

1.   backbone -vertebral column

2.             tube within a tube: Outer tube- body wall; inner tube-digestive tract

3.        Bilateral symmetry

             b.         Directional terms

1.    Superior/cephalic- toward head or upper part of structure

2.                                      Inferior/caudal - away from head or towards lowest part of structure

3.                                      Anterior/ventral - front of body

4.                                      Posterior/dorsal-back of body

 

 

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5.                                     Proximal - toward attached base

6.                                     Distal - away from attach base

7.                                     Superficial - near to body surface

8.                                     Deep - interior to body surface

c.         Plane directions

1.    Transverse/horizontal - perpendicular to long axis

2.                                     Sagittal - parallel to long axis; separates sides

Midsagittal - separates body to right and left half

3.         Frontal/coronal - parallel to long axis; separates front and back

VI         Body Cavities - spaces within body containing internal organs

a.          Dorsal BC - located near dorsal (posterior) surface; contains CNS

b.          Ventral BC -

Thoracic -Heart (pericardial cavity) lungs (pleural cavity) and mediastinum (contains trachea, esophagus and major blood vessels) Abdominopelvic -

Contains abdominal cavity-= primarily digestive organs

Contains pelvic cavity = urinary, reproductive and lower GI organs Divided into quadrants for landmark purposes: right upper quadrant (RUQ), etc

VII        Homeostasis

a.          Mechanisms needed to provide a stable internal environment; coordination of 70
trillion cells to function properly

b.          General Mechanisms

1.    Autoregulation - internal action that change automatically with
environmental variation.

2.                                      Extrinsic regulation -results from stimuli gotten primarily by CNS and
endocrine systems

c.          Cellular Environment (liquid )

1.    Intracellular Fluid (ICF) - makes up 2/3 of liquid in body, determines cells
internal environment

2.                                      Extracellular Fluid (ECF) - makes up 1/3 of body liquid; components of
ECF are continually mixed by adjustments of plasma composition

Plasma - fluid portion of blood

Interstitial - fluid outside blood vessels

d.          Components for Control

1.    system that maintains variables within tolerance limits around set point

2.                                      Uses a feedback principle

Receptor

Sensory (afferent) pathway

                                Control center Motor (efferent ) pathway

 Effector

3.         Negative feedback - changes direction of initial variables

Positive feedback - intensifies same direction of initial variable Major controls are CNS and endocrine systems