Introduction to Anatomy and

Physiology
How you are put together and
how you stay alive!
 Definitions
• Anatomy
– Deals with structures
or morphology

• Physiology
– Deals with functions of
structures
– i.e., making urine,
contraction of heart,
digesting food
Levels of Organization
 How you stay alive
• Maintain homeostasis
– Maintain a stable internal environment.
– Keep the internal environment relatively
stable.
– Emphasis is on extracellular fluid that
surrounds cells.
– Homeostatic mechanisms maintain
homeostasis.
Our Internal Environment
 Homeostatic Mechanisms
• Components of homeostatic systems:
– Receptors
• Provide information about internal environment
– Control center
• Has a set point
– Effectors
• Always a muscle or gland
Homeostatic Control System
 Homeostatic Mechanisms
• The idea:
– Maintain relatively constant internal
environment!
– Receptor measures change in int. environ as
a deviation from the set point.
– Effectors are activated and return conditions
to normal.
– Deviation lessens and effectors are turned off.
Maintaining Room Temp
Maintaining Body Temp
 Maintaining Glucose
in the Blood

• Set Point: Amount of glucose in blood

• Receptor: Pancreas detects rising levels
of glucose
• Control Center: Beta cells of pancreas
produce insulin
• Effector: Insulin moves glucose to specific
cells
 Organization of the Human Body
• Axial, appendicular portions of body
• Body cavities
– Dorsal cavity
• Cranial, vertebral canal
– Ventral cavity
• Thoracic
• Abdomenopelvic
• Separated by diaphragm
Body Cavities
 Serous Membranes
• Line thoracic and abdomenopelvic cavities
– Line body wall and fold back over organs
– Secrete water, salts; slippery
– Parietal, visceral layers
• Thoracic membranes
– Pleural membranes with space, fluid between layers
– Pericardial membranes with space, fluid between
• Abdominal membranes
– Peritoneal membranes with space (peritoneal cavity
between layers)
Pleural Membranes
Peritoneal Membranes
 Anatomical Terminology
Relative position
Superior – Inferior
Anterior (ventral) – Posterior (dorsal)
Medial – Lateral
Ipsilateral, contralateral
Proximal – Distal
Superficial (peripheral – Deep)
Four Quadrants
Nine regions