The Study of Anatomy

Anatomy is the science of the structure of living organisms so human anatomy is the science of
the structure of the human body.

Why is it important to study Anatomy? Opportunity to make a difference. Anatomy &

Physiology are the fundamental building blocks of medical practice. Without a deep
understanding of the internal body, health professionals cannot truly evaluate, diagnose and treat
illnesses.

There are two types of anatomy; gross, or macroscopic, and microscopic. Gross anatomy deals
with things that can be viewed by the unaided eye. Microscopic anatomy is the study of
structures on the cellular level.

There are, in turn, 3 fields of study within the topic of gross anatomy. These are surface
anatomy, the study of external anatomical forms and markings; regional anatomy, which focuses
on a certain region of the body, both internal and external; and systemic anatomy, which focuses
on a given organ system. Within microscopic anatomy, there are two topics of study which are of
great importance: cytology, the study of cells; and histology, the study of tissue.

In medicine, gross anatomy, macro anatomy, or topographical anatomy refers to the study of the
biological structures that are visible to the naked eye. The study of gross anatomy may involve
dissection or noninvasive methods. The aim is to collect data about the larger structures of
organs and organ systems.

There are also less invasive methods. For example, to study the blood vessels of living animals
or humans, the scientist may insert an opaque dye into the animal that will highlight the
circulatory system when imaging technology, such as angiography.