ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

Week 1: The Human Body

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 Anatomy & physiology are

complementary sciences that allow
one to study, classify and understand
body structures & functions
ANATOMY
 Study of the structure & shape of the
body and its parts and their
relationships to one another
 Greek word: to cut (tomy), apart
(ana)
 We cut and dissect body parts
PHYSIOLOGY
 study of how the body and its parts
work or function
 nature (physio), study of (ology)
TOPICS OF ANATOMY
1. EMBRYOLOGY
 subdivision of developmental
anatomy, concerns developmental
changes that occur before birth
3. GROSS (MACROSCOPIC) ANATOMY
 Study of large body structures visible
to the naked eye
a) regional anatomy: all the
structures (muscles, bones, blood
vessels, nerves, etc.) in a
particular region of the body,
such as the abdomen or leg, are
examined at the same time
b) systemic anatomy: body
structure is studied system by
system
c) surface anatomy: study of
internal structures as they relate
to the overlying skin surface

2. DEVELOPMENTAL ANATOMY
 Traces structural changes that occur
in the body throughout the life span
4. MICROSCOPIC ANATOMY

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  deals with structures too small to be
seen with the naked eye
a) cytology: which considers the
cells of the body
b) histology: study of tissues

TOPICS OF PHYSIOLOGY
1. RENAL PHYSIOLOGY
 concerns kidney function and urine
production
2. NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
 explains the workings of the nervous
system
3. CARDIOVASCULAR PHYSIOLOGY
 examines the operation of the heart
and blood vessels
4. ENDOCRINOLOGY
 hormones and how they control
body functions
5. IMMUNOLOGY
 body’s defense against disease-
causing agents
6. RESPIRATORY PHYSIOLOGY
 functions of the air passageways and
lungs

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