1st Week Laboratory Activity

(February 15, 2020)

 WELCOME TO MC102
HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY
Laboratory
ANATOMICAL POSITION
- Standing position, with
the head facing forward
- Arms to the side.
- Palms are facing
forward with the
fingers extended, and
the thumbs are
pointing away from the
body.
- Feet are spaced slightly
apart with the toes
pointing forward.
The anatomical position of the
penis is according to the erect
penis with the dorsal direction
being closer to the head and
ventral direction being closer to
the feet. 
Directional terms:
• Superior (cranial) • Axial
• Inferior (caudal) • Appendicular
• Ventral (anterior) • Sagittal plane
• Dorsal (posterior) ▫ Midsagittal/median
• Medial ▫ Parasagittal
• Lateral • Frontal (coronal)
• Intermediate plane
• Proximal • Transverse
• Distal (horizontal) plane
• Superficial (external) • Oblique section
• Deep (internal)
SUPERIOR

SUPERIOR
(CRANIAL) 
means “toward
the head end of
the body” or
“higher/above.”
INFERIOR

INFERIOR
(CAUDAL) 
means “away
from the head,”
or
“lower/under/
below.”
VENTRAL/ ANTERIOR

ANTERIOR
(OR VENTRAL) 
means “front of” or
“in the front.”

ANTI VEN
DORSAL/ POSTERIOR

POSTERIOR
(OR DORSAL) 
means the opposite
of anterior: “back
of” or “behind/on
the back.”
PASTOR DOR
Directional Terms
Directional Terms
Directional Terms
Directional Terms
Regional Terms

• Axial: main part of body

= head, neck, & trunk

• Appendicular: limbs
attached to axis
 The body can be cut (sectioned) along
flat surfaces called planes.

• Sagittal plane:
plane divides into right/left
▫ Median or midsagittal (exactly down middle)
▫ Parasaggital
• Frontal/coronal plane:
plane divides into anterior and
posterior
• Transverse/horizontal plane:
plane divides into
superior and inferior
• Oblique:
Oblique diagonal cuts between horizontal and
vertical
S AGGITAL

O BLIQUE

F RONTAL (CORONAL)

T RANSVERSE (HORIZONTAL)
 Body Cavities
• Dorsal body cavity:
▫ Cranial cavity
▫ Vertebral/spinal cavity
• Ventral body cavity
▫ Thoracic
 lungs, heart, trachea,
esophagus
▫ Abdominopelvic
 digestive, reproductive,
urinary
 Membranes
Serosa:
Serosa lines ventral body
cavity & outer surfaces
of organs
▫ Parietal serosa – lines
cavity wall
▫ Visceral serosa – folds
in; covers organs in
cavity
• Serous fluid:
fluid lubricates
space between
membranes
Abdominopelvic Quadrants
Two important things to remember with
the four quadrants:

1. The navel (belly button) is the landmark

you’ll use to visualize these quadrants
while doing assessments.

2. The terms “left/right” and

“upper/lower” are always from the
perspective of the anatomical position, not
your perspective.
 POST
DISCUSSION QUIZ
1. Which statement is
false regarding the
anatomical position?
a. The palms face the
front.
b. The thumbs point
away from the body.
c. The head is turned
to the left side.
d. The posture is
standing erect.
2. The nose is
superior to
the navel.
a. True
b. False
3. What’s another name for
anterior:
a. Dorsal
b. Ventral
c. Cranial
d. Caudal
4. The word anterior means:
a. At or toward the front of the
body
b. Away from the insertion point
of a structure.
c. At the back or rear of the body.
d. Toward the middle of the body.
5. The wrist is distal to the
elbow.
a. True
b. False
6. What’s another word for
“superior?”
a. Internal
b. Caudal
c. External
d. Cranial
7. The skin is _________ to the
skeletal bones.
a. Superior
b. Proximal
c. Superficial
d. Inferior
8. The heart is _______ to the
shoulder.
a. Medial
b. Lateral
c. Distal
d. Proximal
9. The elbow is _______
between the wrist and shoulder.
a. Medial
b. Intermediate
c. Distal
d. Lateral
10. What is the term for the
backside in the anatomical
position:
a. Anterior
b. Ventral
c. Caudal
d. Posterior
11. The radius (forearm bone) is
________ to the humerus (upper
arm bone).
a. Intermediate
b. Proximal
c. Distal
d. Anterior
12. A plane that separates the
body or structure into upper and
lower parts is called a:
a. sagittal plane
b. transverse plane
c. oblique plane
d. frontal plane
13. A plane that separates the
body into a front (anterior) and
back (posterior) part is called a:
a. sagittal plane
b. transverse plane
c. oblique plane
d. frontal plane
14. A plane that separates the
body or structure into right and
left parts down the body’s
midline is called a:
a. midsagittal plane
b. median plane
c. parasagittal plane
d. answers a and b
15. A plane that separates the
body into parts that are neither
perfectly vertical nor horizontal
is called a:
a. oblique plane
b. transverse plane
c. coronal plane
d. frontal plane
16. Which option below provides the
best summary of the four types of
body planes?
a. Two are vertical, one is horizontal,
and one is any odd angle.
b. Two are horizontal, one is vertical,
and one is any odd angle.
c. All planes are horizontal.
d. All planes are vertical.
17. A plane that runs from top to
bottom (vertical), dividing the
body into unequal left and right
parts is called a:
a. midsagittal plane
b. median plane
c. parasagittal plane
d. coronal plane
18. Frontal planes are also
called:
a. coronal planes
b. axial planes
c. horizonal planes
d. oblique planes
19. Transverse planes can also be
called:
a. horizontal planes
b. coronal planes
c. longitudinal planes
d. oblique planes
20. The navel (umbilicus) is an
important landmark in
determining the point of
intersection of the four
abdominal quadrants:
a. True
b. False
21. Where is the right
hypochondriac region located?
a. On the lower right side of the
abdomen
b. On the middle right side of the
abdomen
c. On the upper right side of the
abdomen
c. None of the above.
22. In which abdominal quadrant
will you find the appendix?
a. The left upper quadrant
b. The right upper quadrant
c. The left lower quadrant
d. The right lower quadrant
23. Where is the epigastric
region located?
a. On the lower left side of the
abdomen
b. On the lower middle region of
the abdomen
c. On the upper middle region of
the abdomen
d. none of the above
24. The liver is found in which
quadrant(s)?
a. The left lower quadrant
b. The right upper quadrant
c. The left upper quadrant
d. The right lower quadrant
e. Both b and c
25. Where is the left iliac region
located?
a. On the upper left side of the
abdomen
b. On the lower left side of the
abdomen
c. On the center left side of the
abdomen
d. None of the above
26. Portions of the small and
large intestines are located in all
four of the abdominal quadrants.
a. True
b. False
27. Where is the hypogastric
region located?
a. In the lower-central portion of
the nine abdominal regions
b. In the upper-central portion of
the nine abdominal regions
c. In the mid-central portion of the
nine abdominal regions
d. None of the above
28. Which organ is not found in
the left hypochondriac region?
a. Liver
b. Stomach
c. Gallbladder
d. Large intestine
29. Where is the umbilical region
located?
a. At the top-center part of the nine
abdominal regions
b. On the left central part of the nine
abdominal regions
c. On the bottom-center part of the
abdominal regions
d. In the middle of the entire tic-tac-toe
board of the nine abdominal regions
Exercise 1: Identify the following
directional and anatomic terms.
Anatomical term Description or meaning
1. Away from the head and towards the
INFERIOR lower part of the body.
2. ANTERIOR Towards or at the front of the body
VENTRAL

3. Away from the midline of the body;

LATERAL on the outer side
4. Towards the back of the body
POSTERIOR
5. Towards the trunk or closer to the
PROXIMAL point of attachment
Exercise 2: Use the appropriate directional
terms to complete the statements.
1. The neck is (superior, inferior) to the head.
2. The arms are (medial, lateral) to the trunk.
3. The spinal column is (anterior, posterior) to the
heart and lungs.
4. The hand is (proximal, distal) to the elbow.
5. The feet are (superior, inferior) to the knees.
6. The abdomen is in the (ventral, dorsal) surface
of the body.
7. Compared to the skin, muscles are found
(deep, superficial) in the body.
PART 2: Identify the following
directional and anatomic terms.
Anatomical term Description or meaning
1. Away from the head and towards the
lower part of the body.
2. Towards or at the front of the body

3. Away from the midline of the body;

on the outer side
4. Towards the back of the body

5. Towards the trunk or closer to the

point of attachment
PART 3: Use the appropriate directional
terms to complete the statements.
1. The neck is (superior, inferior) to the head.
2. The arms are (medial, lateral) to the trunk.
3. The spinal column is (anterior, posterior) to the
heart and lungs.
4. The hand is (proximal, distal) to the elbow.
5. The feet are (superior, inferior) to the knees.
6. The abdomen is in the (ventral, dorsal) surface
of the body.
PART 2: Identify the following directional and anatomic terms.
Anatomical term Description or meaning
1. Away from the head and towards the lower part of the
body.
2. Towards or at the front of the body
3. Away from the midline of the body; on the outer side

4. Towards the back of the body

5. Towards the trunk or closer to the point of attachment

PART 3: Use the appropriate directional terms to complete the

statements.
1. The neck is (superior, inferior) to the head.
2. The arms are (medial, lateral) to the trunk.
3. The spinal column is (anterior, posterior) to the heart and lungs.
4. The hand is (proximal, distal) to the elbow.
5. The feet are (superior, inferior) to the knees.
6. The abdomen is in the (ventral, dorsal) surface of the body.
Exercise 3: Identify the body planes
described.
Exercise 4: Identify which regions of the
body are numbered in the diagram below.
1

2
4

3 5

6
7
Exercise 1: Identify the following
directional and anatomic terms.
Anatomical term Description or meaning
1. Away from the head and towards the
INFERIOR lower part of the body.
2. ANTERIOR Towards or at the front of the body
VENTRAL

3. Away from the midline of the body;

LATERAL on the outer side
4. Towards the back of the body
POSTERIOR
5. Towards the trunk or closer to the
PROXIMAL point of attachment
Exercise 2: Use the appropriate directional
terms to complete the statements.
1. The neck is (superior, inferior) to the head.
2. The arms are (medial, lateral) to the trunk.
3. The spinal column is (anterior, posterior) to the
heart and lungs.
4. The hand is (proximal, distal) to the elbow.
5. The feet are (superior, inferior) to the knees.
6. The abdomen is in the (ventral, dorsal) surface
of the body.
7. Compared to the skin, muscles are found
(deep, superficial) in the body.
Exercise 3: Identify the body planes
described.

TRANSVERSE FRONTAL SAGITTAL

HORIZONTAL CAUDAL
Exercise 4: Identify which regions of the
body are numbered in the diagram below.
1

2
4

3 5

6
7
Reference:
• Vanputte, C., Regan, J., & Russo, A. (2019).
Seeley’s Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology
(10th Ed.) New York City, McGraw Hill Education
(Read pp. 1 to 20)