INTRODUCTION TO

ANATOMY
Handout for Health science Students
Prepared by: Melaku Geletu (M.Sc. in Anatomy)
 Definition of Anatomy
• Anatomy is the field of science that studies
body’s structure
• Ana = “apart” and tomy = “to cut” to
cut apart
Dissecting body to study body’s
structure
• Levels Levels of
structural
organization
 Divisions of Anatomy
• Anatomy can be divided into three disciplines:

1. Gross (macroscopic) anatomy

2. Histology (microscopic anatomy)
3. Embryology (developmental anatomy)

4
 Divisions of Anatomy
1. Gross (macroscopic) anatomy
– It studies the structure that can be seen
with our naked eyes.
– It studies the location, relation, blood supply
innervation of structures.
2. Histology (microscopic anatomy)
– Studies structures that cannot be seen with
our naked eyes, using microscope.
– Studies structures at the level of tissue. 5
 Divisions of Anatomy
3. Embryology (developmental anatomy)

– Studies structures of human being beginning

from fertilization up to death.
– It mainly concentrates in the development
during intrauterine life.

6
 Approaches to Study Anatomy
• Anatomy is the setting in which the events of life
occur
• Three main approaches to study anatomy are:

– Systemic anatomy

– Regional anatomy

– Clinical/applied anatomy

– Surface anatomy

– Radiological anatomy

– Pathological anatomy
7
Regional/Topographical Anatomy
• Considers the organization of the human body
as major parts or segments
• A main body consisting of the head, neck,
trunk and paired upper limbs & lower limbs
• Trunk subdivides into:
– Thorax
– Abdomen
– Back
– Pelvis and perineum
 Regional/Topographical Anatomy
• All the major parts may be further subdivided
into areas and regions
– Studies by focusing attention on a specific part
– E.g. head—area (the face)—region (the orbital
region)

• Examines the arrangement and relationships

of the various systemic structures within it
– Muscles, nerves, arteries, etc.
 Regional/Topographical Anatomy
• It also recognizes the body's organization by
layers:
– Skin
– Subcutaneous tissue
– Deep fascia
– Muscles
– Skeleton
– Cavities
 Surface Anatomy
• It is an essential part of the study of regional
anatomy
• It provides knowledge of:
– What lies under the skin
– What structures are palpable in the living body

• We can diagnose much by:

– Observing the external form and surface of body
– Feeling the superficial aspects of structures
beneath its surface
 Surface Anatomy
• The aim of this method is to:
– Visualize structures that confer contour to the
surface or palpable beneath it
– Distinguish any unusual or abnormal findings, in
clinical practice

• It requires a thorough understanding of the

anatomy of the structures beneath the surface
14
 Surface Anatomy
• Importance of knowledge of surface anatomy:
– In case of injury, to predict the deep structures
that may be injured
– Decreases the need to memorize facts
• Because the body is always available to observe
and palpate

• Physical examination is the clinical

application of surface anatomy
 Systemic Anatomy
• The study of the body's organ systems that
work together to carry out complex
functions.
• The basic systems and the field of study or
treatment of each are:
 Integumentary System
• It consists of the skin and its appendages—
hair, nails, and sweat glands
• Dermatology—is the field of study or
treatment of integumentary system
 Skeletal System
• Consists of bones and cartilage
• Functions:
– Provides our basic shape and support for body

– Involves in movement

– Protects vital organs

• Osteology—field of study/treatment of this

system.
 Skeletal System
• The adult human skeleton consists of 206 named

bones

• Most of them are paired, one member on each side

• The skeletons of children have more than 206 bones

because some of their bones fuse later in life

– Examples are hip bones, sacrum and coccyx

• Grouped into two principal divisions:

– Axial skeleton

– Appendicular skeleton
 Skeletal System
• Axial skeleton
– Consists of bones that lie around the longitudinal
axis of the human body

• Appendicular skeleton
– Consists of the bones of the upper and lower limbs
– Limbs are made up of bones that form the limb
girdles and bones that form the free limbs
 Bones of the Adult Skeletal System
• Axial skeleton • Appendicular skeleton
– Upper limbs
– Cranium 8 • Clavicle 2
– Face 14 • Scapula 2
• Humerus 2
– Hyoid 1
• Ulna 2
– Auditory ossicles 6 • Radius 2
– Vertebral column • Carpals 16
• Metacarpals 10
26
• Phalanges 28
– Sternum 1 – Lower limbs
– Ribs 24 • Hip, pelvic, or coxal bone 2
• Femur 2
– Number of • Patella 2
bones=80 • Fibula 2
• Tibia 2
• Tarsals 14
Total no. of bones • Metatarsals 10
• Phalanges 28
• Number of bones=126
=80+126=206
22
 Articular System
• Consists of joints and their associated
ligaments.
• Functions:
– Connects the bony parts of the skeletal system
– Provides sites at which movements occur

• Arthrology—field of study for articular system

 Muscular System
• Consists of:
– Skeletal muscle
– Smooth muscle
– Cardiac muscle
• Functions:
– Contract to move or position parts of the body
– Propels, expels or controls the flow of contained
substance
• Myology—field of study for muscular system
25
26
 Nervous System
• Consists of:
– CNS (brain and spinal cord)
– PNS (nerves and ganglia, together with their
motor and sensory endings)

• Functions:

– Controls and coordinates the functions of the

organ systems.

• Sense organs are often considered with it

• Neurology—field of study
28
 Circulatory System
• Consists of cardiovascular and lymphatic systems
• Function; transport the body's fluids
• Cardiovascular system
– Consists of the heart and blood vessels
– Cardiology—field of study for CVS
• Lymphatic system
– Consists of lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes
• Angiology—field of study that studies circulatory
system
 Figure 19.2: Overview of vascular components and blood distribution, p. 717.
Venous Arterial
system system
Large Heart
veins

Capacitance vessels
Elastic arteries
Large
(conducting
lymphatic
vessels vessels)
Lymph
node Muscular arteries
(distributing
Lymphatic
vessels)
system
Small
veins Arteriovenous
anastomosis

Lymphatic
capillary Arterioles
(resistance
vessels)
Postcapillary Terminal
venule arteriole
Sinusoid Metarteriole
Precapillary
Thoroughfare sphincter Pulmonary blood
(a)
channel Capillaries vessels 12%
(exchange Heart 8%
vessels)
Systemic arteries
and arterioles 15% Systemic veins
and venules 60%
(b) Capillaries 5%
Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,
by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 Alimentary/Digestive System
• Consists of
– Digestive tract
from the mouth
to the anus
– Associated organs
and glands

• Gastroenterology
—field of study
 Respiratory System
• Consists of:
– Air passages
– Lungs
– Diaphragm
– Larynx
• Pulmonology—field of
study
 Urinary System
• Consists of:
– Kidneys
– Ureters
– Urinary bladder
– Urethra
• Urology—field of study
 Genital/Reproductive System
• Consists of
– Gonads (ovaries /testes)
– Ducts
– Genitalia
• Field of study
– Gynecology for females
– Andrology for males
35
 Endocrine System
• Consists of:
– Endocrine glands
– Specialized cells in gut and blood vessel
walls
– Specialized nerve endings
• Endocrinology—field of study
37
 Systemic Anatomy
• None of the systems functions in isolation
• For example; locomotion is produced by:
– Locomotor system =skeletal, articular and
muscular systems
• Orthopedics—field of study of locomotor system
– Nervous system stimulate them to act
– Circulatory system supply oxygen and nutrients to
and remove waste
– Sensory organs directs activities in a gravitational
environment.
 Clinical/Applied Anatomy
• Emphasizes structure and function important
in the practice of medicine
• Incorporates both regional and systemic
approaches & stresses on clinical application
• Reverses the thought process of regional or
systemic anatomy
– Instead of, “The … nerve provides innervation to
this area of skin”
– “Numbness in this area indicates a lesion of which
nerve?”
40
 Terminologia Anatomica
• The terms that are formed to be used in the
study of anatomy, by FICAT in 1998
• The use of anatomical terminology should
conform to the new Terminologia Anatomica
– Pharyngotympanic tube (auditory /eustachian
tube)
– Internal thoracic artery (internal mammary
artery)
• Terms provide information about a structure's:
– Shape
• Piriformis muscle, is pear shaped (L. pirum, pear
+ L. forma, shape or form).
– Size
• Palmaris longus—long
– Location
• Temporal muscle is in the temple of the cranium
– Function
• Levator scapulae elevates the scapula
– Resemblance of one structure to another
 Anatomical Position
• A consistent position used for all anatomical
descriptions
• One must visualize this position in the mind
when studying anatomy
– Whether the subjects of study are :

• Lying on their sides

• Supine (recumbent, lying on the back, face

upward)
• Prone (lying on the abdomen, face downward) or

• Stands erect
 Anatomical Position
• It refers to the body position as if the person
were standing upright with:
– Head, gaze (eyes), and toes directed anteriorly
(forward)
– Arms adjacent to sides with palms facing anteriorly
– Lower limbs close together with the feet parallel

• By using this position, you can relate any part

of the body precisely to any other part
 Anatomical Planes
• Anatomical descriptions are based on four
imaginary planes:
• Median plane
• Sagittal plane
• Frontal plane
• Transverse plane
 Anatomical Planes
• Median plane
– Vertical plane passing longitudinally and divides the
body into right and left halves.
– It defines the midline of the head, neck, and trunk

• Sagittal planes
– Vertical planes that are parallel to the median
plane.

• Paramedian plane
– A sagittal plane near to the median plane
 Anatomical Planes
• Frontal (coronal) planes
– Vertical planes that make right angles with the
median plane.
– Divides the body into anterior and posterior parts

• Transverse planes
– Horizontal planes that makes right angles with both
median and frontal planes
– Divides the body into superior and inferior parts
 Anatomical Planes
• Land marks
– Visible or palpable reference points on body
– Used to specify the point among unlimited number
of each planes
– E.g., “transverse plane through the umbilicus”

• Longitudinal sections
– Run parallel to the long axis of the body or of any
of its parts
– It applies regardless of the position of the body
 Terms of Relationship & Comparison
• Superior = nearer to the vertex, the topmost point
of the cranium
• Cranial relates to the cranium, meaning toward the
head or cranium
• Inferior = nearer to the sole of the foot

• Caudal = toward the tail region, represented in

humans by the coccyx
• Posterior (dorsal) = back surface of the body or
nearer to the back
• Anterior (ventral) = front surface of the body
 Terms of Relationship & Comparison
• Rostral = used instead of anterior when describing

parts of the brain

– It means toward the rostrum (L. for beak

• Medial = nearer to the median plane

• Lateral =farther from the median plane

• Dorsum

– Superior aspect of any part that protrudes anteriorly

from the body

– E.g. dorsum of the tongue, nose, penis, or foot and

posterior surface of the hand

 Terms of Relationship & Comparison
• Inferomedial = nearer to the feet and median
plane
– E.g. the anterior parts of the ribs run
inferomedially

• Superolateral = nearer to the head and

farther from the median plane
 Terms Relating to Body's Surface
Or its Central Core
• Superficial = nearer to the body’s surface
• Intermediate = average between superficial
and deep
• Deep = farther from the body’s surface
• External = outside of or farther from the
center of an organ or cavity
• Internal = inside or closer to the center,
independent of direction
Terms Relating to Body's Surface
Or its Central Core
• Proximal = nearer to the attachments of the
limbs to the trunk
• Distal = farther from the attachments of the
limbs to the trunk
 Terms of Laterality
• Bilateral = paired structures having right and left

members (e.g., kidneys)

• Unilateral = structure occurring on one side only

(e.g., spleen)

• Ipsilateral = something occurring on the same

side of the body as another structure

• Contralateral = something occurring on the

opposite side of the body relative to another

structure
 Terms of Movement
• Flexion
– Occurs in sagittal planes around a transverse axis
– Indicates bending or decreasing the angle between
the bones or parts of the body
– Except in knee joint, it occurs in anterior direction,

• Extension
– Occurs in sagittal planes around a transverse axis
– Indicates straightening or increasing the angle
between the bones or parts of the body
– It occurs in a posterior direction, except knee joint
 Terms of Movement
• Dorsiflexion = flexion at the ankle joint
• Plantarflexion = bends the foot and toes
toward the ground, as when standing on your
toes
• Hyperextension = extension of a limb or part
beyond the normal limit
 Terms of Movement
• Abduction
– Occurs in a frontal plane around an AP axis
– Moving away from the median plane, except for digits
– For digits, spreading them apart(away from the 2 nd
toe/3rd finger)

• Adduction
– Occurs in a frontal plane around an AP axis
– Moving toward median plane, except for digits
– For digits, bringing them together (towards 2 nd toe/3rd
finger)
 Movements of the thumb
• In the anatomical position, the thumb is
rotated 90° relative to the other digits
• It flexes and extends in the frontal plane
• It abducts and adducts in the sagittal plane
 Terms of Movement
• Right and left lateral flexion
– Special forms of abduction for only the neck and
trunk

• Circumduction
– It is a circular movement that involves sequential
flexion, abduction, extension, and adduction
– Distal end of body part moves in a circle
– It can occur at any joint at which all the above-
mentioned movements are possible
• E.g., the shoulder and hip joints
 Terms of Movement
• Rotation
– Involves turning or revolving a part of the
body around its longitudinal axis

– Medial rotation (internal rotation) brings the

anterior surface of a limb closer to the
median plane

– Lateral rotation (external rotation) takes the

anterior surface away from the median plane
 Terms of Movement
• Pronation
– Rotational movement of the forearm and hand
– Rotates the radius medially so that the palm of the
hand faces posteriorly

• Supination
– It is the opposite rotational movement, rotating
the radius laterally and uncrossing it from the ulna
– Returns the pronated forearm to the anatomical
position
• Eversion
– Moves sole of the foot away from median plane,
turning sole laterally

• Inversion
– Moves sole of the foot toward the median plane facing
sole medially

• Opposition
– It is the movement by which the pad of the 1st digit is
brought to another digit pad

• Reposition
– Movement of the 1st digit from the position of
• Protrusion
– A movement anteriorly (forward)

– E.g. protruding the mandible (chin), lips, or tongue

• Retrusion
– A movement posteriorly (backward),

– E.g. retruding the mandible, lips, or tongue

• Protraction
– Anterolateral movement of the scapula on the thoracic wall

– Causes the shoulder region to move anteriorly

• Retraction
– Posteromedial movement of the scapula on the thoracic wall

– Causes the shoulder region to move posteriorly

• Elevation
– Raises or moves a part superiorly,
– E.g. elevating the shoulders when shrugging

• Depression
– Lowers or moves a part inferiorly
– E.g. depressing the shoulders when standing at
ease
Thank you!!