Introduction to the Human Body

Fall 2008

Vocabulary
Anatomy Study of body parts
Physiology Study of how the body
functions biochemically

Anatomical Position

Directional Terms
Bipeds 2 legged ex. humans
quadripeds (4 legged) ex. pig

 Ventral toward the front of the body

on biped (human)
Examples of ventral structures
heart, nasal, umbilicus, toes, palmar area
Anterior same meaning for biped

 Ventral toward the belly on

quadriped (pig)
Examples: heart, umbilicus,
toes?? Somewhat
Nasal?? NO
Anterior toward the head of the
body; what leads the body
Example ears, eyes, nasal

 Dorsal- toward the back of the body

on biped
Examples of dorsal structures
back, lumbar and gluteal areas,
vertebral column, kidneys, back of hand
Posterior same meaning for biped

 Dorsal also toward the back of

Same examples? back, lumbar
and gluteal areas, kidneys,
vertebral column
Posterior toward the tail; what
follows the body
Examples tail, anus

quadriped

Superior vs. Inferior

Often used to compare two structures
Superior above
Examples head superior to neck,
nasal superior to oral
Inferior below
Examples neck inferior to head,
lumbar inferior to cervical

Cranial vs. Caudal

Cranial (Cephlo) in the vicinity of
the
head
Examples ears, eyes, mouth
Caudal (Pedal) toward the tail (quadriped)
Examples tail, anus
toward the bottom or feet
(biped)
Examples toes, ankle

Medial vs. Lateral

Medial (Mesial) more near an imaginary body
midline; usually the center of the body, dividing it
into right and left halves
Examples navel, nose, mouth,
vertebral column
Lateral more toward the sides
Examples ear, shoulder, thumbs,
kidneys

Body Vocabulary
Limbs (Appendages) arms and legs
Also called extremities
Trunk (Torso) Body minus the
limbs and head

Proximal vs. Distal

Usually used as a comparison between
two
body structures
Usually includes structures
external on the body; NOT on the trunk
Usually used to reference how close
(in the proximity of) or far away

(distant from) structures are

in relation to the trunk
Proximal closer to the trunk
Distal farther from the trunk

Examples

Eyes are distal to the mouth

Mouth is proximal to the eyes
Knee is proximal to the toes
Knees are distal to the thighs
Cervical area is proximal to the
oral area
Shoulder is proximal to the neck???
Lumbar area is proximal to the leg???
Problem: both shoulder and lumbar
areas are part of the trunk

Internal Example
Kidneys contain lots of filtering units
called nephrons
Inside the nephron is a cluster of
blood
vessels called the glomerulus - location of
blood filtration
Nephrons contain tubes that carry
urine
Tube closest to glomerulus proximal tubule
Tube farthest from glomerulus distal tubule
Convoluted = twisted

Kidney Anatomy

Kidney - Nephron

Superficial vs. Deep

Superficial (peripheral, external)
at the body surface, more toward
the outside
Examples skin, hair, some muscles,
fingernails
Deep (central, internal) more
inside the body
Examples heart, kidneys, brain,
spinal cord

Body Planes

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Body Cavities

Body Cavities
Dorsal Cavities basically in the back of
the body
1. Cranial contains the brain
2. Vertebral (spinal)
contains the
spinal cord

 Ventral Cavities basically in the

front of the body
1. Thoracic chest
Separated by diaphragm
2. a. Abdominal -abdomen
b. Pelvic pelvis
Collectively called:
Abdominopelvic

Examples of organs inside the

Thoracic Ventral cavities
Heart, Lungs, esophagus, trachea

Examples of Organs in the

Abdominopelvic Cavity
Abdominal: colon (lg. intestine),
small intestine, liver, esophagus,
stomach, pancreas, spleen, kidneys

Examples of Organs in the Pelvic

Cavity
Urinary bladder, ovaries, uterus, vagina, rectum

Male Pelvic Organs

More Ventral Cavities

Nasal forms the nose

Orbital holds the eyes
Oral forms the mouth
Middle ear found in the ear

Organism Organization Levels of

Complexity

Organ Systems

11 exist
Some organs belong to more than one system *
1. Reproductive
2. Excretory (Urinary)
3. Skeletal
4. Muscular
5. Integumentary (Covering)
6. Nervous
7. Endocrine
8. Digestive
9. Respiratory
10. Cardiovascular (Circulatory)
11. Lymphatic

Reproductive System
Function: produce offspring
Organs Male: *testes, vas deferens, prostate gland,
penis, scrotum
Organs Female: vagina, uterus, *ovaries, fallopian tubes,

Excretory (Urinary) System

Function: rid the body of nitrogenous
waste (urea)
Organs: kidneys, bladder, urethra, ureters

Skeletal System
Function: support, protect, produce
blood, store fat
Organs: bones Example: femur

Muscular System
Function: Move body parts, stabilize
body parts, generate heat
Organs: muscles Example: biceps

Integumentary System
Integument = Covering
Function: protect, produce Vitamin D, involved in body
temperature regulation
organ: *skin

Nervous System
Function: body control using nervous
messages
Organs: brain, spinal cord, nerves,
sensory organs eyes, ears, nose,
tongue, *skin

Endocrine System
Function: control of the body
using hormonal chemical
messages
Organs: pituitary gland,
*pancreas, thyroid,
parathyroids, adrenal
gland, *testes, *ovaries

Digestive System
Function: process food break down, absorb
nutrients, eliminate
solid fecal waste
Organs: esophagus, stomach,
small and large intestines,
liver, *pancreas

Respiratory System
Function: exchange of gases
Organs: trachea, lungs

Cardiovascular System
Function: transport of food,
water, gases, urea waste,
hormones, vitamins,
minerals, etc.
Organs: heart and
blood vessels

More Cardiovascular Photos

Lymphatic System
Related to cardiovascular
Function: immunity
Organs: lymph nodes, lymphatic vessels
that carry fluid (lymph)
No pump for the lymph; moves slowly by
muscular contractions as
the body moves

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Lymph is actually plasma that circulates through

the body in lymphatic vessels. It comes from
blood plasma that has leaked out of thin walled
capillaries and passes into tissue spaces

Lymph leaking from a capillary

can bathe over tissue cells and collect infective
microbes;
It eventually enters lymphatic vessels

White Blood Cells Exiting

capillaries

Lymph then passes through lymph nodes where white

blood cells wait to battle the infection;
Node can swell and become painful as a result
%

Cancer Vocabulary
Benign non cancerous growth
Malignant cancerous growth
Metastasize cancer that spreads
from its site of origin
Example melanoma skin cancer
spreading to the liver or brain
Cancerous conditions often end in -oma

Breast Cancer
Many forms; some genetic
Screening: BSE breast self exam,
mammogram, physician exam
Breast is filled with lymph nodes
Can metastasize easily through
lymphatic system to other organs
Tumor or breast removal usually
also involves removal of lymph nodes
be sent to lab for biopsy

to

Lymphatic System in Breast

Elephantiasis

Condition caused by worm

Worms enter body from mosquito bite
Related to heartworms in dogs
Found in tropical parts of the world
Worms reproduce and live in lymphatic
vessels, often in inguinal
Block vessels causing back-up of
lymphatic
fluid
Often in leg elephant leg or
even in scrotum in males

Elephantiasis

Homeostasis
Processes both biochemical and
mechanical by which the body
attempts to maintain balance
(steady state)
Can be in response to change or stress
What needs to be balanced?
Examples: gases, respiration,
heart rate, temperature, blood sugar

Aspects of Homeostasis
Set point a point that tells what
a particular body internal value
should be
Ex. Body temperature, blood pH
Receptors provide information
about specific conditions in the
internal body environment
Ex. Neurons for temperature reception,
Neurons for pH reception
Effectors cause responses which alter
conditions in the internal body environment
Ex. Sweat glands and skin blood vessels,
brain changes respiratory rate or liver releases buffers
to alter blood pH