The Human Body

Anatomy~ the study of the structure and shape of the

body and its parts.
Physiology~ study of how the body and its part work
or function

Levels of Study
 Gross Anatomy
o Large structures
o Easily observable
 Microscopic Anatomy
o Very small structures
o Can only be viewed with a microscope

Organ System Overview

 Integumentary
o Forms the external body covering
o Protects deeper tissue from injury
o Helps regulate body temperature
(largest system)
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 o Location of cutaneous nerve receptors

 Skeletal
o Protects and supports body organs
o Provides muscle attachments for movement
o Site of blood cell formation
o Stores minerals
 Muscular
o Produces movements
o Maintains posture
o Produces heat
(over 600 muscular systems)
 Nervous
o Fast – acting control system
o Respond to internal and external change
o Activates muscles and glands
 Endocrine
o Secrets regulatory hormones
 Effect target cells; secrets into the blood
 Glands, Hormones, Blood
 Growth
 Reproduction
 Metabolism

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 Cardiovascular
o Transport materials in body via blood pumped by
heart
 Oxygen
 Carbon dioxide
 Nutrients
 Wastes
 Lymphatic
o Returns fluids to blood vessels
 Flows towards the heart
o Cleanses the blood
o Involved in immunity
 Respiratory
o Keeps blood supplied with oxygen
o Removes carbon dioxide
 Digestive
o Break down food
o Allows for nutrient absorption into blood
o Eliminates indigestible material
 Urinary
o Eliminates nitrogenous wastes
o Maintains acid- base balance
o Regulate water and electrolyte

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 Reproductive
o Produces offspring

Necessary Life Functions

 Maintain Boundaries
 Movement
o Locomotion
o Movement of substances
 Responsiveness
o Ability to sense changes and react
 Digestion
o Break-down and absorption of nutrients
 Metabolism
o Chemical reactions within the body
o Produces energy (ATP)
o Makes body structures
 Excretion
o Eliminates wastes from metabolic reaction
 Reproduction
o Produces future generation
 Growth
o Increases cell size and number of cells

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Survival needs
 Nutrients
o Chemicals for energy and cell building
o Includes: carbohydrates. Protein, lipids, minerals.
& vitamins
 Oxygen
o Required for chemical reactions
 Water
o 60-80% of body weight
o Provides for metabolic reaction
o Stable body temperature (ave.98.4)
o Atmospheric pressure
 Must be appropriate
Interrelationships Among Body System

 Homeostasis
o Homeostasis ~ maintenance of a stable internal
environment
 a dynamic state of equilibrium (moving at an
equal rate)
 Homeostasis is necessary for normal body functioning and
to sustain life
 Homeostasis imbalance

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 o A disturbance in homeostasis resulting in disease

Maintaining Homeostasis
 The body communicates through neutral and hormonal
control systems
 Receptor
o Responds to changes in the environment (stimuli)
o Sends information to control center

 Control center
o Determines set point
o Analyzes information
o Determines appropriate response

 Effector
o Provides a means for response to the stimulus

Feedback Mechanisms
 Negative feedback
o Includes most homeostasis control mechanisms
o Shuts off the original stimulus, or reduces its intensity

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 o Works like a household thermostat
(Negative feedback to decrease the initiate stimulus)
 Positive feedback
o Increase the original stimulus to push the variable
farther
o In the body this only occurs in blood clotting and
during the birth of a baby.

The Language of Anatomy

 Special terminology is used to prevent misunderstanding
 Exact terms are used for
o Position
o Direction
o Regions
o Structures
 Regional Terms
 Anterior (visible) body landmarks
 Posterior (hidden) body landmark

Body planes and Sections

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  A sagittal section divides the body (or organ) into left &
rights parts
 A median or midsagittal section, divides the bode (or
organ) into equal right & left parts
 A frontal section divides the body (or organ) into anterior
& posterior parts
 A transverse, or cross, section divides the body (or organ)
into superior & inferior parts

Body Cavities
 Dorsal body cavity
o Dorsal cavity houses the Brain (cranial cavity)
o Spinal cavity houses the spinal cord
 Ventral body cavity
o Thoracic cavity houses heart, lungs, and others
o Abdominal pelvic cavity houses digestive system and
most urinary system organs
 Pelvic cavity
o Houses the internal reproductive organs and the
bladder and rectum.

Notes
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 Unicellular organism is an organism
with one cell
 11 systems
 98.4 nature body heat
 Ligaments connects bone to bone
 Tendons connect bone to muscle
 Calcium helps muscle contractions
 MOST COMMON TYPE OF TISSUE
(CONNECTIVE TISSUE)