Anatomy and Physiology Overview Lecture

Introduction

• Objective: Examine your own body and appreciate its complexity.
• Key Takeaway: The human body is a complex system of interacting parts, more intricate than perceived.

Interesting Facts About the Human Body

• Intestines are as long as a three-story building.
• Lifetime saliva production can fill multiple swimming pools.
• Annual loss of about 2/3 kg in dead skin cells; over 50 kg in a lifetime.
• Dead skin feeds colonies of dust mites.

Understanding the Body

• Disciplines:
  • Anatomy: Study of body structure and relationships.
  • Physiology: Study of body function and processes.
• Purpose of Course: Understand the living body through its parts and functions.

Historical Context

• Early study through dissection was taboo and done in secret.
• Key historical figures:
  • Galen: Vivisection on pigs.
  • Da Vinci: Anatomical drawings.
• Human dissections legalized in the 17th-18th centuries.
• Anatomy Act of 1832 in Britain allowed legal dissection of executed murderers.

Key Principles in Anatomy and Physiology

• Complementarity of Structure and Function:
  • Function reflects form at all levels of organization (cells, tissues, organs).
• Levels of Organization:
  • Atoms ➔ Cells ➔ Tissues ➔ Organs ➔ Organ Systems ➔ Organisms
• Homeostasis: Maintaining stable internal conditions despite external changes.
  • Imbalance results in death (e.g., organ failure, suffocation).

Anatomical Terminology

• Anatomical Position: Body standing upright, facing forward, arms at sides, palms forward.
• Planes of the Body:
  • Sagittal Plane: Divides left and right.
  • Coronal Plane: Divides front and back.
  • Transverse Plane: Divides top and bottom.
• Directional Terms:
  • Anterior/Ventral: Front
  • Posterior/Dorsal: Back
  • Superior/Cranial: Above
  • Inferior/Caudal: Below
  • Medial: Toward midline
  • Lateral: Away from midline
  • Proximal: Closer to trunk
  • Distal: Farther from trunk

Practical Application of Terminology

• Example: Describing anatomical locations precisely for medical procedures.

Conclusion

• Course Goal: To provide a comprehensive understanding of body structure and function.
• Key Themes: Complementarity, organization hierarchy, homeostasis.
• Understanding Terms: Essential for precise communication in anatomy.

Acknowledgments

• Thanks to course creators and contributors: Kathleen Yale, Blake de Pastino, Dr. Brandon Jackson, Nicholas Jenkins, Valerie Barr, Michael Aranda, and Thought Café.