INTRODUCTION TO BASIC HUMAN ANATOMY 

DEFINITION: 

Anatomy is the study of structure of the body. Regularly you will be more curious about the function of the body, Function include digestion, respiration, circulation, and reproduction. 

BODY TYPES:                         

No two human beings are built exactly alike, but we can group individuals into three major categories. These groups represent basic body shapes. 

MORPH = body, body form 

ECTO = all energy is outgoing ENDO = all energy is stored inside 

MESO = between, in the middle ECTOMORPH = slim individual 

ENDOMORPH = broad individual 

MESOMORPH = body type between the two others, "muscular" type 

Ectomorphs, slim persons, are more susceptible to lung infections. 

Endomorphs are more susceptible to heart disease.

ORGANIZATION OF THE HUMAN BODY:             

The human body is organized into cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, and the total organism.          Cells are the smallest living unit of body construction.               

A tissue is a grouping of like cells working together. Examples are muscle tissue and nervous tissue.                

An organ is a structure composed of several different tissues performing      a particular function. Examples include the lungs and the heart.                

Organ systems are groups of organs which together perform an overall       function. Examples are the respiratory system and the digestive system.       

  The total organism is the individual human being. You are a total organism.

THE ANATOMICAL POSITION:         

The anatomical position is an artificial posture of the human bodyWe always speak of the parts of the body as if the body were in the anatomical position. This is true regardless of what position the body is actually in. In the anatomical position, the body stands erect, with heels together. Upper members are along the sides, with the palms of the hands facing forward. The head faces forward.

PLANES OF THE BODY: 

Sagittal planes are vertical planes that pass through the body from front to back. 

The median or midsagittal plane is the vertical plane that divides the body into right and left halves. 

Horizontal (transverse) planes are parallel to the floor. They are perpendicular to both the sagittal and frontal planes. 

Frontal (coronal) planes are vertical planes which pass through the body from side to side. They are perpendicular to the sagittal plane.

DIRECTIONS

Superior means above. 

Inferior means below. 

Anterior refers to the front of the body. A commonly-used substitute word is Ventral. 

Posterior refers to the back of the body. A commonly-used substitute word is Dorsal. 

Medial means toward or nearer the midline of the body. 

Lateral means away from the midline or toward the side of the body. 

Superficial means closer to the surface of the body.

Deep means toward the center of the body or body part.

Proximal and distal are terms applied specifically to the limbs. Proximal means nearer to the shoulder joint or the hip joint. Distal means further away from the shoulder joint or the hip joint. Sometimes proximal and distal are used to identify the "beginning" and "end" of the GI tract--that portion closer to the stomach being proximal while that further away being distal