Anatomy is the science of body structures and the relationships among them. It is all around us, it is basically us. The human anatomy deals with basically all the parts of humans, dealing with molecules to bones to the way we function, but that can also get misinterpreted for Physiology which is the study of body functions and how the body parts work, which in this case it is something different. Anatomy and Physiology are two concepts that are related to each other, as stated before anatomy is the science of body structures and the relationship among them, while Physiology is the study of body functions and how body parts work together. Now, with all of that being said Anatomy differs from physiology in many ways, the study of anatomy usually focuses on the shape, size, and where they are usually located at. In my perspective anatomy is more like dissection of the body, you can easily cut up the body and with your very own eyes see what the body is, or in more scientific forms using a microscope for a more detailed view. A person can easily see what they are encountering on a body and what system is connected to what. In physiology its rather more vigorous mostly involving different types of properties (chemical, physical or electrical) that make the body function. Beginning from the process of how our heart rate is regulated to more difficult systems involving different visual perceptions. Physiology is usually involved with the work of living organisms or the tissue to understand the whole process; typically to do this you use dissection, medical imaging techniques, and lastly laboratory analysis of samples of specimens. Position is everything, we stand up and we sit down, we fall down and we get right back up. Am I right? We have many different body positions that we use every single day. When the body is erect , the head is level, the eyes face forward, the upper limbs are at the sides, the palms facing forward, and the feet are flat on the floor, that is the anatomical position of the body. This standard position keeps everyone the exact same page when you’re talking about anatomy and physiology. Included with that same position it is good to know that Anterior is front or towards the front, Posterior is back or towards the back, dorsal is back or towards the back (easy way to remember this think of a whales dorsal fin), Ventral is the front or towards the front ( think of an air vent). The human body is made up of 11 organ systems that work with one another usually interdependently. The 11 systems include the integumentary system, skeletal system, muscular system, lymphatic systems, respiratory system, digestive system, nervous system, endocrine system, cardiovascular system, urinary system, and last but not least the reproductive system. Let me briefly discuss the functions of each system. The integumentary system is composed of the skin and its associated structures such as hair, fingernails, toenails, sweat glands, and oil glands. The integumentary system protects our body in various of ways, not only does it protect us it helps us regulate the body temperature of our body. The skeletal system is composed of bones (206 to be exact) and joints and the associated cartilages which Is what makes us move every single day. Our skeletal system provides us our framework muscles use. With our bones we store minerals and create blood cells. Muscle man, muscle man! The muscular system is the skeletal muscle tissue, usually attached to our bones some muscles such as our arms and legs are voluntary (you can move them when you want to) and then there are involuntary muscles such as your stomach, heart, intestines, and other organs. Lymphatic Systems, not one you commonly hear when you’re learning about the body systems in elementary school. The lymphatic system is the major defense system of our body. With the lymphatic system it filters out bad organisms that can cause diseases, produce white blood cells, and generate disease-fighting antibodies. “Could you take a deep breath for me please”? The respiratory system, bringing air to your lungs and removing carbon dioxide. The respiratory system transfers oxygen from our inhaled air to our blood and carbon dioxide from our blood to exhaled air. It helps us regulate acid base and also helps us balance our fluids in our body. The digestive system consists of a series of connected organs Body cavities are the spaces that enclose internal organs. The two main body cavities are the Thoracic cavity (Chest Cavity) which is usually formed by the ribs, the muscles of the chest, the sternum, and the thoracic portions of the vertebral column. It usually contains the heart, esophagus, trachea, thymus, and several large blood vessels. The second cavity would be the abdominopelvic cavity it extends from the diaphragm to the groin; it’s divided into two portions, the abdominal cavity contains the stomach, spleen, liver, gallbladder, small intestines and most of the large intestines while the pelvic cavity contains the urinary bladder, portions of the large intestines and the internal organs of the reproductive system. I take myself to the Emergency room and I describe my symptoms to the nurse, the pain is located in my abdominal cavity, Left lower quadrant (LLQ) and the organs involved could possibly be my small intestines. The reason why we should know our body orientations and directions is to describe the body parts. The medical field has different terminology and it is essential to know. It gives us the nurses and doctors a better understanding of what they need to check in order for the patient to get better.
References Tortora, G. J., & Nielsen, M. (2014). A brief atlas of the skeleton, surface anatomy, and selected medical images. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Rettner, R. (2016). The Human Body: Anatomy, Facts & Functions. Retrieved April 26, 2016, from http://www.livescience.com/37009-human-body.html Anatomic Positions. (n.d.). Retrieved April 26, 2016, from http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/anatomic-positions.html Your Body's Systems. (n.d.). Retrieved April 26, 2016, from http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0774536.html
