CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN
ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY

ROSALIE M. DIESTA, LPT

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1.1: Learning Outcomes

• Define anatomy and describe the levels at

which anatomy can be studied.

• Explain the importance of the relationship

between structure and function.

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1.2: Anatomy & Physiology

• Anatomy – the study of the structure

of the human body

• Physiology – the study of the function

of the human body

“The complementarity of structure and function.”

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1.3: Levels of Organization
• Subatomic Particles – electrons, protons, and neutrons
• Atom – hydrogen atom, lithium atom, etc.
• Molecule – water molecule, glucose molecule, etc.
• Macromolecule – protein molecule, DNA molecule, etc.
• Organelle – mitochondrion, Golgi apparatus, nucleus,
etc.
• Cell – muscle cell, nerve cell, etc.

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• Tissue – epithelia, connective, muscle and nerve
• Organ – skin, femur, heart, kidney, etc.
• Organ System – skeletal system, digestive system, etc.
• Organism – the human

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 Levels of Organization

Subatomic particles

Atom

Organ system
Molecule

Macromolecule

Organ

Organelle
Organism

Cell
Tissue

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Organ Systems

Integumentary system Skeletal system Muscular system

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Organ Systems

Nervous system Endocrine system

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Organ Systems

Cardiovascular system Lymphatic system

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Organ Systems

Digestive system Respiratory system Urinary system

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Organ Systems

Male reproductive system Female reproductive system

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1.4 Clinical Application
• Ultrasound (US) - Diagnostic ultrasound, also
called sonography or diagnostic medical sonography,
is an imaging method that uses sound waves to
produce images of structures within your body.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - is a
medical imaging technique that uses a magnetic field
and computer-generated radio waves to create
detailed images of the organs and tissues in your
body.
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1.5 Characteristics of Life
• Movement – change in position; motion
• Responsiveness – reaction to a change
• Growth – increase in body size; no change in shape
• Reproduction – production of new organisms and
new cells
• Respiration – obtaining oxygen; removing carbon
dioxide; releasing energy from foods

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Characteristics of Life
• Digestion – breakdown of food substances into
simpler forms
• Absorption – passage of substances through
membranes and into body fluids
• Circulation – movement of substances in body fluids
• Assimilation – changing of absorbed substances into
chemically different forms
• Excretion – removal of wastes produced by
metabolic reactions
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 1.6: Maintenance of Life
Life depends on five (5) environmental
factors:
• Water
• Food
• Oxygen
• Heat
• Pressure

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 Requirements of Organisms
• Water
- most abundant substance in body
- required for metabolic processes
- required for transport of substances
- regulates body temperature
• Food
- provides necessary nutrients
- supplies energy
- supplies raw materials
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 Requirements of Organisms
• Oxygen (gas)
- one-fifth of air
- used to release energy from nutrients
• Heat
- form of energy
- partly controls rate of metabolic reactions

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• Pressure
- application of force on an object
- atmospheric pressure – important for breathing
- hydrostatic pressure – keeps blood flowing

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 Homeostasis
* Maintaining of a stable internal environment

• Homeostatic Control Mechanisms – monitors aspects of

the internal environment and corrects as needed.
Variations are within limits.

There are three (3) parts:

• Receptor, Control center, Effector

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•Receptor - provides information about the stimuli

• Control Center - tells what a particular value should be

(called the set point)

•Effector - elicits responses that change conditions in the

internal environment

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Homeostatic Control Mechanisms
Control center
(set point)

(Change is compared
Receptors to the set point.) Effectors
(muscles or glands)

Stimulus
(Change occurs Response
in internal (Change is corrected.)
environment.)
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Homeostatic Control Mechanisms

There are two (2) types:

• Negative feedback mechanisms
• Positive feedback mechanisms

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Homeostatic Control Mechanisms
Negative feedback summary:
• Prevents sudden, severe changes in the body
• Corrects the set point
•Most common type of feedback loop
• Examples: body temperature, blood pressure & glucose
regulation

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Homeostatic Control Mechanisms
Positive feedback summary:
• Increases (accelerates) the actions of the body
• Short-lived
• Do not require continuous adjustments
• Examples: blood clotting and child birth

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1.6: Major Organs of the Human Body
 1.7: Lifespan Changes
• Lifespan is defined as the maximum number of
years that a human can live, while expectancy is
the average total number of years that a human
achieves.
• Aging occurs from the microscopic level to the
whole-body level.
Can you think of some examples?

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 1.8: Anatomical Terminology
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Anatomical Position – standing

erect, facing forward, upper
limbs at the sides, palms facing
forward and thumbs out.

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 Directional terms of the Human Body

TERM ETYMOLOGY DEFINITION

Right Toward the body’s right side
Left Toward the body’s left side
Inferior Lower Below
Superior Higher Above
Anterior To go before Toward the front of the body
Posterior Posterus, following Toward the back of the body
Dorsal Dorsum, back Toward the back (synonymous with posterior)
Ventral Venter, belly Toward the belly (synonymous with anterior)
Proximal Proximus, nearest Closer to a point of attachment
Distal Di + sto, to be distant Farther from a point of attachment
Lateral Latus, side Away from the midline of the body
Medial Medialis, middle Toward the middle or midline of the body
Superficial Superficialis, surface Toward or on the surface
Deep Deop, deep Away from the surface, internal

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 Body Sections or Planes
• Sagittal or Median – divides body into left and right
portions
• Mid-sagittal – divides body into equal left and right
portions

• Transverse or Horizontal – divides body into superior

and inferior portions

• Coronal or Frontal – divides body into anterior and

posterior portions
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 Body Sections

(a) (b) (c)

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Serous Membranes
• lines the trunk cavities & covers the organs
of these cavities
1. VISCERAL- lines and covers the organs
2. PARIETAL- lines the walls of the cavity

• SEROUS FLUID- lubricating film that fills

the space, to reduce friction on movement
of organs against the wall

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 Abdominal Subdivisions

Right Left
hypochondriac Epigastric hypochondriac
region region region
Right upper Left upper
quadrant quadrant
(RUQ) (LUQ)
Right Umbilical Left
lumbar region lumbar
region region Right lower Left lower
quadrant quadrant
Right Hypogastric Left
(RLQ) (LLQ)
iliac region iliac
region region

A. Abdominal regions consist of 9 subdivisions B. Abdominal regions consist of 4 subdivisions

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-End
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