THE HUMAN BODY:

AN INTRODUCTION
CPH 101: Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathophysiology
Lesson 1, Week 1

By: Leslee Anne G. Cortez, RMT, LPT, MPH

Learning Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:
a. Distinguish between anatomy and physiology
b. Describe the structure of the body, from simplest to most complex,
in terms of the six levels of organization
c. Identify the functional characteristics of human life
d. Define homeostasis and explain its importance to normal human
functioning
e. Use appropriate anatomical terminology to identify key body
structures, body regions, and directions in the body
Anatomy and Physiology

• Anatomy – study of structure; means “cutting up”;

examines the structures, or morphology of body parts,
their forms and organization

• Physiology – study of function; means “relationship to

nature”; considers the function of body parts, what they
do and how they do it
 Studies in Anatomy
Branch Area Definition
Gross Systemic study of the body by organ systems
Regional study of the body by areas
Surface study of external features of the body
Microscopic Cytology study of cells
Histology study of tissues
Developmental study of structure throughout the
lifespan
Comparative study of comparison of human
anatomy with that of other animals
 Studies in Physiology
Area Definition
Cellular study of the function of cells
Systemic study of the function of organ systems
Comparative study of comparison of human physiology with that
of other animals
Pathological study of changes in structure and function caused by
disease
Immunology study of body’s defense mechanisms
Pharmacology study of drug actions in the body
 Six
Levels of
Organization
In the
Human Body
 Six Levels of Organization in the Human Body
1. Chemical level: Atoms combine to form molecules.
2. Cell level: Molecules form organelles which make up cells.
3. Tissue level: Similar cells and surrounding materials make up tissues.
Six Levels of Organization in the Human Body
4. Organ level: Different tissues combine to form organs.
5. Organ system level: Organs make up an organ system.
6. Organism level: Organ systems make up an organism.
 Characteristics of Life
Process Definition
Responsiveness Reaction to a change inside or outside the body
Growth Increase in body size without change in shape
Reproduction Production of new organisms and new cells
Respiration Obtaining oxygen, removing carbon dioxide, and releasing energy from
food
Digestion Breakdown of food substances into simpler forms that can be absorbed
and used
Absorption Passage of substances through membranes and into body fluids
Circulation Movement of substances in body fluids
Excretion Removal of wastes produced by metabolic reactions
Homeostasis
 Process by which a nearly stable internal environment is
maintained in the body so that cellular metabolic functions
can proceed at maximum efficiency
 Autoregulation: a cell, tissue or organ automatically adjusts
to a change in the environment (example: inflammation)
Source: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
 Homeostatic Regulatory Mechanism
• Receptor (sensor) – a sensor
that is sensitive to the
environmental change
(stimulus)
• Control center (integration
center) – receives and
processes the stimulus; if
needed, sends a message to
the effector
• Effector – usually a muscle or
a gland; proves the response
to the stimulus Source: Shier, D. et al. (2010). Hole’s Human Anatomy & Physiology. Twelfth Edition. McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc.
 Maintaining a normal
body temperature

Source: Shier, D. et al. (2010). Hole’s Human Anatomy & Physiology. Twelfth Edition. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Maintaining
a normal
blood
glucose
level
 Homeostasis

• Homeostasis is
maintained by
negative and positive
feedback
mechanisms
• Negative
feedback turns
off or reverses the
original stimulus
Source: Gordon Betts, J. et al. (2013). Anatomy & Physiology. OpenStax College. Rice University. Houston, Texas.
 Homeostasis

• Homeostasis is
maintained by negative
and positive feedback
mechanisms
• Positive feedback
enhances and up-
regulates the initial
stimulus (is usually
harmful to the body)

Source: Gordon Betts, J. et al. (2013). Anatomy & Physiology. OpenStax College. Rice University. Houston, Texas.
 Anatomical
Terminologies
• Body Positions
• Anatomical position
• human standing erect
with the face directed
forward, the arms
hanging to the sides,
and the palms facing
forward
• Supine – person
laying face up
• Prone – person
laying face down
Source: Gordon Betts, J. et al. (2013). Anatomy & Physiology. OpenStax
College. Rice University. Houston, Texas.
 Body Planes
• Sagittal plane: divides the
body or an organ vertically
into right and left sides
• Frontal plane: divides the
body or an organ into an
anterior (front) portion and a
posterior (rear) portion
• Transverse plane: divides
the body or organ
horizontally into upper and
lower portions
Source: Gordon Betts, J. et al. (2013). Anatomy & Physiology. OpenStax College. Rice University. Houston, Texas.
 Body Planes

Source: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

 Organ Planes
• Longitudinal section:
along its long axis
• Cross (transverse)
section: right angle to the
long axis
• Oblique section: across
the long axis at an angle
other than a right angle

Source: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Body Cavities
• The body maintains its internal organization by means of
membranes, sheaths, and other structures that separate
compartments.
• The human organism can be divided into an axial portion,
which includes the head, neck, and trunk, and an appendicular
portion, which includes the upper and lower limbs.
• The dorsal (posterior) cavity and the ventral (anterior) cavity
are the largest body compartments.
• Dorsal cavity: includes cranial and spinal cavities
• Ventral cavity: includes thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities
Source: Gordon Betts, J. et al. (2013). Anatomy
& Physiology. OpenStax College. Rice
University. Houston, Texas.
Serous Membranes

• Serous membrane: also known as serosa; one of the thin

membranes that cover the walls and organs in the thoracic
and abdominopelvic cavities
• Parietal membrane: lines the wall of the cavity
• Visceral membrane: is in contact with the internal
organs
• Serous fluid: secreted by the serous membrane and
protects organs against friction
 Serous Membranes

Source: Gordon Betts, J. et al. (2013). Anatomy & Physiology. OpenStax College. Rice University. Houston, Texas.
Anterior (Ventral) Body Cavity and Its Membranes

• Pericardial cavity: has

the pericardium that
surrounds the heart
• Pericardium: serous
membrane that
surrounds the heart in
the pericardial cavity

Source: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Anterior (Ventral) Body Cavity and Its Membranes

• Pleural cavity: has the

pleura that surround the
lungs
• Pleura: serous membrane
that surrounds the lungs in
the pleural cavity

Source: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Anterior (Ventral) Body Cavity and Its Membranes
• Peritoneal cavity: has the
peritoneum that surrounds certain
abdominal and pelvic organs
• Peritoneum: serous membrane that
surrounds several organs in the
abdominopelvic cavity
• Mesenteries hold the abdominal organs in
place and provide a passageway for blood
vessels and nerves to organs
• Retroperitoneal organs are located
“behind” the parietal peritoneum
Source: teachmeanatomy.info
Commonly Used Anatomical Terminologies
(Descriptive and Directional Terms)
Term Definition
Superior (cranial) Toward the head
Inferior (caudal) Toward the bottom (tail)
Anterior (ventral) Toward the front
Posterior (dorsal) Toward the back
Medial Toward the midline of the body
Lateral Toward the side of the body
Internal (deep) Away from the surface of the body
External (superficial) Toward the surface of the body
Proximal Toward the main mass of the body
Distal Away from the main mass of the body
Visceral Related to internal organs
Parietal Related to the body walls
 Directional Terms
Applied to the
Human Body

Source: Gordon Betts, J. et al. (2013). Anatomy & Physiology. OpenStax College. Rice University. Houston, Texas.
References
• Gordon Betts, J. et al. (2013). Anatomy & Physiology. OpenStax
College. Rice University. Houston, Texas. pg. 7-28
• Shier, D. et al. (2010). Hole’s Human Anatomy & Physiology. Twelfth
Edition. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. pg. 1-49