Unit 1
Lab 1

Lab 1

A first week of anatomical positions, planes, directions, regions, and organ systems.

Anatomical Position

Anatomical Position
In the anatomical position, the human body is standing upright with feet together, arms at the sides, and the head, eyes, and palms facing forward. This position is used as a standard reference in health and medical fields for consistency when describing the location and relation of body parts to one another. This avoids ambiguity and serves as the baseline from which other movements and positions are measured.

Anatomical Planes

Anatomical Position
Anatomical planes are imaginary lines used to divide the body into sections for descriptive and diagnostic purposes. The frontal plane (also known as the coronal plane) divides the body into front (anterior) and back (posterior) sections. The sagittal plane splits the body into left and right parts, with the midsagittal plane dividing it equally in the middle. Lastly, the transverse plane (or horizontal plane) cuts the body into upper (superior) and lower (inferior) portions. A handy way to remember these planes by their first letters is: Frontal (front), Sagittal (side), and Transverse (top). This mnemonic device helps reinforce the association between each plane and its respective orientation in the body.

Anatomical Directions

Anatomical Position
Anatomical directions are terms used to describe the locations and relationships of different body parts:
  • Superior/Inferior: These are the up and down directions. The superior-inferior axis is normal to (AKA perpendicular to) the transverse plane.
  • Medial/Lateral: These are the front and back of the body. The medial-lateral axis is normal to the sagittal plane.
  • Dorsal/Palmar (Hand) & Dorsal/Plantar (Foot): In humans, "dorsal" usually refers to the back of the hands or the tops of the feet. The other side of the hands is the plamar side, while the other side of the feet (the bottoms of the feet) is the plantar side.
  • Distal/Proximal: These terms describe positions along the limbs. "Proximal" means closer to the point of origin (usually the trunk), while "distal" means farther away from the point of origin.
  • Anterior/Posterior: Medial means towards the midline, while lateral means away from the midline. the anterior-posterior axis is normal to the frontal plane.
  • Superficial/Deep: These terms describe the relative depth of structures in the body. "Superficial" refers to being closer to the surface of the body, while "deep" means farther beneath the surface.
  • Ipsilateral/Contralateral: These terms describe the relative positions of structures on the same or opposite sides of the body. "Ipsilateral" refers to being on the same side, while "contralateral" refers to being on the opposite side.
Note: in animals who carry their spines horizontally, "dorsal" is used to refer to the back of the spine, while "ventral" is used to refer to the belly side of the spine. Hence, the "dorsal fin" on fish. For these horizontal animals, the "dorsal" and "superior" directions would be equivalent, and the terms "rostral/caudal" are sometimes used in place of "anterior/posterior". The terms "rostral/caudal" are also sometimes used in embryology.

Anatomical Regions

Anatomical directions are terms used to describe certain areas of the body:
  • Axial: Central body, including head, neck, and trunk.
  • Appendicular: Limbs and their attachments to the axial body.
  • Cephalic: Entire head region.
  • Cranial: Top of the skull, encasing the brain.
  • Facial: Front of the head, including the face.
  • Frontal: Forehead region.
  • Buccal: Cheek area.
  • Cervical: Neck region.
  • Thoracic: Chest area.
  • Abdominal: Region between chest and pelvis.
  • Pelvic: Lower trunk, between abdomen and thighs.
  • Sternal: Center of chest, over the sternum.
  • Axillary: Armpit region.
  • Acromial: Point of the shoulder.
  • Brachial: Upper arm.
  • Antecubital: Front of the elbow.
  • Antebrachial: Forearm.
  • Carpal: Wrist.
  • Palmar: Palm of the hand.
  • Digital (Fingers/Toes): Fingers and toes.
  • Inguinal: Groin region.
  • Pubic: Genital area.
  • Femoral: Thigh region.
  • Coxal: Hip area.
  • Patellar: Front of the knee.
  • Crural: Shin or lower leg.
  • Tarsal: Ankle.
  • Pedal: Foot region.
  • Occipital: Posterior base of skull.
  • Scapular: Shoulder blade region.
  • Manual: Hand region.
  • Lumbar: Lower back.
  • Sacral: Area between hips, above buttocks.
  • Gluteal: Buttocks.
  • Perineal: Area between anus and genitals.
  • Popliteal: Back of the knee.
  • Calcaneal: Heel of the foot.
  • Plantar: Sole of the foot.

Abdominal Quadrant Regions

Anatomical Position
  • Left Upper Quadrant (LUQ): Upper left abdomen, includes stomach and spleen.
  • Left Lower Quadrant (LLQ): Lower left abdomen, includes descending colon and sigmoid colon.
  • Right Upper Quadrant (RUQ): Upper right abdomen, includes liver and gallbladder.
  • Right Lower Quadrant (RLQ): Lower right abdomen, includes appendix and cecum.

Abdominal Grid Regions

Anatomical Position
  • Umbilical: Center of the abdomen, around the navel.
  • Epigastric: Upper middle abdomen, above the umbilical region.
  • Hypogastric: Lower middle abdomen, below the umbilical region.
  • Left Hypochondriac: Upper left abdomen, under the ribs.
  • Right Hypochondriac: Upper right abdomen, under the ribs.
  • Left Lumbar: Middle left abdomen, near the lower back.
  • Right Lumbar: Middle right abdomen, near the lower back.
  • Left Iliac: Lower left abdomen, near the hip bone.
  • Right Iliac: Lower right abdomen, near the hip bone.

Body Cavities

  • Cranial: Contains the brain.
  • Vertebral: Contains the spinal cord.
  • Thoracic: Contains lungs, heart, esophagus, and trachea.
  • Abdominopelvic: Contains digestive organs, kidneys, bladder, and reproductive organs.

Organ Systems

  • Cardiovascular: Major Organs: Heart, blood vessels (arteries, veins, capillaries). Functions: Transports blood, oxygen, nutrients, and waste throughout the body.
  • Digestive: Major Organs: Mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestines, liver, pancreas. Functions: Breaks down food, absorbs nutrients, and eliminates waste.
  • Endocrine: Major Organs: Glands (pituitary, thyroid, adrenal), pancreas, ovaries, testes. Functions: Produces hormones to regulate body processes like growth and metabolism.
  • Integumentary: Major Organs: Skin, hair, nails. Functions: Protects the body, regulates temperature, and provides sensory information.
  • Lymphatic/Immune: Major Organs: Lymph nodes, spleen, thymus, lymphatic vessels. Functions: Defends against infection, returns fluid to blood, and filters lymph.
  • Muscular: Major Organs: Skeletal muscles. Functions: Facilitates movement, maintains posture, and produces heat.
  • Nervous: Major Organs: Brain, spinal cord, nerves. Functions: Processes sensory input, coordinates responses, and regulates body functions.
  • Reproductive: Major Organs: Ovaries, testes, uterus, fallopian tubes, penis. Functions: Produces gametes (eggs and sperm) and supports reproduction.
  • Respiratory: Major Organs: Lungs, trachea, bronchi. Functions: Facilitates gas exchange (oxygen in, carbon dioxide out).
  • Skeletal: Major Organs: Bones, cartilage, ligaments. Functions: Provides structure, protects organs, and produces blood cells.
  • Urinary/Excretory: Major Organs: Kidneys, ureters, bladder, urethra. Functions: Removes waste, regulates water and electrolyte balance.

Microscopy

Anatomical Position
  • Carry the microscope with one hand on the base and one hand on the arm.
  • Use only lens paper to clean lenses, and feel free to clean them frequently.
  • Always use low power first.
  • Once you are no longer in low power, use only the fine focus knob.

Weekly Joke

What did the janitor say when he jumped out of the closet?
SUPPLIES!!!
Lab 2