Basic Anatomy and Physiology
Physiology and anatomy are interrelated; anatomy describes the location and structure of a particular body part, and physiology describes how and what it does.
More particularly, anatomy is the study of the structure of the living organisms that comprise the human body, including their size, shape and composition. These structures include cells, tissues, organs and organ systems. Anatomy can be further categorized into the study of large scale structures (gross anatomy) and of microscopic structures (microscopic anatomy).
In turn, physiology is the study of how the body functions. For example, to describe the physiology of red blood cells requires looking at what these cells do, how they do it, and how this affects the functioning of the body as a whole.
Continuing with the example of red blood cells to illustrate the interconnectedness of anatomy and physiology: these cells hold the mineral iron in molecules of the protein hemoglobin; this is part of their anatomy. The presence of iron allows red blood cells to transport oxygen; this is their function, or physiology. All cells in the body need oxygen to allow proper functioning, so the physiology of red blood cells is vital to the functioning of the body as a whole.
The human body is organized into structural and functional levels of increasing complexity. Each higher level incorporates the structures and functions of the previous level. The chemical level is the simplest, followed by cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems.
The chemicals that make up the body may be divided into two major categories: inorganic and organic. Inorganic chemicals are usually simple molecules made of one or two elements other than carbon, while organic chemicals are often very complex and always contain the elements carbon and hydrogen.
Cells are the smallest living units of structure and function. Each type of cell is made up of chemicals, and carries out specific chemical reactions.
- A tissue is a group of cells with similar structure and function.
- An organ is a group of tissues arranged for the purpose of performing a specific function; examples are the kidneys, individual bones, the liver, lungs, and stomach.
- A group of organs together make up an organ system that contribute, as a whole, to a particular bodily function. The urinary system, digestive system and respiratory system are examples of organ systems.
When taking a basic anatomy and physiology course, your goal should be to learn and understand the structures and functions of the major body systems. It is important to remember that organ systems don’t just exist as individual units – each system depends on the others, either directly or indirectly, to keep the body functioning normally.
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