![]() The external female reproductive structures are referred to collectively as the vulva. Physiologists may work from the organ level (exploring, for example, what different parts of the brain do) to the molecular level (such as exploring how an electrochemical signal travels along nerves).Figure 1. The major organs of the female reproductive system are located inside the pelvic cavity. For example, neurophysiology is the study of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves and how these work together to perform functions as complex and diverse as vision, movement, and thinking. Like anatomists, physiologists typically specialize in a particular branch of physiology. However, current advances in physiology usually depend on carefully designed laboratory experiments that reveal the functions of the many structures and chemical compounds that make up the human body. The study of physiology certainly includes observation, both with the naked eye and with microscopes, as well as manipulations and measurements. Homeostasis is the state of steady internal conditions maintained by living things. Much of the study of physiology centers on the body’s tendency toward homeostasis. Human physiology is the scientific study of the chemistry and physics of the structures of the body and the ways in which they work together to support the functions of life. Whereas anatomy is about structure, physiology is about function. For example, a systemic anatomical study of the muscular system would consider all of the skeletal muscles of the body. In contrast, systemic anatomy is the study of the structures that make up a discrete body system-that is, a group of structures that work together to perform a unique body function. ![]() ![]() Studying regional anatomy helps us appreciate the interrelationships of body structures, such as how muscles, nerves, blood vessels, and other structures work together to serve a particular body region. Regional anatomy is the study of the interrelationships of all of the structures in a specific body region, such as the abdomen. (credit a: “WriterHound”/Wikimedia Commons credit b: Micrograph provided by the Regents of University of Michigan Medical School © 2012)Īnatomists take two general approaches to the study of the body’s structures: regional and systemic. This is a micrograph of nerve cells from the brain. (b) Microscopic anatomy can deal with the same structures, though at a different scale. (a) Gross anatomy considers large structures such as the brain. As the technology of microscopes has advanced, anatomists have been able to observe smaller and smaller structures of the body, from slices of large structures like the heart, to the three-dimensional structures of large molecules in the body. Microscopic anatomy includes cytology, the study of cells and histology, the study of tissues. In contrast, micro– means “small,” and microscopic anatomy is the study of structures that can be observed only with the use of a microscope or other magnification devices (Figure 1 b). Macro– means “large,” thus, gross anatomy is also referred to as macroscopic anatomy. Gross anatomy is the study of the larger structures of the body, those visible without the aid of magnification (Figure 1 a). Like most scientific disciplines, anatomy has areas of specialization. These techniques allow clinicians to visualize structures inside the living body such as a cancerous tumor or a fractured bone. In order to observe structures in living people, however, a number of imaging techniques have been developed. ![]() Dissection is still used in medical schools, anatomy courses, and in pathology labs. When a body is dissected, its structures are cut apart in order to observe their physical attributes and their relationships to one another. Later, physicians were allowed to dissect bodies of the dead to augment their knowledge. The word “anatomy” comes from a Greek root that means “to cut apart.” Human anatomy was first studied by observing the exterior of the body and observing the wounds of soldiers and other injuries. Other larger structures can readily be seen, manipulated, measured, and weighed. Some of these structures are very small and can only be observed and analyzed with the assistance of a microscope. Human anatomy is the scientific study of the body’s structures. Discuss the fundamental relationship between anatomy and physiology.Compare and contrast anatomy and physiology, including their specializations and methods of study.
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