BIO 15: Survey of Anatomy and

Physiology

Spring 2010
Instructor: Leslie Bach

Outline

Course introduction

Levels of organization

Body regions

Planes and sections

Body cavities

Abdominopelvic quadrants

Homeostasis

Introduction

Syllabus

Course outline

Lab sections

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Anatomy and Physiology

Anatomy – the structure (morphology) of the

body and its parts

Physiology – the functions of these parts of
the body

Anatomy and physiology are closely
interrelated because the function of a part
depends on its structure

Anatomy Terms

Anatomy Terms

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Anatomy Terms

Bilateral – paired structures, one on each

side of the body

Ipsilateral – structures on the same side of
the body

Contralateral – structures on opposite sides
of the body

Superficial – near the surface

Deep – more internal

Planes and Sections of the Body

Levels of Organization

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Levels of Organization

Atoms are the simplest level

Two or more atoms comprise a molecule

Macromolecules are large, biologically important
molecules inside cells

Organelles are aggregates of macromolecules used
to carry out a specific function in the cell

Cells are the basic unit of life

Tissues are groups of cells functioning together

Groups of tissues form organs

Groups of organs function together as organ systems

Organ systems functioning together make up an
organism

Organization of the Body

Major features of the human body include:

 Body cavities
 Membranes
 Organ systems

Body Cavities

The body is divided into two portions

 Appendicular portion – upper and lower limbs
 Axial portion – head, neck and truck

The axial portion includes a dorsal and
ventral cavity
 Organs within the ventral cavity are called viscera

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 Body Cavities

Dorsal
cavity

Body Cavities

The dorsal cavity includes:

 Cranial cavity
 Vertebral canal

The ventral cavity includes:
 Thoracic cavity

Divided into right and left halves by the mediastinum
 Abdominopelvic cavity

Divided into the abdominal cavity and pelvic cavity

Thoracic and Abdominopelvic Membranes

The thoracic cavity is lined with pleura
 Parietal pleura lines the cavities
 Visceral pleura covers the lungs

The heart is surrounded by pericardium
 Visceral pericardium covers the heart
 Parietal pericardium makes up an outer sac

The abdominopelvic cavity is lined with
peritoneum
 Parietal peritoneum lines the cavity wall
 Visceral peritoneum covers the organs

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Abdominopelvic Quadrants

The
abdominopelvic
cavity can be
divided into four
quadrants

Abdominopelvic Regions

The abdominopelvic
cavity can also be
divided into nine
regions

Eleven Systems of the Body

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Body Covering

Integumentary system – skin, hair, nails, and

various glands
 Covers the body, senses changes outside the
body, and helps regulate body temperature

Support and Movement

The skeletal system – made of bones,

cartilage, and ligaments
 Supports, protects, provides framework, stores
inorganic salts, and houses blood-forming tissues

The muscular system – made of skeletal
muscles
 Provide body movement, posture, and body heat

Integration and Coordination

The nervous system – the brain, spinal cord,

nerves, and sense organs
 Integrates information incoming from receptors
and sends impulses to muscles and glands
 Sends fairly short-term messages to cells

The endocrine system – all of the glands that
secrete hormones
 Integrates metabolic functions
 Sends long-term messages to target cells

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Transport

Cardiovascular system – the heart, blood

vessels, and blood
 Distributes oxygen and nutrients throughout the
body and removes wastes from the cells

Lymphatic system – lymphatic vessels, lymph
nodes, thymus, and spleen
 Drains excess tissue fluid and includes immune
cells

Absorption and Excretion

Digestive system – mouth, esophagus,

stomach, intestines, and accessory organs
 Receives, breaks down, and absorbs nutrients

Respiratory system – lungs and
passageways
 Exchanges gasses between the blood and air

Urinary system – kidneys, ureters, bladder,
urethra
 Removes wastes from the blood and helps to
maintain water and electrolyte balance

Reproduction

Reproductive system - produces new

organisms
 Male reproductive system – testes, accessory
organs, and vessels that conduct sperm through
the penis
 Female reproductive system – ovaries, uterine
tubes, uterus, vagina, and external genitalia

Also houses the developing offspring

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Homeostasis

Homeostasis – maintaining the internal environment

Homeostasis

Changes at the cellular level occur due to

external and internal variables, but are kept
relatively small

Stability due to coordinated physiological
processes

Homeostasis

All of the chemicals, molecules, and

macromolecules needed are regulated by
homeostatic mechanisms
 Keeps the balance between intake of the
substance and its loss by metabolism or excretion

Factors such as temperature, energy, blood
pressure, and pH are also regulated

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Homeostasis

Negative feedback systems

 An increase or decrease in the variable being
regulated brings about responses that tend to
move the variable in the opposite direction of the
original change
 A decrease in body temperature  responses
that increase body temperature
 Most common homeostatic mechanisms

Homeostasis

Homeostasis

Negative feedback loops are self-correcting

Over time, responses will naturally come to
equilibrium

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Homeostasis

Feedforward regulation
 Anticipates changes in a regulated variable
 Improves the speed of homeostatic responses
 Reduces changes in the regulated variable

Example: External temperature lowers
 Nerve sensors in the skin sense the change in
temperature
 Homeostatic response is triggered to conserve
and increase temperature before internal
temperature changes significantly

Homeostasis

Circadian rhythms
 Not just about sleeping; rhythms exist for most
biological processes
 Can provide some measure of predictive control
of homeostatic mechanisms

Sets up certain systems to be prepared when a
challenge is most likely

Homeostasis

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Homeostasis

Positive feedback systems

 An initial disturbance to a variable leads to
responses that increase the disturbance
 Does not favor system stability

Homeostasis

Positive feedback systems amplify the change from

the normal

If thermoregulation used positive feedback, we
would get hotter in hot weather and colder in cold
weather

Homeostasis

Examples of positive feedback systems:

 Blood clotting

Activated platelets release chemicals to activate more
platelets
 Breast milk production

Nursing releases hormone cascades that result in
increased milk production
 Contractions in childbirth

Oxytocin is released during contractions, which
stimulates more contractions at increased strength and
frequency

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Homeostasis

Acclimatization
 The process of adapting to environmental stress
by prolonged exposure to that stress
 Sometimes reversible, sometimes irreversible

Developmental acclimatization during the development
of certain structures or responses can lead to
irreversible changes

Homework 1

1. Define homeostasis.

2. Explain the control of body temperature.

3. Explain the difference between the axial and
appendicular portions of the body.

4. Sketch the outline of a human body, and use lines
to indicate each of the following sections:
 Sagittal
 Transverse
 Coronal

Next Lecture

Lecture topic: Chemistry

 Atomic structure
 Chemical bonds
 Chemical formulas
 Chemical reactions

Textbook chapter: 2

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