Anatomy

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Anatomy

Anatomy (from the Greek

Greek language

Greek is an Indo-European languages native to the southern Balkan peninsula, the language of the Greek people. It forms an independent branch within Indo-European....
anatomia, from ana: separate, apart from, and temnein, to cut up, cut open) is a branch of biology

Biology

Biology is a branch of the natural sciences concerned with the study of living organisms and their interaction with each other and their environment ....
that is the consideration of the structure of living things

Body plan

A body plan, or bauplan, is essentially the blueprint for the way the body of an organism is laid out. An organism's symmetry , its number of body segments and number of Limb are all aspects of its body plan....
. It is a general term that includes human anatomy

Human anatomy

Human anatomy, which, with physiology and biochemistry, is a complementary basic medical science is primarily the scientific study of the morphology of the adult human body....
, animal anatomy (zootomy

Zootomy

Zootomy is a contraction of zoological and anatomy. It refers to the dissection of animals as opposed to that of plants ...
) and plant anatomy

Plant anatomy

Plant Anatomy or phytotomy is the general term for the study of the internal Anatomy of plants. While originally it included plant morphology, which is the description of the physical form and external structure of plants, since the mid Twentieth Century the investigation of plant anatomy is considered a separate, distinct field, and re...
(phytotomy).

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Encyclopedia

Anatomy (from the Greek

Greek language

Biology

Body plan

Human anatomy

Zootomy

Zootomy is a contraction of zoological and anatomy. It refers to the dissection of animals as opposed to that of plants ...
) and plant anatomy

Plant anatomy

Embryology

Embryology is the study of the development of an embryo. An embryo is defined as any organism in a stage before birth or hatching, or in plants, before germination occurs....
, comparative anatomy

Comparative anatomy

Comparative anatomy is the study of similarities and differences in the anatomy of organisms. It is closely related to evolutionary biology and phylogeny ....
and comparative embryology

Phylogenetics

In biology, phylogenetics is the study of evolutionary relatedness among various groups of organisms , which is discovered through molecular sequencing data and morphological data matrices....
, through common roots in evolution

Evolution

In biology, evolution is change in the heritability trait of a population of organisms from one generation to the next. These changes are caused by a combination of three main processes: variation, reproduction, and selection....
.

Anatomy is subdivided into gross anatomy (or macroscopic anatomy) and microscopic anatomy. Gross anatomy (also called topographical anatomy, regional anatomy, or anthropotomy) is the study of anatomical structures that can be seen by unaided vision. Microscopic anatomy is the study of minute anatomical structures assisted with microscope

Microscope

A microscope is an Laboratory equipment for viewing objects that are too small to be seen by the naked or unaided eye. The science of investigating small objects using such an instrument is called microscopy....
s, which includes histology

Histology

Histology is the study of the anatomy of cell and tissue of plants and animals. It is performed by examining a thin slice of tissue under a light microscope or electron microscope....
(the study of the organization of tissues), and cytology

Cytology

Cytology means "the study of cell s".Cytology is that branch of life science, which deals with the study of cells in terms of structure, function and chemistry....
(the study of cells).

The history of anatomy

History of anatomy

The history of anatomy as a science extends from the earliest examinations of sacrifice victims to the sophisticated analyses of the body performed by modern scientists....
has been characterized, over time, by a continually developing understanding of the functions of organ

Organ (anatomy)

In biology, an organ is a biological tissue that performs a specific function or group of functions. Usually there is a main tissue and sporadic tissues....
s and structures in the body. Methods have also advanced dramatically, advancing from examination of animal

Animal

Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the Kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life....
s through dissection of cadaver

Cadaver

A cadaver is a dead human body.Cadaver may also refer to:* Cadaver tomb, tomb featuring an effigy in the form of a decomposing body* Cadaver , a video game...
s (dead human bodies) to technologically complex techniques developed in the 20th century.

Anatomy should not be confused with anatomical pathology

Anatomical pathology

or is a medical specialty that is concerned with the diagnosis of disease based on the gross examination, Histopathology, and Molecular pathology examination of organ , tissue , and whole bodies ....
(also called morbid anatomy or histopathology

Histopathology

Histopathology refers to the light microscope examination of tissue in order to study the manifestations of disease . Specifically, in clinical medicine, histopathology refers to the examination of a biopsy or surgical specimen by a pathology, after the specimen has been processed and histological sections have been placed onto glass slides....
), which is the study of the gross and microscopic appearances of disease

Disease

A disease or medical condition is an abnormal condition of an organism that impairs bodily functions, associated with specific symptoms and Medical signs....
d organ

Organ (anatomy)

In biology, an organ is a biological tissue that performs a specific function or group of functions. Usually there is a main tissue and sporadic tissues....
s.

Superficial anatomy

Superficial anatomy is a descriptive science dealing with anatomical features that can be studied by sight, without dissection an organism. In particular, in the case of human superficial anatomy, these are the form and proportions of the human body and the surface landmarks which correspond to deeper structures hidden from view, both in sta...
or surface anatomy is important in anatomy being the study of anatomical landmarks that can be readily seen from the contours or the surface of the body. With knowledge of superficial anatomy, physician

Physician

A physician, medical practitioner, doctor of medicine, or medical doctor practices medicine, and is concerned with maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease and injury....
s or veterinary surgeon

Veterinary surgeon

A veterinary surgeon is a veterinarian qualified in the UK and some other English language-speaking countries . In the UK, veterinary surgeons are regulated by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons or RCVS....
s gauge the position and anatomy of the associated deeper structures.

Human anatomy

Human anatomy, including gross human anatomy

Human anatomy

Morphology (biology)

The term morphology in biology refers to form, structure and configuration of an organism. This includes aspects of the outward appearance as well as the form and structure of the internal parts like bones and organs....
of the adult human

Human

A human being, also human or man, is a member of a species of bipedalism primates in the family Hominidae . Mitochondrial DNA evidence indicates that modern humans originated in east Africa about 200,000 years ago....
body.

Generally, students of certain biological sciences

Biology

Biology is a branch of the natural sciences concerned with the study of living organisms and their interaction with each other and their environment ....
, paramedic

Paramedic

A paramedic is a medical professional, usually a member of the emergency medical services, who primarily provides pre-hospital advanced Medical emergency and Physical trauma care....
s, physiotherapists

Physical therapy

Physical therapy is a health care profession which provides services to individuals and populations to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout life....
, occupational therapy

Occupational therapy

File:Occupational therapy psychiatric hospital.jpgOccupational Therapy, often abbreviated as "OT", incorporates meaningful and purposeful occupation to enable people with limitations or impairments to participate in everyday life....
, nurse

Nurse

A nurse is a healthcare professional, who along with other health care professionals, is responsible for the treatment, safety, and recovery of Acute or Chronic ill or injured people, health maintenance of the healthy, and treatment of life-threatening emergencies in a wide range of health care settings....
s, and medical students

Medical school

A medical school is a tertiary educational institution?or part of such an institution?that teaches medicine.In addition to a medical degree program, some medical schools offer programs leading to a Master's Degree, Doctor of Philosophy , or other post-secondary education....
learn gross anatomy and microscopic anatomy from anatomical models, skeletons, textbooks, diagrams, photographs, lectures and tutorials. The study of microscopic anatomy (or histology

Histology

Histology is the study of the anatomy of cell and tissue of plants and animals. It is performed by examining a thin slice of tissue under a light microscope or electron microscope....
) can be aided by practical experience examining histological preparations (or slides) under a microscope

Microscope

Dissection

Dissection is usually the process of disassembling and observing something to determine its internal structure and as an aid to discerning the function and relationships of its components....
and inspection of cadavers (dead human bodies).

Human anatomy

Human anatomy

Human anatomy, which, with physiology and biochemistry, is a complementary basic medical science is primarily the scientific study of the morphology of the adult human body....
, physiology

Physiology

Physiology is the study of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of living organisms. Physiology has traditionally been divided between plant physiology and animal and all living things physiology but the principles of physiology are universal, no matter what particular organism is being studied....
and biochemistry

Biochemistry

Biochemistry is the study of the chemistry processes in living organisms. It deals with the structure and function of cellular components such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids and other biomolecules....
are complementary basic medical sciences, which are generally taught to medical students in their first year at medical school. Human anatomy can be taught regionally or systemically; that is, respectively, studying anatomy by bodily regions such as the head and chest, or studying by specific systems, such as the nervous or respiratory systems. The major anatomy textbook, Gray's Anatomy

Gray's Anatomy

Henry Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body, commonly shortened to Gray's Anatomy, is an English language human anatomy textbook widely regarded as a classic work on the subject....
, has recently been reorganized from a systems format to a regional format, in line with modern teaching methods. A thorough working knowledge of anatomy is required by all medical doctors

Physician

Surgery

Surgery is a medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, to help improve bodily function or appearance, or sometimes for some other reason....
, and doctors working in some diagnostic specialities, such as histopathology

Histopathology

Radiology

Radiology is the branch or speciality of medicine that deals with the study and application of imaging technology like x-ray and radiation to diagnosing and treating disease....
.

Academic human anatomists are usually employed by universities, medical schools or teaching hospitals. They are often involved in teaching anatomy, and research into certain systems, organs, tissues or cells.

Other branches

Comparative anatomy

Comparative anatomy is the study of similarities and differences in the anatomy of organisms. It is closely related to evolutionary biology and phylogeny ....
relates to the comparison of anatomical structures (both gross and microscopic) in different animals.

Anthropological anatomy or physical anthropology relates to the comparison of the anatomy of different races of humans.

Artistic anatomy relates to anatomic studies for artistic reasons.

External links

promotes anatomical sciences.
promotes anatomical information from Argentine anatomists.
A society to promote communication among teachers of human anatomy and physiology in colleges, universities, and related institutions.
is an annual journal of clinical neuroanatomy.
is an annual journal of anatomical variations and clinical anatomy case reports.
Interactive atlas of whole human body cross-sectional anatomy.
An Interactive Cross-Sectional Anatomy Atlas
is a free study aid for must-know anatomy.
home page of the Dissection Team from Argentina.
A must-know site for everything anatomy
Mnemonics in Anatomy.

Anatomy

Superficial anatomy

Human anatomy

Other branches

See also

External links