Anatomical Terms Flashcards
Anatomical planes are what?
- imaginary slices through animal bodies
- used as reference points to describe positions or to indicate how a part of the body is being viewed
What are the three basic planes?
dorsal plane
transverse plane
sagittal plane - median plane
What is the dorsal plane?
divides the body into dorsal (top) and ventral (bottom) parts
What is the transverse plane?
divides the body into cranial (front) and caudal (rear)
What is sagittal plane and median plane?
divides the body into left and right parts
Median plane is the sagittal plane that divides the body into equal left and right halves
What does cranial mean?
toward the head (cranium) Also the “front” surface of a limb proximal to the carpus or tarsus
What does caudal mean?
toward the tail. Also the “back” surface of a limb proximal to the carpus or tarsus
What does rostral mean?
toward the tip of the nose (used only on the head) (rostrum)
What does dorsal mean?
means toward the backbone (top) surface
What does ventral mean?
means toward the belly (bottom) surface of the body
What does medial mean?
means towards the median plane
What does lateral mean?
means away from the medial plane
What does the median surface of a limb mean?
is the inside surface
What does the lateral surface mean?
is the outside surface
What does deep or internal mean?
means towards the center of the body or a body part
What does superficial or external mean?
means toward the surface of the body or a body part
Proximal and distal are only used for?
appendages
Proximal means?
toward the attachment of the appendage to the body
Distal means?
away from the attachment to the body
Palmar means?
ground/back surface of front limb distal to the carpus
Plantar means?
Ground/back surface of hind limb distal to the tarus
What does Anatomy mean?
the form and structure of the body and its parts
What is physiology?
the function of the body and its parts
What are the approaches to the study of Anatomy and Physiology?
Microscopic anatomy - deals with structures so small we need a microscope to see them clearly Macroscopic anatomy - also called gross anatomy - deals with body parts large enough to be seen with the unaided eye, such as organs, muscles, and bones Regional anatomy (individual regions) vs. systematic anatomy (individual systems)