Compendium 1 - What is life? Flashcards
Function of serous membranes
- serous membranes line the cavities in the trunk of the body and cover the organs within these cavities
- parietal layers line the trunk cavity
- visceral layers line organs
Locations of serous membranes
- pericardium»_space; heart
- pleura»_space; lungs and thoracic cavity
- peritoneum»_space; abdominopelvic cavity
Properties of serous membranes
- have parietal and visceral layers
* there is lubrication between the two layers which is important for organs that move (no friction)
Why we divide the abdomen into quadrants and regions
- the abdomen is quite large, and dividing it into sections can make it easier to refer to different organs and to examine and study the abdomen
- helpful for clinical reasons
Quadrants of the abdomen (left to right)
- right upper
- left upper
- right lower
- left lower
Regions of the abdomen (left to right)
- right hypochondriac
- epigastric
- left hypochondriac
- right lumbar
- umbilical
- left lumbar
- right iliac
- hypogastric
- left iliac
Anterior cavities of the trunk
- thoracic
- abdominal
- pelvic
Pelvic cavity
- contains urinary bladder, parts of large intestine and reproductive organs
- not physically separated from abdominal cavity, but is enclosed by pelvic bones
Abdominal cavity
- largest cavity in the body
- separated from thoracic cavity by the diaphragm
- enclosed from the front by abdominal muscles
- contains stomach, intestines, liver, spleen, pancreas and kidneys
Thoracic cavity
- contains mediastinum (heart, thymus, oesophagus, trachea, blood vessels, nerves)
- also contains lungs
Anatomical directional terms (10 of them)
- superior: towards head (cephalic or cranial)
- inferior: towards feet (caudal)
- anterior: towards front (ventral)
- posterior: towards back (dorsal)
- proximal: near to point of attachment of limb
- distal: far from point of attachment of limb
- medial: towards vertical midline of body
- lateral: away from midline
- superficial: close to the surface of
- deep: towards the interior of
Planes (3 of them)
- sagittal (median): dividing body into left and right portions
- frontal (coronal): dividing body into anterior and posterior portions
- transverse (horizontal): dividing body into superior and inferior portions
Six levels of organisation
- chemical level (e.g. atoms of elements)
- cellular level (e.g. cells and organelles)
- tissue level (e.g. connective)
- organ level (e.g. stomach)
- organ system level (e.g. respiratory)
- organism (combination of systems, e.g. human)
Characteristics of a living organism
- organisation
- metabolism
- responsiveness
- growth
- development
- reproduction
Purpose of anatomical position
- it gives a point of reference to describe different parts of the body
- it is easy to describe the locations of different parts of the body using the anatomical terminology whilst in the anatomical position
Anatomy
• a discipline that investigates the structure of body parts and how they relate to each other
Physiology
• the study of the function of living things
Levels of anatomy
- gross anatomy (macroscopic)
- surface
- microscopic
- developmental
Gross anatomy (macroscopic)
- structures that can be examined without a microscope
- systemic: studying the body system by system
- regional: studying the body by area
Surface anatomy
- the study of the external body in relation to deeper structures (macroscopic)
- e.g. sternum and ribs can be seen from the outside of the body, and this can be a “landmark” to identify other structures inside body
Microscopic anatomy
• study of structures that are examined with a microscope (e.g. cytology, histology)
Developmental anatomy
• the study of structural changes in the body throughout the lifespan
Homeostasis
• maintaining a constant internal environment
Why we need serous membranes in the body
- to hold organs in place
- reduce friction of organs rubbing against each other
- fluids reduce this friction
Different levels of physiology
- molecular
- cellular
- systemic
- neurophysiology
- renal
- cardiovascular …
Characteristics of anatomical position
- standing erect
- face directed forward
- upper limbs by sides
- palms facing outwards
Supine and prone
- supine: lying face upward
* prone: lying face downward
