Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology Flashcards
List and describe the anatomic terms of direction.
Left - individual’s left
Right - individual’s right
Cranial - toward the head end of the body
Rostral - toward the tip of the nose (head only)
Caudal - toward the tail end of the body
Dorsal - toward the back
Ventral - toward the belly
Medial - toward the median plane
Lateral - away from the medial plane
Deep (internal) - toward the centre (whole body or part)
Superficial (external) - toward the surface (full body or part)
Proximal - toward the body (extremity)
Distal - away from the body (extremity)
Palmar - “back” of forelimb from carpus distally
Plantar - “back” of hindlimb from tarsus distally
Dorsal - “front” of forelimb and hindlimb from carpus and tarsus distally
List and describe common regional terms for the body.
Barrel - the trunk of the body; formed by the rib cage and the abdomen
Brisket - Area at the base of the neck between the front legs that cover the cranial end of the sternum
Cannon - large metacarpal or metatarsal bone of hoofed animals
Fetlock - the joint between cannon bone (large metacarpal/metatarsal) and the proximal phalanx of hoofed animals
Flank - lateral surface of the abdomen between the last rib and the hind legs
Hock - tarsus
Knee - carpus of hooved animals
Muzzle - rostral part of the face formed mainly by the maxillary and nasal bones
Pastern - an area of the proximal phalanx of hoofed animals
Poll - top of the head between the bases of the ears
Stifle - femorotibial/femoropatellar joint; equivalent to human knees
Tailhead - dorsal part of the base of the tail
Withers - area dorsal to the scapula
Define the terms anatomy and physiology.
Anatomy - is the study of the form and structure of an animal body and its parts (healthy). Through anatomy, we can describe where things are located in or on the animal body and what they look like.
Physiology - is the study of the functions of the animal body and its parts. Through physiology, we can describe how parts of the body work and what their functions are.
Differentiate between microscopic and macroscopic anatomy.
Microscopic anatomy - is the study of anatomic parts too small to be seen with the unaided eye, such as cells and tissues.
Macroscopic anatomy - is also called gross anatomy; the study of body parts large enough to be seen without magnification, such as lung, leg, or brain.
Differentiate between the study of regional anatomy and the study of systemic anatomy.
Regional anatomy - is a method of studying anatomy that examines all the component structures that make up each region of the body. For example, the regional approach to abdominal anatomy would examine all the cells, tissues, organs, muscles, blood vessels, and nerves that are present in the abdomen.
Systemic anatomy - is a method of studying anatomy that examines each system of the body (e.g., skeletal system, reproductive system) as a separate topic.
Describe the four anatomic planes of reference.
Sagittal plane - a plane that runs the length of the body and divides it into left and right parts that are not necessarily equal halves.
Median plane - a special kind of sagittal plane that runs down the center of the body lengthwise and divides it into equal left and right halves. It could also be called a midsagittal plane, but that term is not commonly used.
Transverse plane - a plane across the body that divides it into cranial (head-end) and caudal (tail-end) parts that are not necessarily equal.
Dorsal plane - a plane at right angles to the sagittal and transverse planes. It divides the body into dorsal (toward the animal’s back) and ventral (toward the belly) parts that are not necessarily equal. If an animal stands in water with its body partially submerged, the surface of the water describes a dorsal plane. In humans, this plane is called the frontal plane.
List the components of the dorsal body cavity.
The dorsal body cavity contains the brain and spinal cord, that is, the central nervous system. It consists of two parts; a somewhat spherical cranial cavity in the skull and a long, narrow spinal cavity running down the spine.
List the components of the ventral body cavity.
The ventral body cavity is much larger than the dorsal one. It contains most of the soft organs (viscera) of the body. It is divided by the thin diaphragm muscle into the cranial thoracic cavity, also known as the thorax or chest, and the caudal abdominal cavity, also known as the abdomen.
List the 4 basic types of body tissue.
Epithelial tissue - is composed entirely of cells, and its main jobs are to cover body surfaces, secrete materials, and absorb materials.
Connective tissue - tissue made up of cells and extracellular substances that connect and support cells and other tissues.
Muscle tissue - a collection of tissues that support the body and enable it to move, thermoregulate, and transport materials. Some muscles may be controlled voluntarily, whereas others act involuntarily. Examples of involuntary muscle include cardiac and smooth muscle; voluntary muscle includes all of the skeletal muscles.
Nervous tissue - A collection of tissues that collect, process, and convey information. Nervous tissue includes the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. Sensory (afferent) nerves convey information about the body’s surroundings to the brain, whereas motor (efferent) nerves send instructions from the brain to the body. Some nervous tissues, called mixed nerves, can perform both functions.
Define homeostasis.
A state of equilibrium maintained in the body by feedback and regulatory processes in response to internal and external changes; the maintenance of balance in the body. The concept of homeostasis includes the many mechanisms that monitor critical levels and functions in the body and stimulate corrective actions when things stray from normal. By keeping important activities within relatively narrow ranges, the process of homeostasis helps maintain normal body structure, function, and therefore health.
How does the anatomy of a muscle or bone differ from its physiology? Which describes appearance and location and which describes function?
Anatomy deals with the form and structure of a muscle or bone. Physiology deals with their function.
How might abnormalities in an animal’s anatomy or physiology have a negative impact on its health and well-being?
The functions of the parts of an animal’s body are extremely interrelated. Therefore an abnormality with the anatomy or physiology of one part can affect other parts.
How does each of the anatomic planes of reference (sagittal, median, transverse, and dorsal) divide a cow’s body?
The sagittal plane divides the body into left and right parts, which are not necessarily equal.
The median plane divides it into equal left and right halves.
The transverse plane divides the body into cranial and caudal parts, which are not necessarily equal.
The dorsal plane divides the animal’s body at a right angle to the sagittal or transverse plane and divides the body into dorsal and ventral parts, which are not necessarily equal.
If you are facing a cat head-on, is its left ear on your left or right side?
Right side.
Why must the term rostral be used instead of cranial to describe structures on a hedgehog’s head, but the term caudal works just fine?
Caudal always means toward the tail end of the body. The cranium is part of the head, therefore the term cranial loses its meaning. Rostral specifically means toward the tip or nose.
