Human Anatomy Series

Anatomy versus Physiology, What’s the Difference?

Here’s an analogy that might help:  Instead of the human body, imagine you were going to learn how a car works.  First you would be taught what all the parts are called, what they look like and where they go.  That’s Anatomy.  After you have been acquainted with what everything looks like, then you could learn what they do and how they function all together with the other parts.  That’s Physiology.

The Basics.  Start here.  This is your Foundation.

• Intro to human anatomy
• The building blocks of cells

Epithelial and Connective Tissue

• Basics of Epithelial Tissue
• Eight types of Epithelial Tissue
• Detailed Features of Epithelia
• Connective Tissue Basics
• Three Types of Membrane

Skin, Hair, Nails, Sweat Glands

• Integumentary System Part 1
• Integumentary System Part 2

The Skeletal System

• Cartilage and Bones
• Geography of the Skull
• Special parts of the skull
• The Vertebral Column
• Thoracic Cage, Ribs, Fontanelles

The Muscular System

• Muscles of the Head
• Muscles of the Neck and Vertebral Column
• Muscles of the thorax for breathing and the pelvic floor (The Diaphragm)
• Muscles of the Abdominal Wall
• Muscles of the Forearm

The Central Nervous System (the brain)

• Fundamentals of the Nervous System and Nervous Tissue
• CNS: Intro to Brain and Ventricles, Medulla Oblongata, Pons, Mid-Brain and Cerebellum
• Central Nervous System: Spinal Cord
• The Diencephalon
• The Cerebral Hemispheres
• Functional Areas of The Cerebral Cortex
• Cerebral White Matter and Gray Matter and Basal Ganglia
• The Limbic System and the Reticular Formation
• Protection for the Brain: Meninges, CSF, Blood-Brain Barrier
• Disorders of the Central Nervous System

The Peripheral Nervous System

• Peripheral Nervous System: Cranial Nerves
• Peripheral Nervous System: Spinal Nerves and Plexuses
• Innervation of the skin: Dermatomes

The Autonomic Nervous System

• The Autonomic Nervous System (Includes sympathetic and parasymphathetic systems)
• Visceral Sensory Neurons and Referred Pain

Special Senses

• Chemical Sense: Taste (Gustation)
• Chemical Sense: Smell (Olfaction)
• The Eye and Vision

 The Cardiovascular System

• Intro to the Heart
• Blood Flow of the Heart (Circulation Flow)
• Myocardium
• Conducting System of the Heart (Nervous Impulse Flow)
• The Four Corners of the Heart
• Layers of the Pericardium, Heart Wall and Spiral Arrangement
• Function of the Atrioventricular and Semilunar Valves
• Blood Components, Hemoglobin, Type/Rh Factor, Agglutination
• Blood Vessels

Specialized Systems

• The Endocrine System (Pituitary, Thyroid, Pancreas, Adrenal, Gonads, etc)
• The Lymphatic System (Spleen, Thymus, Lymphatic vessels, nodes etc)
• The Respiratory System (Lungs, Alveoli, Bronchi, Trachea, Larynx, Nasal cavities, etc)
• The Immune System
• The Urinary System: Kidneys
• The Urinary System: Ureter and Urinary Bladder

What systems are missing?

The bones and blood vessels are incomplete, and it’s missing the joints, the digestive system (e.g. stomach, intestine, liver, gallbladder, pancreas), the ear and male/female reproductive system.

If I get around to filling these in, I will add them to this list, but as of right now, I’m making sure the ones I have already are in tip-top shape. Be sure to share this page with your fellow anatomy class peers!  Let me know if you would like me to continue the series so I know you exist.