Anatomical PositionsAdvanced Biology

Class NotesMrs. Morgan

Human BodyOrganization

• Human Body is organized into 2 main sections– Each section has cavities which house

organs

• Viscera: organs within a cavity

Body Sections

Axial Skeleton: head, neck and trunk

Appendicular Skeleton: upper and lower limbs

Body Cavities

Cranial cavity - houses the brain

Vertebral canal - houses the spinal cord

The Axial Skeleton is made up of 4 cavities

Body Cavities

Thoracic cavity - above the diaphragm (houses heart and lungs)

Abdominopelvic cavity - below the diaphragm (houses digestive/urinary organs)

Abdominopelvic Cavity

This cavity is broken into 9

regions shown at

right

Types of Body Cavities

• Open cavities: open to the outside environment, lined with mucous membrane– Examples: digestive and respiratory

• Closed cavities: do not open to the outside, lined with serous membranes– Example: cavities with heart, liver, etc.

Anatomical Positioning

Correct anatomical positioning of a body is

as follows: •standing upright•facing forward•arms at the side •palms facing upward

Anatomical Terminology

• Common terms used to describe the positioning of body parts

•Superior - above•Inferior - below•Anterior - in front of•Posterior - behind

More anatomical Positioning

• Proximal - closer to the middle• Distal - further from the middle• Medial - toward the middle• Lateral - to the side

– Ipsilateral: on the same side– Contralateral: on the opposite side

More Anatomical Positioning

• Superficial - on the surface• Deep - below the surface

This is deep (yuck, internal rat organs!)

Body SectionsSagittal Section - lengthwise

cut dividing the body into right and left halves

Transverse Section - crosswise cut dividing the body into inferior and superior portions

Coronal Section - frontwise cut dividing the body into anterior and posterior portions