1 Introduction to Anatomy
INTRODUCTION
You will notice that throughout the following chapters, we focus on the very basics of human anatomy. While human anatomy has many different components, they can be organized based on complexity. Each system can be broken into organs which are made of tissues, consisting of various types of cells which are ultimately composed of chemicals.
Chemical < Cell < Tissue < Organ < System
Figure 1 Hierarchy of anatomical components
Table 1 Description of the of the hierarchy of anatomical compenents
| Hierarchy | Description: |
| Chemical | The most basic unit of anatomy (water, HCL, sodium). |
| Cellular | The smallest unit of life composed of several chemicals and molecules (chief cell, neuron, B-cell) |
| Tissue | A collection of different types of cells (epithelial, nervous, connective, muscular). |
| Organ | A collection of tissues forming a specialized unit performing a function (gall bladder, stomach, pancreas). |
| System | A set of organs working together to perform a function or task (digestive system, respiratory system). |
| Organism | The culmination of systems, organs, tissues, cells and chemicals which compose a life form (humans, cows). |
Anatomical systems:
As mentioned above, your very existence requires the cohesion and execution of several systems. Your nervous system senses and interprets the cold air of the air conditioning, your digestive system is processing your last meal, and the muscles in your fingers are scrolling through this chapter. The human body is vast! We can simplify it by breaking it down into systems.
A system is an organization of organs and tissues that work together like a well-oiled machine to fulfill a specific function. By the end of this manual, you should have a basic understanding of each of the systems identified below:
Table 2 Anatomical systems
| Digestive | Endocrine | Reproductive |
| Urinary | Muscular | Skeletal |
| Nervous | Visual | Lymphatic |
Congrats! You have officially completed your first chapter of MacAnatomy. Now, let’s head onto sectioning planes!