Themes Of Anatomy And Physiology

Chapter 1 of Anatomy & Physiology, The Unity of Form and Function (Eighth Edition) by Saladin is an introduction to the major themes of Anatomy and Physiology. These themes include the history and origin of Anatomy and Physiology, the scientific method, origins and adaptations of humans, structure and functions of the human body and medical terminology. Anatomy is the study of the body and its structures. Examination of these structures can be performed in several ways. Visual examination includes palpation, which is feeling the body; auscultation, which is listening to the body; percussion, which is tapping the body; exploratory surgery, which involves surgically examining internal structures to find and repair damaged or malfunctioning

It explains subtle changes in the human body over extensive periods of time. For example, early man was covered with hair to provide protection from the cold. Modern man has much less hair because we have buildings with heating. The hair we do have is vestigial, or remnants of evolutionary development. The human body is made of atoms that form molecules, which form organelles, that make cells, which form tissues, that form organs, that make up organ systems, which creates an organism. Properties of living things include organization, cellular composition, metabolism, responsiveness and movement, homeostasis, development, reproduction and evolution. Medical terminology is mostly formed from Greek and Latin roots. Terms named for people and are called eponyms. Medical terms can be understood by dissecting them. A root word is used in conjunction with a combining vowel, prefix and/or a suffix to form the term. By learning the meanings of the word parts, most medical terms can be deciphered. Acronyms are often used for common medical terms by using the first letters of each word to create a new word or abbreviation. For example, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, is much better known by its acronym,