Anatomy

Anatomy is the study of the structures of organisms and how their parts relate to one another. It examines organization from whole body systems down to tissues and cells.

Organ system: A group of organs that work together to perform major functions in an organism. Organ systems organize anatomical structures into coordinated functional units.
Dissection: The systematic separation of body structures to examine their form and relationships. Dissection exposes structures and their spatial connections directly.
Clinical anatomy: The application of anatomical knowledge to medical examination, diagnosis, and treatment. It connects structural knowledge directly to clinical decisions.
Herophilus: An ancient Greek physician in Alexandria associated with systematic human dissection. His anatomical investigations helped establish early human dissection as a method.
Physiology: The study of how living organisms and their parts function. Physiology emphasizes what structures do, while anatomy describes their form and arrangement.
Organ: A body structure made of multiple tissue types that performs one or more functions. Organs are the principal structures anatomy locates within body systems.
Histology: The study of tissues using microscopic examination. Microscopy extends anatomical description below the scale visible to the naked eye.
Surface anatomy: The study of external body landmarks and their relationships to underlying structures. Palpable landmarks help locate deeper structures during examination and procedures.
Galen: A second-century Greek physician whose writings shaped medicine and anatomy for centuries. His animal-based anatomical accounts strongly influenced later understandings of the human body.
Embryology: The study of organisms during development before birth or hatching. Embryology follows structures as they form rather than focusing chiefly on mature arrangement.

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