What is anatomy

Tissue Definition Tissues are groups of cells that have a similar structure and act together to perform a specific function. The word tissue comes from a form of an old French verb meaning “to weave”. There are four different types of tissues in animals: connective, muscle, nervous, and epithelial. In plants, tissues are divided into three types: vascular, ground, and epidermal. Groups of tissues make up organs in the body such as the brain and heart. Types of Animal Tissues Connective Connective tissue connects or separates groups of other tissues. It is found in between all the other tissues and organs in the body. Connective tissue is made up of cells and ground substance, which is a gel that surrounds cells. Most connective tissue, except for lymph and blood, also contains fibers, which are long, narrow proteins. Fibers can be collagenous, which bind bones to tissues; elastic, which allow organs like the lungs to move; or reticular, which provide physical support to cells. Connective tissue also allows oxygen to diffuse from blood vessels into cells. About 1 in 10 people are have a disorder involving connective tissue. Some connective tissue disorders include sarcomas, Marfan syndrome, lupus, and scurvy, which is a Vitamin C deficiency that leads to fragile connective tissue. Muscle Muscle tissue comprises all the muscles in the body, and the specialized nature of the tissue is what allows muscles to contract. There are three types of muscle tissue: skeletal muscle, ca...

All Subjects • Anatomy and Chemistry Basics • • • • • • • • • • • The Cell • • • • • • • • • Tissues • • • • • • • • • • The Integumentary System • • • • • • • • • • • Bones and Skeletal Tissues • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • The Skeletal System • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Articulations • • • Muscle Tissue • • • • • • • • • • • • The Muscular System • • • • • • • • • Nervous Tissue • • • • • • • • • • • The Nervous System • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • The Sensory System • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • The Endocrine System • • • • • • • • • The Cardiovascular System • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • The Lymphatic System • • • • • • • • • The Immune System and Other Body Defenses • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • The Respiratory System • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • The Digestive System • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • The Urinary System • • • • • • • • • • • The Reproductive System • • • • • • • Anatomy and Physiology Quizzes What Is Anatomy and Physiology? Anatomy is the study of the structure and relationship between body parts. Physiology is the study of the function of body parts and the body as a whole. Some specializations within each of these sciences follow: • Gross (macroscopic) anatomy is the study of body parts visible to the naked eye, such as the heart or bones. • Histology is the study of tissues at the microscopic level. • Cytology is the study of cells at the microscopic level. • Neurophysiolog...

Overview What is the 20-week ultrasound? A 20-week ultrasound, sometimes called an anatomy scan or anomaly scan, is a What is the 20-week anatomy scan looking for? A 20-week ultrasound takes measurements of your fetal organs and body parts to make sure the fetus is growing appropriately. The scan also looks for signs of specific congenital disabilities or structural issues with certain organs. Some specific parts your provider will examine are the fetal: • Heart. • Brain, neck and spine. • Kidneys and bladder. • Arms and legs. • Hands, fingers, feet and toes. • Lips, chin, nose, eyes and face. • Chest and lungs. • Stomach and intestines. The ultrasound technician will also: • Listen to the fetal heart rate for abnormal rhythms. • Check the umbilical cord for blood flow and where it attaches to the placenta. • Look at the placenta to make sure it’s not covering your cervix (placenta previa). • Check your uterus, ovaries and cervix. • Measure the amount of amniotic fluid. Several images are taken during this ultrasound. You will see the sonographer draw lines on the screen. This line acts as a ruler, documenting the sizes of organs and limbs. They compare these measurements against your due date. In some cases, you might hear you are measuring ahead, on track or behind your due date. If fetal measurements are within 10 to 14 days of the predicted due date, then the fetus is considered to be developing adequately. Your due date will not change unless the fetus measures outsid...

Overview The thoracic spine starts at the base of your neck and ends at the bottom of your ribs. What is the thoracic spine? Your spine (backbone) is the long, flexible column of bones that protects your spinal cord. It begins at the base of your skull and ends in your tailbone, which is part of your pelvis. Your spine consists of three sections: • Cervical spine (neck). • Thoracic spine (upper and middle back). • Lumbar spine (lower back). Your thoracic spine is the middle section of your spine. It starts at the base of your neck and ends at the bottom of your ribs. It’s the longest section of your spine. Your thoracic spine consists of 12 vertebrae, labeled T1 through T12. Vertebrae are the 33 individual, interlocking bones that form your spinal column. These bones help protect your spinal cord from injury while allowing you to twist and turn. Between the vertebral bones are disks that provide cushioning for your vertebrae and flexibility for you. Your thoracic spine is also surrounded by muscles, nerves, tendons and ligaments that help with movement and flexibility. Your spinal cord runs through the center of your entire spine. It sends and receives messages from your brain, which controls all aspects of your body’s functions. Function What is the function of the thoracic spine? Your thoracic spine has several important functions, including: • Protecting your spinal cord and branching spinal nerves: The nerves of your spinal cord pass through a large hole (called the ve...

Mohammed Haneefa Nizamudeen/iStock/Getty Images Anatomy Each person has two kidneys. The kidneys are located on either side of the spine, with the top of each kidney beginning around the 11th or 12th rib space. The kidneys are sandwiched between the diaphragm and the intestines, closer to the back side of the abdomen. Roughly the size of a closed fist, each kidney measures about 10 to 12 centimeters long, 5 to 7 centimeters wide, and 3 to 5 centimeters thick. Each kidney is connected to the bladder through a ureter. The ureter brings waste products—urine—to the bladder, where it is stored until it leaves the body through the urethra. Together, all of these organs make up the renal system. As the blood passes through the kidneys, the vessels that carry the blood get smaller and smaller until they deliver blood to the nephrons. Each kidney contains about 1.3 million nephrons, which do the filtering work of the kidneys. Within each nephron, there is a microscopic filtration unit consisting of an exterior capsule—Bowman's capsule—and a network of tiny capillaries called glomerulus. As blood moves through the capillary network, or glomerulus, larger components are filtered out by tiny finger-like structures and the remaining blood passes to Bowman's capsule. From there, the filtered blood collects in Bowman's capsule until it is transferred to a system of tubules. While in the tubules, liquid and solutes will diffuse through additional layers of filtration. Some liquids and sol...

The back supports the body’s weight and allows for flexible movement while protecting vital organs and nerve structures. It comprises the spine, nerves, and other crucial elements. Problems with the back can affect the whole body. This article looks at the anatomy of the back, including bones, muscles, and nerves. It also covers some common conditions and injuries that can affect the back. The back comprises the spine and spinal nerves, as well as several different muscle groups. The sections below will cover these elements in more detail. Spine The spine is composed of Facet joints connect each vertebra, with fluid supporting the free movement of these joints. A disk sits in-between each vertebra to cushion the bones from any shocks. The spine consists of five sections. From the top of the spine to the bottom, these sections are: • The cervical spine: The cervical spine is the top part of the spine. It runs from the neck to the upper back. It consists of • The thoracic spine: The thoracic spine is the middle part of the spine, connecting the cervical and lumbar spine. It has • The lumbar spine: The lumbar spine is the lower part of the back. It is made up of • The sacrum: The sacrum is the bottom part of the spine, which connects to the hip bones. The sacrum has • The coccyx: The coccyx is the base, or tailbone, of the spine. This consists of Ligaments are tough, flexible bands of connecting tissue that join bones to other bones. Two of the main ligaments in the back are ...

Modern comparative Since Darwin’s time, the study of comparative anatomy has centred largely on body structures that are homologous—i.e., ones in different species that have the same evolutionary origin regardless of their present-day function. Such structures may look quite different and perform different tasks, but they can still be traced back to a common structure in an animal that was ancestral to both. For example, the forelimbs of humans, birds, This article was most recently revised and updated by