This table represents some common Latin and Greek roots used in anatomy and physiology: English Form Okay, it’s test time! Take advantage of the test itself. You may find that the answer to an exam question that stumps you is revealed — at least partially — in the phrasing of a subsequent question. Stay alert to these blessed little gifts even when you think that you already understand all the anatomical structures and physiological processes. You won’t be the first student to change an answer after working your way through an exam. Review your mistakes Scientifically speaking, human biology isn’t more or less complex, specialized, or cosmically significant than the biology of any other species, and all are interdependent. Every species of animal, plant, and fungus on the planet has both anatomy and physiology. So does each species of protist (one-celled creatures, like amoebae and the plasmodia that cause malaria). At the cellular level (see Chapter 3), all these groups are astoundingly similar. At the levels of tissues, organs, and organ systems (the provenance of anatomy and physiology), plants are very different from animals, and both plants and animals are equally dissimilar to fungi.

Since the early 1990s, neuroscientists have been using a type of specialized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, called functional MRI (fMRI), to acquire images of the brain. Functional imaging enables scientists to watch a patient’s or research subject’s thoughts as he or she is thinking them! This aspect of medical imaging has profound implications. Thoracic cavity:The chest or thorax; contains the heart, lungs, and their associated structures, as well as the esophagus and several glands PartI introduces the basics of human anatomy and physiology: the fundamental concepts of organismal biology and cell biology, some elementary terminology, and some hints about the scope and utility of anatomical and physiological knowledge. Unlike with other sciences, you don’t always have to go to a lab to perform experiments. You may have one, or even a pair, of anatomical structures close by to investigate. You discover some of the body functions that have been happening right under your nose — and in some cases right inside your nose — all your life. Chapter 1 Anatomy and Physiology: The Big Picture In This ChapterStop reading for a minute. Stand up straight. Look forward. Let your arms hang down at your sides with your palms facing forward. You are now in anatomical position (see Figure 1-1). Whenever you see an anatomical drawing, the body is in this position. Using this position as the standard removes confusion. Biologists take for granted that human anatomy and physiology evolved from the anatomy and physiology of ancient forms. These scientists base their work on the assumption that every structure and process, no matter how tiny in scope, must somehow contribute to the survival of the individual. So each process — and the structures within which the chemistry and physics of the process actually happen — must help keep the individual alive and meeting the relentless challenges of a continually changing environment. Evolution favors processes that work. Following are ten key things you can start doing today to ensure success not only in anatomy and physiology but in any number of other classes. Write down important stuff in your own words

Why does science have so many funny words? Why can’t scientists just say what they mean, in plain English? Good question, with short and long answers. Creating better communication The cardiovascular system is composed of the heart and the blood vessels. These structures work together to circulate blood to every cell in the body. The blood plays a key role in the immune system, transporting antibodies, white blood cells, and other factors that protect the body against foreign invaders. The dorsal cavity consists of two cavities that contain the central nervous system. The first is the cranial cavity, the space within the skull that holds your brain. The second is the spinal cavity, the space within the vertebrae where the spinal cord runs through your body.

Adam Bede

Species Sapiens: All species are given a two-part Latin name, in which the genus name comes first and a species epithet comes second. The biologists who name species sometimes try to use a descriptor in the epithet. For humans, they could have chosen bipedal or talking or hairless, but they chose thinker. The basic organs of the human reproductive system are the gonads, which are testes in males and ovaries in females. The male gametes, called spermatozoa or sperm, are produced in the testes, two plum-sized organs that lie in an external sac called the scrotum. The scrotum and the penis are the external reproductive organs in the human male. Spermatozoa are stored in the epididymis, which is connected to the testes by a series of ducts that end in the urethra, a hollow canal leading from the bladder and serving as the common tract for urine and semen.