Knowledge of anatomy is essential to understand human biology and medicine. Anatomists and health care professionals use standard terminology to describe the human body with more precision and no ambiguity. Anatomical terms have mostly Greek and Latin-derived roots. Because these languages are rarely used in conversation, the meaning of words remains the same. Each term is made up of a root in between the prefixes and suffixes. The root of a term often refers to an organ, tissue, or condition,...

Tissues are a group of cells that share a common embryonic origin. Microscopic observation reveals that the cells in a tissue share morphological features and are arranged in an orderly pattern to perform specific functions. From an evolutionary perspective, tissues appear in more complex organisms. Although there are many types of cells in the human body, they are organized into four broad categories of tissues: epithelial, connective, muscle, and nervous. Each of these categories is...

It is convenient to consider the body's structures in terms of fundamental levels of organization that increase in complexity: subatomic particles, atoms, molecules, organelles, cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, and organisms.
To study the chemical level of organization, scientists consider the simplest building blocks of matter: subatomic particles, atoms, and molecules. All matter in the universe is composed of one or more unique pure substances called elements, familiar examples of...

Loose connective tissue is found between many organs. Its main function is to absorb shock and bind tissues together. It also allows water, salts, and various nutrients to diffuse into cells that are embedded in it or present in adjacent tissues.
Adipose Tissue
Adipose tissue consists primarily of fat storage cells called adipocytes and little extracellular matrix. A large number of capillaries present within adipose tissue allow rapid mobilization of lipid molecules. White adipose tissue is...

Regional terms describe anatomy by dividing the body parts into different regions that contain structures involved in contributing similar functions. Using these terms helps increase the accurate description and identification of the particular region of interest or region affected by the disease.
Primarily, the human body has two major regions, the axial and appendicular regions. The axial region comprises regions from the head to the abdomen and makes up the central body axis. In contrast,...

Human anatomy is the scientific study of the body's structures. Some of these structures are very small and can only be observed and analyzed with the assistance of a microscope. Other larger structures can readily be seen, manipulated, measured, and weighed. The word "anatomy" comes from a Greek root that means "to cut apart." Human anatomy was first studied by observing the body's exterior and the wounds of soldiers and other injuries. Later, physicians were allowed to...