Anatomy and Physiology Basics
Anatomy comes from Greek words meaning "to cut apart" and focuses on studying body structures - their shapes, sizes, and characteristics. We can divide anatomy into two types: gross anatomy (visible to the naked eye) and microanatomy (requires a microscope), which includes histology (tissue study) and cytology (cell study).
While anatomy tells us what body parts look like, physiology explains how they actually work. Physiology examines functions like how muscles contract, how we run, and how our heart pumps blood. It considers specific systems like renal physiology (kidneys), neurophysiology (nervous system), and cardiovascular physiology (heart and blood vessels).
Understanding physiology often requires knowledge of physics, which explains concepts like electrical currents, blood pressure, and how muscles use bones for movement. The relationship between structure and function is key - knowing a part's anatomy helps explain its physiology.
💡 If anatomy is like a map of the body, physiology is the instruction manual that explains how all the parts work together!