Term | Definition |
superior | above, in an up ward direction, toward the head |
anterior (ventral) | in front of or before, the front side of the body |
posterior (dorsal) | toward the back, back side of the body |
cephalic | pertaining to the head |
medial | nearest the midline or middle |
lateral | to the side, away from the middle |
proximal | nearest the point of attachment or near the beginning of a structure |
distal | away from the point of attachment or far from the beginning of a structure |
anterior or ventral | if the body was sliced down a coronal or frontal plane, the front would be referred as the |
posterior or dorsal | if the body was sliced down a coronal or frontal plane, the back would be referred to as the |
superior, cranial, or cephalic | if a transverse or horizontal plane were used, the area above the plane would be referred to as either |
inferior or caudal | if a transverse or horizontal plane were used, the area below the plane would be referred to as either |
lateral | areas farther from the medial or midsagittal plane are |
medial | areas closer to the medial or midsagittal plane are |
distal | when referring to point relative to where the arms & legs attach to the body, those farther away are |
proximal | when referring to point relative to where the arms & legs attach to the body, those closer are |
anatomy | the study of the structure of an organism |
physiology | the study of the function of an organism |
pathophysiology | the study of diseases and disorders |
homeostasis | the body & its system work together to maintain a constant state of balance in which all systems of the body work together & function cohesively |
diseases & disorder form in the body | when homeostasis is not maintained & an imbalance occurs, what happens |
body temp, nutrient & waste concentrations, & salinity & acidity | are examples of mechanisms that our bodies use to sustain life |
dorsal cavity | located along the back of the body & head, contains organs of the nervous system |
ventral cavity | located along the front of the body, contains the body organs that sustain homeostasis |