Anatomical Position
Body is standing erect with feet facing forward, face forward, palms of hands facing forward, arms at sides, and fingers adducted
Supine
body is lying down on back, face up
Prone
body is lying down on belly, face down
Anterior
toward the front portion of the body; the same side as your stomach;view of the body from the front
Posterior
toward the back portion of the body; opposite side of the stomach
Superior
a structure is above another; or is closer to the head when the body is in an anatomical posititon
Inferior
a structure is below another
medial
toward the middle. Also, towards the body's or structure's midline or longitudinal axis.
lateral
away from the middle or toward the sides. also, away from the body's or structure's midline or longitudinal axis. View of the body from the side.
proximal
toward the body's core or axial skeleton attachment. sometimes meaning towards the head
distal
away from the body's core or axial skeleton attachment. sometimes meaning away from the head.
superficial
relatively closer to the body's surface
deep
further inward from the body's surface
ventral
toward the front or belly side
dorsal
toward the back side
cranial or cephalic
the head or toward the head in relative terms
caudal
the tail or coccyx in humans; or towards the tail in relative terms.
plane
an imaginary flat surface representing the orientation of a blade when sectioning or slicing a body
transverse section
perpendicular to the vertical positioning of the body
vertical section
parallel to the vertical positioning of the body
sagittal section
separates into left and right divisions of the body
midsagittal section
divide the structures in half from the midline, equally separating left and right portions.
parasagittal section
also divides the body into left and right hemispheres, but off from the midline, making the hemispheres offset from the other side.
frontal section
the section that divides the anterior and posterior structures from one another
integumentary system
Consists of the skin, mucous membranes, hair, and nail
skeletal system
Protects and supports body organs and provides a framework the muscles use to support movement. Made up of bones and joints
Muscular System
Consists of skeletal muscles, tendons that connect muscles to bones, and ligaments that attach bones together to form joint
lymphatic system
the network of vessels through which lymph drains from the tissues into the blood.
respiratory system
A system of organs, functioning in the process of gas exchange between the body and the environment, consisting especially of the nose, nasal passages, nasopharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs.
digestive system
body system the breaks down food and absorbs nutrients
nervous system
the network of nerve cells and fibers that transmits nerve impulses between parts of the body.
endocrine system
Glands secrete hormones that regulate processes such as growth, reproduction, and nutrient use (metabolism) by body cells.
cardiovascular system
The body system that consists of the heart, blood vessels, and blood; also called the circulatory system.
urinary system
kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, urethra
reproductive system
system of organs involved in producing offspring