Janet Rae-Dupree

To successfully study anatomy and physiology, you'll want to understand all the Latin and Greek roots, prefixes and suffixes. Also, make sure to get a good foundational knowledge of anatomic cavities, anatomic positions (standard positions when looking at an anatomical drawing), and anatomic planes.Latin and Greek in anatomy and physiologyScience, especially medicine, is permeated with Latin and Greek terms.

Atoms tend to arrange themselves in the most stable patterns possible, which means that they have a tendency to complete or fill their outermost electron orbits. They join with other atoms to do just that. The force that holds atoms together in collections known as molecules is referred to as a chemical bond. There are two main types and some secondary types of chemical bonds:Ionic bondIonic bonding involves a transfer of an electron, so one atom gains an electron while one atom loses an electron.

Do you feel a sneeze coming on the moment you even hear the word “pollen”? Allergies may feel like they simply cannot have an upside, but don’t wish your hay fever away too fast: Two decades of studies suggest your suffering may not be entirely for naught. When allergies push the immune system into overdrive, they may be doing you a favor — even as they make you miserable.

Science, especially medicine, is permeated with Latin and Greek terms. Latin names are used for every part of the body; and since the Greeks are the founders of modern medicine, Greek terms are common in medical terminology, as well. Latin and Greek roots This table represents some common Latin and Greek root

Molecules that pass muster with the cell membrane enter the cytoplasm, a mixture of macromolecules (such as proteins and RNA), small organic molecules (such as glucose), ions, and water. Because of the various materials in the cytoplasm, it’s a colloid, or mixture of phases, that alternates from a sol (a liquid colloid with solid suspended in it) to a gel (a colloid in which the dispersed phase combines with the medium to form a semisolid material).

Muscles make up most of the fleshy parts of the body and average 43 percent of the body’s weight. Muscle tissue is classified in three ways based on the tissue’s function, shape, and structure: Smooth muscle tissue: So-called because it doesn’t have the cross-striations typical of other kinds of muscle, the spindle-shaped fibers of smooth muscle tissue do have faint longitudinal striping.

What’s the best way to tackle anatomy and physiology and come out successful on the other side? Of course, a good memory helps plenty, but with a little advance planning and tricks of the study trade, even students who complain that they can’t remember their own names on exam day can summon the right terminology and information from their scrambled synaptic pathways.

Beneath the epidermis, or top layer of skin, is a thicker, fibrous structure called the dermis, or corium. It consists of the following two layers, which blend together: The outer, soft papillary layer contains elastic and reticular (netlike) fibers that project into the epidermis to bring blood and nerve endings closer.

Whenever you see an anatomical drawing, like the one below, you’re looking at the anatomic position. This standard position (standing straight, looking forward, arms at your side, and facing forward) keeps everyone on the same page when you’re talking anatomy and physiology. Keep this list handy of anatomic d