Instructor Manual: Rizzo and Ratliff, Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology, 5e, 2026, 9798214106915; Chapter 1: The Human Body
Instructor Manual
Rizzo and Ratliff, Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology, 5e, 2026,
9798214106915; Chapter 1: The Human Body
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Purpose and Perspective of the Chapter......................................................................2
Chapter Objectives........................................................................................................2
What’s New in This Chapter........................................................................................2
Chapter Outline.............................................................................................................3
© 2026 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 1
accessible website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Rizzo and Ratliff, Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology, 5e, 2026, 9798214106915; Chapter 1: The Human Body
PURPOSE AND PERSPECTIVE OF THE CHAPTER
The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the topics of anatomy and physiology. The chapter begins by
defining the terms anatomy, physiology, and pathology. Anatomical position and the universal language
of anatomy, including directional terms, planes, and body cavities, are explained. The structural
organization of the human body, from the cell to the organism, is outlined with specific examples of each.
The chapter also includes an overview of the major organs and functions of the eleven organ systems
found in the human body. Homeostasis is defined, and examples of both negative
and positive feedback are provided. This chapter provides the basic concepts and terminology needed to
study and understand both the structure and function of the human body.
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
The following objectives are addressed in this chapter:
1. Define the terms anatomy, physiology, and pathology.
2. Describe anatomical position.
3. Describe locations of body structures using directional terms.
4. Define the geometric planes used to divide the human body.
5. Describe the major cavities of the body and the organs they contain.
6. Describe the structural levels of organization of the body.
7. Name the four categories of tissues in the body.
8. List the major systems of the body, the organs they contain, and the functions of those systems.
9. Define homeostasis.
10. Differentiate between negative feedback and positive feedback.
[return to top]
WHAT’S NEW IN THIS CHAPTER
Please refer to the Transition Guide for improvements in this chapter from the previous edition.
[return to top]
CHAPTER OUTLINE
I. Introduction (LO1, PPT Slide 4)
i. Anatomy is the study of the structure or morphology of the body.
ii. Physiology is the study of the functions of body parts, what they do, and how
they do it.
© 2026 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 2
accessible website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Rizzo and Ratliff, Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology, 5e, 2026, 9798214106915; Chapter 1: The Human Body
iii. Pathology is the study of diseases of the body.
II. Anatomical Position (LO2, PPT Slide 5)
i. There is a universal standardized way of studying the human body. The four basic
reference systems used are directions, planes, cavities, and structural units.
ii. Reference systems are used assuming the body is in anatomical position.
Body is erect, facing forward with arms at the sides, palms of the hand
and feet pointing forward.
III. Terms of Directions (LO3, PPT Slide 6)
i. Superior/inferior- above/below
ii. Anterior/posterior- toward the front/toward the back
Equivalent to ventral/dorsal in humans
iii. Medial/lateral- toward the middle/toward the side
iv. Proximal/distal- closer to point of attachment/ further away from point of
attachment
IV. Planes (LO4, PPT Slide 7)
i. Planes describe body/body parts when dissected.
ii. A Sagittal plane divides the body into left and right portions.
A midsagittal plane divides the body into left and right portions at the
midline.
iii. A transverse plane divides the body into superior and inferior portions.
iv. A frontal (coronal) plane divides the body into anterior and posterior portions.
V. Cavities (LO5, PPT Slides 8-11)
i. The two major cavities are the dorsal and ventral cavities.
ii. Within each cavity are the viscera, or internal organs.
iii. The dorsal cavity is subdivided into the cranial cavity, which contains the brain,
and the spinal cavity, which contains the spinal cord.
iv. The ventral cavity is subdivided into the thoracic cavity and the abdominopelvic
cavity.
v. The thoracic cavity is surrounded by the ribcage.
vi. It contains the heart, which is surrounded by the pericardial cavity, and the lungs,
which are surrounded by the pleural cavities.
vii. The mediastinum is the space surrounded by the two pleural cavities
It contains the heart, thymus, trachea, esophagus, lymph and blood
vessels, and nerves.
viii. The abdominopelvic cavity is separated from the thoracic cavity by the
diaphragm.
It includes the kidneys, stomach, liver and gallbladder, small and large
intestines, spleen, pancreas, and the ovaries and uterus in females.
ix. The term parietal refers to the lining of body cavities, and the term visceral refers
to the covering of an organ.
VI. Structural Units (LO 6-8, PPT Slides 12-28)
i. All living organisms are made up of one or more cells. The cell is the smallest
unit of life.
© 2026 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 3
accessible website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Rizzo and Ratliff, Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology, 5e, 2026, 9798214106915; Chapter 1: The Human Body
Cells perform all basic functions of life, including metabolism, assimilation,
digestion, excretion, and reproduction.
ii. Cells are organized into tissues.
The four major tissue types in the human body are epithelial, connective,
muscle, and nervous.
a) Epithelial tissue covers and protects.
b) Connective tissue binds and supports other tissues and organs.
c) Muscle tissue is designed for producing movement.
d) Nervous tissue connects sensory and motor pathways in the
body.
iii. Tissues are arranged as organs that serve a common function.
The stomach, heart, liver, skin, and lungs are examples of organs.
iv. A group of organs that work together are called an organ system.
v. There are eleven organ systems in the human body.
vi. The integumentary system is made up of skin, hair, nails, sebaceous glands, and
sweat glands.
It protects and insulates the body and maintains water balance and
temperature regulation.
vii. The skeletal system is composed of bones, cartilage, and the membranous
structures associated with them.
Its functions include blood cell formation, storage of fat and minerals,
movement, and protection.
viii. The muscular system includes muscles, fibrous connective tissue, tendon sheaths,
and bursae.
The muscular system produces movement of the body, pushes food and
blood through the body, and produces heart contractions.
It also helps maintain body temperature homeostasis.
ix. The nervous system consists of the brain, spinal cord, cranial nerves, peripheral
nerves, and sensory and motor structures of the body.
Its functions include controlling, correlating, and regulating other body
systems, interpreting stimuli from the outside world, and controlling the
special senses of sight, hearing, taste, and smell.
x. The endocrine system is composed of ductless glands, including the pituitary,
thyroid, adrenals, ovaries, and testes.
Endocrine glands produce hormones that chemically regulate the body’s
functions.
The endocrine system works with the nervous system through the
hypothalamus of the brain, which controls the pituitary gland.
xi. The cardiovascular system consists of the heart, arteries, veins, and capillaries.
It pumps and distributes blood (which carries oxygen, nutrients, and
wastes) throughout the body.
xii. The lymphatic, or immune, system is made up of the lymph nodes, the thymus
gland, the spleen, and the lymph vessels.
It drains tissue spaces of excess fluids, absorbs fats from the intestine,
and carries them to the blood.
© 2026 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 4
accessible website, in whole or in part.
Instructor Manual
Rizzo and Ratliff, Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology, 5e, 2026,
9798214106915; Chapter 1: The Human Body
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Purpose and Perspective of the Chapter......................................................................2
Chapter Objectives........................................................................................................2
What’s New in This Chapter........................................................................................2
Chapter Outline.............................................................................................................3
© 2026 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 1
accessible website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Rizzo and Ratliff, Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology, 5e, 2026, 9798214106915; Chapter 1: The Human Body
PURPOSE AND PERSPECTIVE OF THE CHAPTER
The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the topics of anatomy and physiology. The chapter begins by
defining the terms anatomy, physiology, and pathology. Anatomical position and the universal language
of anatomy, including directional terms, planes, and body cavities, are explained. The structural
organization of the human body, from the cell to the organism, is outlined with specific examples of each.
The chapter also includes an overview of the major organs and functions of the eleven organ systems
found in the human body. Homeostasis is defined, and examples of both negative
and positive feedback are provided. This chapter provides the basic concepts and terminology needed to
study and understand both the structure and function of the human body.
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
The following objectives are addressed in this chapter:
1. Define the terms anatomy, physiology, and pathology.
2. Describe anatomical position.
3. Describe locations of body structures using directional terms.
4. Define the geometric planes used to divide the human body.
5. Describe the major cavities of the body and the organs they contain.
6. Describe the structural levels of organization of the body.
7. Name the four categories of tissues in the body.
8. List the major systems of the body, the organs they contain, and the functions of those systems.
9. Define homeostasis.
10. Differentiate between negative feedback and positive feedback.
[return to top]
WHAT’S NEW IN THIS CHAPTER
Please refer to the Transition Guide for improvements in this chapter from the previous edition.
[return to top]
CHAPTER OUTLINE
I. Introduction (LO1, PPT Slide 4)
i. Anatomy is the study of the structure or morphology of the body.
ii. Physiology is the study of the functions of body parts, what they do, and how
they do it.
© 2026 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 2
accessible website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Rizzo and Ratliff, Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology, 5e, 2026, 9798214106915; Chapter 1: The Human Body
iii. Pathology is the study of diseases of the body.
II. Anatomical Position (LO2, PPT Slide 5)
i. There is a universal standardized way of studying the human body. The four basic
reference systems used are directions, planes, cavities, and structural units.
ii. Reference systems are used assuming the body is in anatomical position.
Body is erect, facing forward with arms at the sides, palms of the hand
and feet pointing forward.
III. Terms of Directions (LO3, PPT Slide 6)
i. Superior/inferior- above/below
ii. Anterior/posterior- toward the front/toward the back
Equivalent to ventral/dorsal in humans
iii. Medial/lateral- toward the middle/toward the side
iv. Proximal/distal- closer to point of attachment/ further away from point of
attachment
IV. Planes (LO4, PPT Slide 7)
i. Planes describe body/body parts when dissected.
ii. A Sagittal plane divides the body into left and right portions.
A midsagittal plane divides the body into left and right portions at the
midline.
iii. A transverse plane divides the body into superior and inferior portions.
iv. A frontal (coronal) plane divides the body into anterior and posterior portions.
V. Cavities (LO5, PPT Slides 8-11)
i. The two major cavities are the dorsal and ventral cavities.
ii. Within each cavity are the viscera, or internal organs.
iii. The dorsal cavity is subdivided into the cranial cavity, which contains the brain,
and the spinal cavity, which contains the spinal cord.
iv. The ventral cavity is subdivided into the thoracic cavity and the abdominopelvic
cavity.
v. The thoracic cavity is surrounded by the ribcage.
vi. It contains the heart, which is surrounded by the pericardial cavity, and the lungs,
which are surrounded by the pleural cavities.
vii. The mediastinum is the space surrounded by the two pleural cavities
It contains the heart, thymus, trachea, esophagus, lymph and blood
vessels, and nerves.
viii. The abdominopelvic cavity is separated from the thoracic cavity by the
diaphragm.
It includes the kidneys, stomach, liver and gallbladder, small and large
intestines, spleen, pancreas, and the ovaries and uterus in females.
ix. The term parietal refers to the lining of body cavities, and the term visceral refers
to the covering of an organ.
VI. Structural Units (LO 6-8, PPT Slides 12-28)
i. All living organisms are made up of one or more cells. The cell is the smallest
unit of life.
© 2026 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 3
accessible website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Rizzo and Ratliff, Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology, 5e, 2026, 9798214106915; Chapter 1: The Human Body
Cells perform all basic functions of life, including metabolism, assimilation,
digestion, excretion, and reproduction.
ii. Cells are organized into tissues.
The four major tissue types in the human body are epithelial, connective,
muscle, and nervous.
a) Epithelial tissue covers and protects.
b) Connective tissue binds and supports other tissues and organs.
c) Muscle tissue is designed for producing movement.
d) Nervous tissue connects sensory and motor pathways in the
body.
iii. Tissues are arranged as organs that serve a common function.
The stomach, heart, liver, skin, and lungs are examples of organs.
iv. A group of organs that work together are called an organ system.
v. There are eleven organ systems in the human body.
vi. The integumentary system is made up of skin, hair, nails, sebaceous glands, and
sweat glands.
It protects and insulates the body and maintains water balance and
temperature regulation.
vii. The skeletal system is composed of bones, cartilage, and the membranous
structures associated with them.
Its functions include blood cell formation, storage of fat and minerals,
movement, and protection.
viii. The muscular system includes muscles, fibrous connective tissue, tendon sheaths,
and bursae.
The muscular system produces movement of the body, pushes food and
blood through the body, and produces heart contractions.
It also helps maintain body temperature homeostasis.
ix. The nervous system consists of the brain, spinal cord, cranial nerves, peripheral
nerves, and sensory and motor structures of the body.
Its functions include controlling, correlating, and regulating other body
systems, interpreting stimuli from the outside world, and controlling the
special senses of sight, hearing, taste, and smell.
x. The endocrine system is composed of ductless glands, including the pituitary,
thyroid, adrenals, ovaries, and testes.
Endocrine glands produce hormones that chemically regulate the body’s
functions.
The endocrine system works with the nervous system through the
hypothalamus of the brain, which controls the pituitary gland.
xi. The cardiovascular system consists of the heart, arteries, veins, and capillaries.
It pumps and distributes blood (which carries oxygen, nutrients, and
wastes) throughout the body.
xii. The lymphatic, or immune, system is made up of the lymph nodes, the thymus
gland, the spleen, and the lymph vessels.
It drains tissue spaces of excess fluids, absorbs fats from the intestine,
and carries them to the blood.
© 2026 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly 4
accessible website, in whole or in part.
