BIOS 251 Week 1 & 2 Exam Review | Human
Anatomy & Physiology I | Complete Study
Guide 2025
Anatomy
The study of body structure
Physiology
The study of body function
Describe the position a patient needs to be in anatomical position.
- body is erect
- feet is slightly apart
- palms facing forward, thumbs pointing away from body.
Superior
Above
ex: the heart is superior to the diaphragm
Inferior
Below
ex: The liver is inferior to the diaphragm.
Anterior
(infront) towards the ventral side
ex: the sternum is anterior to the heart
Posterior
(back) towards the dorsal side
ex: the esophagus is posterior to the trachea.
Medial
toward the center/towards the midline/toward the median plane
, ex: the heart is medial to the lungs
Lateral
away from the center/away from the midline/away from the median plane
ex: the eyes are lateral to the nose.
Proximal
Closer to the point of attachment
ex: the elbow is proximal to the wrist
Distal
away from the point of attachment
ex: the fingernails are at the distal ends of the finger.
Superficial
near the surface/closer to the body surface
ex: the skin is superficial to the muscle
Deep
away from the surface/farther from the body surface
ex: the bones are deep to the muscles.
Cephalic
toward the head/pertaining to head
ex: the cephalic end of the embryonic neural tube develops into the brain.
Contralaterlal
on the opposite side of the body
ex: the spleen is contralateral to the liver.
Ventral
toward the front or belly
ex: the aorta is ventral to the vertebral column
Dorsal
toward the back or spine
ex: the vertebral column is dorsal to the aorta.
Ispilateral
Anatomy & Physiology I | Complete Study
Guide 2025
Anatomy
The study of body structure
Physiology
The study of body function
Describe the position a patient needs to be in anatomical position.
- body is erect
- feet is slightly apart
- palms facing forward, thumbs pointing away from body.
Superior
Above
ex: the heart is superior to the diaphragm
Inferior
Below
ex: The liver is inferior to the diaphragm.
Anterior
(infront) towards the ventral side
ex: the sternum is anterior to the heart
Posterior
(back) towards the dorsal side
ex: the esophagus is posterior to the trachea.
Medial
toward the center/towards the midline/toward the median plane
, ex: the heart is medial to the lungs
Lateral
away from the center/away from the midline/away from the median plane
ex: the eyes are lateral to the nose.
Proximal
Closer to the point of attachment
ex: the elbow is proximal to the wrist
Distal
away from the point of attachment
ex: the fingernails are at the distal ends of the finger.
Superficial
near the surface/closer to the body surface
ex: the skin is superficial to the muscle
Deep
away from the surface/farther from the body surface
ex: the bones are deep to the muscles.
Cephalic
toward the head/pertaining to head
ex: the cephalic end of the embryonic neural tube develops into the brain.
Contralaterlal
on the opposite side of the body
ex: the spleen is contralateral to the liver.
Ventral
toward the front or belly
ex: the aorta is ventral to the vertebral column
Dorsal
toward the back or spine
ex: the vertebral column is dorsal to the aorta.
Ispilateral
