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:|: Body as a Whole
The study of the human body is fundamental to health sciences. Anatomy and physiology are inextricably interelated and both are essential to students of life-sciences.
The body is characterised by bilateral symmetry. Many body parts and organs occur in pairs. Single organs are usually centrally located along the long axis which divides the body into two halves. The internal framework (skeleton) is a masterpiece of architectural and mechanical design which is composed of more than 200 bones. A prominent structural characteristic is the flexible spine or vertebral column. The internal temprature is maintained at 98.6° F or 37° C.
Regions of the body
The body is divided into :
Axial portion
head and neck
trunk-thorax (chest), abdomen and pelvis
upper extremity-upper arm, forearm and hand
lower extremity-thigh, leg and foot
Appendicular
portion
Organization of the Body
The keynote of the human body is organization. Body is made up of trillions of specialized cells which are supported and nourished by other cells. Cells are grouped into organs and systems and the integrated sum of these systems is the body as a whole.
The cell is the smallest basic structural unit of the body carrying on all the vital functions. Tissues are composed of groups of cells of similar structure with
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