(now mothballed, cannibalized, and largely converted to the Anatomy
121/122 site)Ben's Anatomy/Physiology Resource
(now mothballed, cannibalized, and largely converted to the Anatomy
121/122 site)
Arlene, Virgil, Dan, Ben (12/31/03)
Introduction and Pep Talk
Introduction:
March 22, 2004
This webpage is mainly the archived form of the original website I had put together, with my own micro-photographs, links which others and I found on the general web, and photographs of models. I have deleted the references made to materials moved to the main Anatomy start page, but have left many, many links to outside web resources on this page. There are also a few occasional comments here and there of my own. I moved most of the original material to the main part of this site, but left this part together to provide external links to outside resources.
The topic of Anatomy and Physiology is a very rewarding, but sometimes difficult to master area. I can only say, after getting through the two quarters, that even a superficial grasp of human physiology does require the memory of many anatomical structures and their functions. In some cases one cannot really see the forest without looking at the leaves, and remembering some details of the different trees and thier placement....this topic is one of those.
Some of the details are gross structures, some can only be seen with a microscope; some are chemical in nature, and some have to do with flows and pressures. To grasp the operation of the whole human organism, one must pretty much have a handle on all these parts.
For the folks who stick it out, it will definitely be worth the effort. I was successful in this course, as a Dr. Rundell student, by applying some of the following principles: 1) Read the Chapters in Tortora. The book is really good. I read them after each lecture and this reinforced and clarified what Dr. Rundell said. 2) Take Dr. Rundell's notes seriously. Each one of the points on the notes is something she thinks is of critical importance. Backup material will almost always be in Tortora. 3) Take Dr. Rundell's questions and exercises...both the assigned ones and the ones just included in the notes seriously. Apart from the jokes, each is always included there for a special reason. 4) Use Dr. Rundell's Lab notes as a very firm guide for what you need to know. Use your time in the lab and the extra lab time to get physically comfortable with the items. Use the resource website extensively, printing off every item you have the slightest difficulty with, and work with the print. 5) Take the chemistry and physics concepts seriously. Dr. Rundell does not expect a deep knowledge of these topics, but she does expect you to understand when she explains some piece of physiology using Chemistry or Physics. My experiences was that many students could have done much better if they had learned or relearned several key concepts from chemistry, for example. SEE DR RUNDELL or someone else to get mystifying things explained. It will make the course much easier and your grades considerably higher. 6) Don't fall behind if at all possible. The pacing of the course varies, but can get rather hectic. 7) Dr. Rundell has a set of general principles used in physiology on a handout. I didn't see this handout until late in the second quarter. It wouldn't hurt to get a copy of this from her, and master these principles. 8) For folks who do not have iron-trap memories: Make time to go over the materials in an unstressed way, several times, spaced by a day or two between efforts. Let the materials soak in. Link the items and points up to each other as you think about them. Eventually, if you learn with repetition and linking ideas, it will sink in and stay. Don't get into a panic! Get help, talk the ideas over with others, leave yourself enough time.
Again, the work may comprise some of the most difficult things you've done in school. But even a small parting on the curtains of the mysteries of the human body is a great thing and well worth the effort.
Good luck,
Ben Widrevitz
NOTE: This page is not well organized. It would be best to scan around on it and see what is there. There is some reallly great stuff here!
Further, as it is no longer maintained, a few of the links are invariably going to be broken.
Please mail me with recommendations or comments. My email address is widrevitz@comcast.net
The various contributions ALL have to be viewed as 'non-authoritative'....Not all of them have not been checked out for accuracy etc. and the names and images might not line up with what we see ourselves or the nomenclature used for our class. However, from our spot checking, things generally have looked very good. This goes, of course for anything on the internet!
Pep Talk
Ben's Pep Talk for new students:
Most of you are going to have times in this class sequence when you wish you were somewhere else, and didn't have to 'take' this course! Some will realize it early on, and some in a few weeks. A luck few will get through having big fun (except for the exams) all the time.
There is an old adage which is sometimes wrong, but is correct in this case: Anything worth doing is worth working for.
Is this topic then worth doing? Is it just another dumb hoop to jump through to be a nurse, or one of those famous 'health and allied science' professionals. Or is it even more?
My answer is "even more." Why?
Well, what is the most important thing to you? No matter what you say, at the heart of the matter is that you could not experience life itself without your own body functioning as a vessel for your mind, your perceptions and as a vehicle to make your wishes and desires come through to the world. It connects whatever you think of as a mind or a soul to the physical matrix of the world. It connects you to the material space around you and it connects you to the people you love.
When you study the body and its workings, you are looking at the miracle of how this mess of 'wetware' gets a very, very complex job done. It is amazing when it is working right, and even in its malfunctioning, has an unending fascination. To understand how it works, one must know the parts and where they are so that one can see how they do their jobs and interrelate. The growing satisfaction of 'getting it' is something that is deeply satisfying, and elevating. Somewhere around halfway or two thirds through the course it becomes overwhelmingly apparent how this wondrous mechanism ties together to elevate us and the complex creatures from the rest of creation. When learning about ourselves, and our physical natures in this way, we are embodying a very basic human ennoblement: the ability to try, with considerable success, ourselves.
I've tried to touch some of you to let you know what motivated me. The work, as I said, won't be easy for most. But it is among the most rewarding kind of learning I've ever experienced.
Ben Widrevitz
BEN
candid random class photo (11/25/03)
"The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp" .... By Rembrant van Rijn; Followed by Guess Where and Guess What? From Fall and Winter Quarters, 2003/2004
Rembrandt's anatomy lesson == a link to a wonderful analysis and history of this very famous painting
Other wonderful anatomy paintings === a group of other paintings of anatomy lessons worth a look, with commentary
Quotable Quotes about learning Anatomy..take a break and look at them!: Quotable Anatomy Quotes
Sample:
"Gentlemen, damn the sphenoid bone!"
Oliver Wendell Homes (1809-1894)
Opening anatomy lecture at Harvard Medical School
The topics are arranged by major study group. Histology, Bones, Muscles, etc.
Thanks to Karl Kiesling and Arlene Sabado, Bill and others for suggestions...I will include anything that 'fits the mix'...so please keep those emails coming!
Leonardo Da Vinci's Vitruvius Man Interesting explanation of this drawing...It means somthing!
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Can contact me via: widrevitz@comcast.net
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Miscellaneous tidbits:
Study Tips; Thoughts about working with the Cadavers; Shakespeare
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General:
http://www.gwc.maricopa.edu/home_pages/crimando/jctuts5.htm --- A&P tutorials
http://science.nhmccd.edu/biol/ap1int.htm --- links to animations
http://www.uh.edu/sibs/tutorial/ap1.htm ---more links to animations
GetBodySmart -- comprehensive site covering many and some neat muscle action Flash anis.
Histology (lymph, lung, intestine, pancreas, liver)
Histology - Respiratory System (external, Not rabbit though...human)
Help in distunguishing GI histolgy---this site will answer a lot of questions, but you will need to click around on it to exploit it fully
Jejunum, Jejunum with plica shown
Pig Liver, showing clear 6 sided lobules, Human Liver histology expanded (move 1/3 down page to see great images)
Endocrine System
The Endocrine System (thanks to Rosane Huang)
Urinary System
Histology: Fabulous Kidney Histology Site!!! (external)
Physiology: Immunity and the Lymphatic System
The Biology Project: Microbiology & Immunology--a very well done tutorial site with quizzes. A bit tricky to use, but go for the word "tutorial". Worth the effort. Lymphdelicious illustrations.
Infection and Immunity---a stunning site, but not for the faint of heart. This one is for those who really want to drill down and get into the details. On the other hand, the spectacular SEM pics, and rather complete explanations are darn intriguing. Also has a tutorial on the lymphatic system itself and its parts.
Specific Immunity Animation--A cute, but sufficiently detailed animation of how Antigens, Phaogocytes, B, and T cells work to do their jobs. Excellent for visual learners.
Phagocytosis and Pathogens. Flash animation Humorous and informative: How pathogens can get eaten, and when they play dirty tricks on the phages. Great sound effects!
Lymphocyte Emigration in Lymph Nodes OK, OK...I am getting carried away. But this site contains spooky photographs, animations and artwork showing how the lymphocytes poke around and do stuff 'on their own.' This page is just an entry point. Hitting 'next', 'back', and 'home' leads one to a web of surprises.
Blood
Blood Histology Slides from Lab (Thanks to Dr. Ruehlmann for helping find WBC's)
Hepatic Portal System Tutorial Easy diagram of portal vein w.r.t. liver, spleen, pancreas
physiology tutorias (thanks, Karl)
http://www.mercksharpdohme.com/disease/heart/coronary_health/anatomy/cardio01.html--simple and basic high level description of circulation
http://spot.colorado.edu/~dubin/bookmarks/b/1050.html---link collection of cardiovascular sites, many advanced, several clinical example sites
http://www-micro.msb.le.ac.uk/MBChB/bloodmap/Blood.html ---- excellent way to review blood cell identification and function
http://science.nhmccd.edu/biol/ap2.html---general medium level A&P link collection from some other college
http://www.meddean.luc.edu/lumen/MedEd/GrossAnatomy/learnem/arteries/main_art.htm --- good artery tutorial
http://www.gwc.maricopa.edu/class/bio202/cyberheart/cardio.htm ---- Heart tutorial
http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/multimedia/heartsounds --- in case anyone wants to know the different heart sounds.
http://science.tjc.edu/images/heart_model/index.htm --- gives downloadable pairs of pictures of heart models; one with labels, one without for testing yourself
http://www.medinfo.ufl.edu/year1/histo/quiz/mh10.html --- blood slide quiz complete with color pictures and answers
http://www.getbodysmart.com/ap/circulatory/menu/circulatory.html --- interactive animation teaching tool for blood physiology etc.
Nervous/Senses Lab Pictures
Pictures of Objects from Lab (nervous system) : Comprised of pics of various models (eye, ear, nervous system, microphotos of eye/ear etc.
The Secret Life of the Brain : 3-D Brain Anatomy (Amazing visualizations....better than any models I've seen)
How the Retina Works (with detailed diagrams)
Current Theory of Cochlear Frequency Selective Mechanism
Nervous System (part II):
The Whole Brain Atlas (for the curious and especially interested, really amazing stuff)
Brain PBS A/V Interviews (A series of short streaming video clips of CalTech Neuroscientists talking about Brain topics. The mystery goes on for them too!)
Neuroanatomy Tutorial (more of a tutorial)
Anatomy and Physiology of Central Nervous System Tutorial
Neuron Physiology Tutorial (try it, you'll get an Action Potential)
Joints
BONES:
Endocondral ossification (Thanks to Arlene Sabado!!!)
Axial Skelton Quiz A self grading quiz, from Santa Monica College
Axial Skeleton Quiz Part II I have spot checked these quizzes and they have been correct so far
MUSCLES
Thanks to Karl Kiessling:
http://www.gwc.maricopa.edu/class/bio201/muscle/musc13.htm --- superficial muscles tutorial
http://www.fit1on1.com/fithome/knowyourbody/frmp.html --- forearm muscle tutorial
http://www.meddean.luc.edu/lumen/MedEd/GrossAnatomy/dissector/mml/mmlregn.htm --- charts muscle/function/location/action
Human Anatomy Online - InnerBody.com more general muscle quizzes/tutorials
: Some of us spent around $35 on a book called "Mosley's ... Dictionary." I think it has a lot to say for itself as a study help. For example, appendix 3 explains the roots of many Greek and Latin words we see all the time (although I also blew $11 for that little root dictionary), and Appendix 4 is a handy study guide for bones ... muscles... and many other things we need to remember. For example, the word "pleura" means 'rib,' and the word 'troph' means "food, and words beginning with 'end, endo, ent, or ento' mean 'within, or inner.' "Ecto" means 'out of or away from' while 'exo' means 'outside.' The book also covers many, many terms of physiology, chemistry, metabolism, etc.
Personal thoughts about working with Cadavers--- I personally sometimes feel somewhat ill at ease about working with the cadavers. This isn't squeamishness, but it arises from the fact that these bodies before us once held living, loving, speaking human beings who we owe respect to even though they no longer inhabit the flesh in front of us. I am in awe of the wonders that we are studying and in greater awe of the mind and spirits of the amazing beings made possible by the animation of the flesh. While touching and studying these bodies, and overcoming my feelings of disrespect, I try when entering the cadaver room to think each time that I am doing this to help live people in the future--possibly improving their own lives while they inhabit their miraculous physical bodies.
My own religion has very strong prohibitions against 'mutilation' of the dead and 'delaying burial' and the like. But it makes a very definite and deliberate exception where the intention is to preserve and improve the lives of the living. Whether or not one is religious, I think this weighing of alternatives is exactly right.
What a piece of work is a man,
how noble in reason,
how infinite in faculties,
in form and moving how express and admirable, in action like an angel in apprehension how like a god:
the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals---
and yet to me, what is this quintessence of dust?
