Summary
Highlights
Professor Romildo Amorim introduces the discipline of basic notions of anatomy and physiology. The discipline is divided into four modules, and the first module has three units. Unit 1 covers the skeletal system (206 bones), Unit 2 covers the muscular system (600+ muscles, responsible for movement), and Unit 3 covers the circulatory system (heart, arteries, veins distributing blood).
The human skeleton is divided into two parts: the axial skeleton and the appendicular skeleton. The axial skeleton (blue in the image) consists of the cranium, vertebral column, and thoracic cage. The appendicular skeleton (yellow in the image) consists of the upper and lower limbs, scapular girdle, and pelvic girdle. Starting with the cranium, key bones include the frontal bone, occipital bone, parietal bones (right and left), temporal bones, mandible (the only movable bone in the cranium), maxilla, nasal bone, and zygomatic bones (cheekbones).
The vertebral column is made up of vertebrae and is divided into regions. The cervical column (neck) has 7 vertebrae (C1-C7). Below that is the thoracic column with 12 vertebrae (T1-T12). Next is the lumbar column with 5 vertebrae (L1-L5). The sacrum is formed by 5 fused vertebrae (S1-S5), and below that is the coccyx, formed by 4 rudimentary vertebrae.
The thoracic cage consists of the sternum and ribs. The sternum is the breastbone. Ribs are classified into three types: true ribs (1-7) connect directly to the sternum; false ribs (8-10) connect indirectly to the sternum through cartilage; and floating ribs (11-12) do not connect to the sternum at all.
The appendicular skeleton includes the upper and lower limbs, scapular and pelvic girdles. The upper limb is divided into the arm and forearm. The arm has one bone, the humerus. The forearm has two bones: the radius (lateral bone, further from the midline) and the ulna (medial bone, closer to the midline). The scapular girdle (shoulder girdle) allows for dissociation of movements and is formed by the scapula (shoulder blade) and the clavicle (collarbone).
The hand consists of several types of bones. The carpals are eight small bones in the wrist, arranged in two rows of four. These include the scaphoid, lunate, triquetrum, pisiform, trapezium, trapezoid, capitate, and hamate. Distal to the carpals are the five metacarpals, which form the palm and back of the hand. Finally, the fingers are composed of phalanges. The thumb (first digit) has two phalanges: a proximal and a distal phalanx. Fingers 2-5 each have three phalanges: a proximal, a middle (medial), and a distal phalanx.
The pelvic girdle is the region of the pelvis, often called the 'bacia'. It is formed by three main bones: the ilium, pubis, and ischium. This region also articulates with the sacrum and coccyx, and the femur to form the hip joint.
The lower limb is divided into the thigh and leg. The thigh has one bone, the femur, which is the longest bone in the body. The leg has two bones: the tibia (medial bone) and the fibula (lateral bone). The knee joint, located between the thigh and leg, contains the patella (kneecap) anteriorly. The foot has seven tarsal bones, which include the talus, calcaneus (heel bone), navicular, cuboid, and three cuneiforms (medial, intermediate, lateral). Beyond the tarsals are five metatarsals. Finally, the toes are composed of phalanges. The big toe (hallux) has two phalanges (proximal and distal), while toes 2-5 each have three phalanges (proximal, middle, and distal).
This concludes the first unit on the skeletal system. Students are encouraged to review their textbooks and study the material as many times as necessary to ensure a thorough understanding.