Human Anatomy, Part 1 - K. A. Dyubenko, A. K. Kolomiytsev, Yu. B. Chaykovsky 2002

General Part
General Information on the Structure of the Human Body
Parts and Regions of the Human Body

The examination and Study of the parts (partes) and regions (compartimenta) of The Human Body are carried out in an upright standing position with the lower limbs brought together and the palms facing forward (Fig. 12A). This involves determining the interrelations between body parts and Organs, known as syntopia (from the Greek syn - together, topos - place), their position and projection relative to the skeletal bones (skeletotopia), and their relation to body regions, or holotopia (from the Greek holos - whole, topos - place).

The human body is subdivided into the following major parts:

- HEAD, caput;

- neck, collum [cervix];

- trunk, truncus;

- upper limb, membrum superius;

- lower limb, membrum inferius.

The PARTS OF THE human body (partes corporis humani) are, in turn, subdivided into specific regions.

The head comprises the face (facies) and the cranium (cranium). The face features the right and left eyes (oculus dexter et sinister), Nose (nasus), Mouth (oris), and External ear (auris externa).

The neck is divided into an anterior region, or the neck proper (cervix), and a posterior region, or the nape (nucha).

The trunk is divided into the chest (pectus), abdomen (abdomen), and back (dorsum).

The upper limb comprises the Pectoral Girdle (cingulum membri superioris [or shoulder girdle, cingulum pectorale]), arm (brachium), elbow (cubitus), forearm (antebrachium), and hand (manus).

The hand is subdivided into the carpus (carpus), metacarpus (metacarpus), and digits of the hand (digiti manus).

The lower limb comprises the Pelvic Girdle (cingulum membri inferioris [or pelvic girdle, cingulum pelvicum]), thigh (Femur), knee (genu), leg (crus), and FOOT (pes). The foot is further divided into the proximal part, or tarsus (tarsus), the middle part, or metatarsus (metatarsus), and the toes (digiti pedis) (Fig. 12A).

Surfaces and extremities are distinguished across various body regions. For instance, the human trunk features four surfaces: anterior (anterior), posterior (posterior), and lateral—right and left (lateralis [dextra et sinistra]). Additionally, the trunk has two extremities: a cranial end (cranialis) and a caudal end (caudalis). The relative positions of body parts are also defined as ventral (ventralis) when closer to the anterior surface, and dorsal (dorsalis) when closer to the posterior surface (Fig. 12B).

The arm presents anterior, posterior, medial, and lateral surfaces. The forearm features anterior and posterior surfaces, alongside lateral and medial borders.

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Fig. 12. Diagram of the parts, regions, surfaces, extremities, axes, and planes of the human body: A - parts and Regions of the human body; B - surfaces and extremities; C - Axes and Planes

Regarding the limbs relative to the trunk, two extremities are distinguished: the proximal end (proximalis), which is closer, and the distal end (distalis), which is further away (Fig. 12B).

Familiarity with the parts, regions, surfaces, borders, and extremities of the human body is essential for understanding the GENERAL PATTERNS OF its morphofunctional Organization.