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Anatomy and physiology are two closely related disciplines of biology. Many college courses teach them together, so it’s easy to confuse their respective fields of interest. In short, anatomy is the study of the structure and identification of body parts, while physiology is the study of how these parts work and relate to each other.
Anatomy is a branch of the field of morphology. Morphology covers the internal and external appearance of an organism (its shape, size, structure, etc.) as well as the location of external and internal structures such as organs and bones. A specialist in anatomy is called an anatomist . Anatomists collect information on living and dead organisms, from the structure of cells to entire tissues and organs, often using dissection and staining with special dyes to indicate internal structure.
The two main branches of anatomy are macroscopic and microscopic. Gross anatomy focuses on the body as a whole and on identifying and describing those parts of the body that are large enough to be seen with the naked eye, without the aid of any apparatus. Microscopic anatomy focuses on the study of cell structures (cytology) and tissues (histology).
Physiologists need a thorough understanding of anatomy because the shape and location of cells, tissues, and organs are directly related to their function . In a blended course of study, anatomy tends to be covered first. If the courses are separate, anatomy is most likely a prerequisite for physiology.
The study of physiology requires living specimens and tissues. While an anatomy lab is primarily concerned with dissection, a physiology lab may include processes of experimentation to determine how cells or a body system react to changes. For this reason there are many branches within physiology, since a physiologist can, for example, specialize only in the digestive system.
Anatomy and physiology work together. An X-ray technician might discover a Space Occupying Lesion (LOE, i.e., a change in gross anatomy), which may lead to a biopsy in which tissue would be examined at the microscopic level for abnormalities ( microscopic anatomy) or a test to look for a marker of disease in the urine or blood (physiology).
Study anatomy and physiology
College biology, medicine, and veterinary students often take a combined anatomy and physiology course. The anatomy portion of the course is often comparative (comparative anatomy), where students examine human-like structures in a wide variety of organisms (eg, fish, frogs, sharks, rats, or cats). Currently, the performance of dissections is supplemented or even replaced with interactive computer presentations (virtual dissections). Physiology can also be comparative physiology or human physiology. In medical school, advanced students culminate their study of human gross anatomy with the dissection of a cadaver.
In addition to the undergraduate degree, both anatomy and physiology have specialization at the graduate level. A typical anatomy program includes courses in embryology, gross anatomy, microanatomy, physiology, and neurobiology. Graduates with advanced degrees in anatomy can become health researchers and educators, or continue their education to become physicians. Physiology degrees can be awarded at the bachelor’s, master’s (master’s), and doctoral levels. Typical courses may include cell biology, molecular biology, exercise physiology, genetics, etc. It is a specialization with great benefits, because a degree in physiology can lead to work in hospitals, research centers, insurance companies, pharmaceuticals, etc. . On the other hand,
References
Hall, S. & Stephens, J. (2020). The Essentials in Anatomy and Physiology: Crash Courses. Available at: https://books.google.co.ve/books?id=_vfkDwAAQBAJ&dq
Tortora, G. and Derrickson, B. (Principles of anatomy and physiology. Available at: http://brc.crub.uncoma.edu.ar/archivos/alumnos/2019/2019%20LENF/2019%20LENF%20MORFOFISIOLOGIA%20APLICADA .PDF
