The five branches of anatomy are surface anatomy, regional anatomy, systemic anatomy, cytology, and histology.
Here's a breakdown of each branch:
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Surface Anatomy: This branch focuses on the study of anatomical landmarks that can be identified on the external surface of the body. It's essential for physical examinations and procedures like injections.
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Regional Anatomy: This approach involves studying all the structures within a specific region of the body (e.g., the head, thorax, or abdomen). This includes muscles, nerves, blood vessels, and other tissues.
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Systemic Anatomy: Systemic anatomy focuses on studying the body's organ systems, such as the skeletal system, muscular system, nervous system, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, digestive system, urinary system, reproductive system, and endocrine system.
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Cytology: This branch involves the microscopic study of individual cells, including their structure, function, and biochemistry.
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Histology: Histology is the microscopic study of tissues. This involves examining the arrangement of cells and extracellular matrix within different tissue types.
In short, macroscopic anatomy (gross anatomy) is studied via surface, regional, and systemic approaches, while microscopic anatomy involves cytology and histology. This combined approach covers the many ways of studying the structure of the body.
