Human Structure and Function

Having completed this challenging and diverse module, you will have a broad appreciation of the structure of the human body, and how this relates to its function and evolutionary origin. Anatomy is taught under four major themes: (1) Anatomy as a science – understanding the human body from the point of view of evolution and development; (2) Microanatomy – a brief survey of the cellular organisation of body tissues; (3) The structure and function of body systems – a survey of the topography of the entire body from a systems-based perspective, with consideration of how the gross anatomy relates to the function of each system; (4) The human body in a broader context – further discussion of the importance of evolution and development using specific illustrative examples. The module employs a diverse range of teaching methods including interactive lectures and the discussion of real-life clinical cases. you should be aware that some lectures contain graphic images and videos of surgical operations and diseases.

By the end of the module you should be able to:

• Discuss the different approaches to thinking about human structure and function
• Demonstrate an appreciation of the complex links between development, evolution and human structure and function
• Discuss the evolution of some of the major anatomical adaptations of Homo sapiens
• Describe the basic topographical anatomy and histology of the systems of the human body
• Discuss the relationship between the structure and function of cells, tissues, organs and systems
• Compare the structure and function of the human body with the bodies of other vertebrates and explain the relevance of such comparisons
• Analyse, from the point of view of evolution and development, the apparently anomalous organisation of certain anatomical features
• Outline the real-world applications of a sound understanding of human structure and function
• Use the primary literature to defend a particular anatomical fact presented in a textbook
• Develop an understanding of the three dimensional arrangement of body structures
• Communicate in a variety of ways including posters and oral presentations