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Anatomy (from the Greek Template:Polytonic anatomia, from Template:Polytonic ana: separate, apart from, and temnein, to cut up, cut open) is the branch of biology that studies the structure and organization of living things. It can be divided into animal anatomy (zootomy) and plant anatomy (phytotomy). Anatomy can also be covered either regionally or systemically; that is, respectively, studying anatomy by bodily regions such as the head and chest, or studying by specific systems, such as the nervous or respiratory systems. Major branches of anatomy include comparative anatomy, histology and gross human anatomy.

Human anatomy

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Professional human anatomists are usually employed by medical schools and large teaching hospitals. They often specialize in certain parts, such as the brain or viscera. Anatomy must be learned by repeated dissection and inspection of dead human bodies. Pathologists have detailed anatomic knowledge. A thorough working knowledge of anatomy is required by surgeons and emergency doctors. General practitioners have a less detailed knowledge, but are usually familiar with the location and relations of most bodily structures.

Morphologically speaking, human anatomy is a scientific study whose object is the discovery of the causes that have brought about the existing structures in humans, and is allied to sciences embryology or developmental biology, phylogeny, and histology. Pathological anatomy (or morbid anatomy) is the study of diseased organs; anatomic studies can be further divided into medical, surgical, gynaecological, artistic and superficial (surface) anatomy.The comparison of the anatomy of different races of humans pertains to the science of physical anthropology or anthropological anatomy.

See also

General anatomy

• List of anatomical topics
• Important publications in anatomy
• History of anatomy
• Superficial anatomy
• Anatomical terms of location
• Body plan

Human anatomy

• List of human anatomical features
• Head and neck anatomy
• List of human anatomical parts named after people

External links

• American Association of Anatomists promotes anatomical sciences.
• Neuroanatomy is an annual journal of clinical neuroanatomy.
• High-Resolution Cytoarchitectural Primate Brain Atlases
• Free online anatomy atlas
• The NPAC Visible Human Viewer
• Anatomy of the Human Body by Henry Gray
• Online Radiology Anatomy Resources
• Anatomy Atlases - a digital library of anatomy information
• Instant Anatomy - Online anatomy website with podcasts

v t e Anatomy and morphology
Fields	Gross anatomy Superficial anatomy Neuroanatomy brain morphometry Comparative anatomy Microscopic anatomy histology molecular Morphometrics
Bacteria and fungi	Bacterial cell structure cellular morphologies morphological plasticity Colonial morphology Lichen morphology
Protists	Structures
Plants	Plant anatomy fruit Plant habit Plant life-form Plant morphology reproductive Soil morphology
Invertebrates	Decapod anatomy Gastropod anatomy Insect morphology Diptera Odonata Spider anatomy Arthropod cuticle
Mammals	Human anatomy Neanderthal anatomy Cat anatomy Dog anatomy Horse anatomy Elephant anatomy Giraffe anatomy
Other vertebrates	Amphibian anatomy Bird anatomy Fish anatomy Shark anatomy
Glossaries	Anatomical terminology Anatomical terms of location Glossary of dinosaur anatomy Glossary of plant morphology leaf morphology
Related topics	Allometry Anatomical variation Anatomical plane Body plan Form classification Gracility Hertwig rule History of anatomy 19th century Physiognomy Standard anatomical position Transcendental anatomy
Category Portal Index of anatomy articles

• Anatomy
• Subjects taught in medical school