1-11. NAMES
a. Names are chosen to describe the structure or process as much as possible.
An international nomenclature was adopted for anatomy in Paris in 1955. It does not
use the names of people for structures. (The single exception is the Achilles tendon at
the back of the foot and ankle.)
b. Names are chosen to identify structures properly. Names identify structures
according to shape, size, color, function, and/or location. Some examples are:
TRAPEZIUS MUSCLE
TRAPEZIUS = trapezoid (shape)
ADDUCTOR MAGNUS MUSCLE
AD = toward
DUCT = to carry
(function)
MAGNUS = very large
(size)
ERYTHROCYTE
ERYTHRO = red
(color)
CYTE = cell
BICEPS BRACHII MUSCLE
BI = two
CEPS = head
(shape)
BRACHII = of the arm
(location)
Section III. CELLS
1-12. INTRODUCTION
A cell is the microscopic unit of body organization. The "typical animal cell" is
illustrated in figure 1-4. A typical animal cell includes a cell membrane, a nucleus, a
nuclear membrane, cytoplasm, ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, Golgi
apparatus, centrioles, and lysosomes.
MD0006
1-9