Anatomy

Anatomy, study of the structure of plants and animals. The word is derived from a Greek verb meaning to cut up, since dissection was the main source of anatomical knowledge. Anatomy is closely related to physiology, the investigation of the functions and vital processes of living organisms. Gross anatomy is the study of the structures that can be seen with the naked eye, and microscopic anatomy, the investigation of minute parts of organs and tissues with the aid of a microscope. Comparative anatomy systematically compares the structures of different organisms.

See also: Human body.