Human Anatomy and Physiology Practicals
These first-year practicals connect what the body is made of with how its systems work. They move from identifying tissues and organs to observing blood, circulation, reproduction, and muscle responses. Use each exercise to practice careful observation, accurate recording, and the distinction between a teaching result and a clinical decision.
From tissues to organ systems
Begin with epithelial, connective, muscular, and nervous tissues. Their characteristic structures help explain the later organ-system models. The axial and appendicular skeleton exercises provide a body framework for locating structures. The cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, urinary, nervous, reproductive, and special-senses model studies then show how organs relate to one another. A model or chart is a learning aid; identify its orientation, labels, and limits before drawing conclusions.
Blood and circulation
The hematology-appliance study introduces the tools used in the blood practicals. The white-cell count, red-cell count, differential leukocyte count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, hemoglobin content, bleeding time, and clotting time exercises each measure or classify a different property. Read the instrument scale and observation method before calculating anything. Keep units and dilution factors visible in the record. Blood-group testing is a separate pattern-recognition exercise based on reactions with specified antisera. Blood-pressure measurement connects the cardiovascular model to a physiological reading. These teaching exercises do not substitute for a validated clinical laboratory or medical assessment.
Reproductive health demonstrations
The family-planning appliance practical is a supervised identification and explanation exercise. The pregnancy-diagnosis practical introduces the logic of a urine test and the importance of reading the particular kit instructions and control result. Neither exercise requires students to infer a person's circumstances from a demonstration result.
Experimental physiology
The apparatus study prepares students to read stimulus marks, time axes, response axes, levers, and transducers. The simple muscle curve introduces a single response. Summation adds a second stimulus before the first response has fully relaxed. The temperature practical compares traces under labeled temperature conditions. Load and after-load compare when a muscle begins bearing an external weight. The fatigue curve follows responses during repeated comparable stimulation. Together, these studies build a habit of changing one recorded condition at a time and checking whether traces have the same scale before comparison.
The muscle-curve articles use approved simulations or instructor-supplied traces as the student-facing route. Any biological preparation belongs to a separately authorized, supervised laboratory procedure.
Using the practical cards
Follow the cards in syllabus order. Each practical page provides its aim, requirements, theory, numbered procedure, observation or calculation, result format, and linked references. Record only observations actually supplied or measured. Moose will add the page cards and links to individual practicals, nearby practicals, and theory notes when building the site.
Practical exercises
1. Study of tissues of the human body: epithelial and muscular tissue
To identify epithelial and muscular tissues in prepared microscope slides and explain how their visible features relate to their functions.
2. Study of tissues of the human body: connective and nervous tissue
To identify connective and nervous tissues in prepared microscope slides and relate their visible organization to support and communication functions.
3. Study of appliances used in hematological experiments
To recognize the principal appliances used in the Human Anatomy and Physiology blood practicals, explain each appliance's purpose, and identify the feature that
4. Determination of W.B.C. count of blood
To estimate the total number of white blood cells (W.B.C.s, or leukocytes) per microlitre of blood by manual counting in an improved Neubauer haemocytometer.
5. Determination of R.B.C. count of blood
To estimate the number of red blood cells (R.B.C.s, or erythrocytes) per microlitre of a blood sample by manual counting in an improved Neubauer haemocytometer.
6. Determination of differential count of blood
To determine the percentage distribution of the five main leukocyte types in a stained peripheral blood film by manual differential counting.
7. Determination of erythrocyte sedimentation rate
To determine the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) of a blood specimen by the Westergren method and report the distance of red-cell settling after one hour.
8. Determination of hemoglobin content of blood
To demonstrate estimation of blood hemoglobin concentration with a Sahli acid-haematin comparator and record its direct scale reading.
9. Determination of bleeding time
To demonstrate the Duke bleeding-time method and record the elapsed time from a supervised skin puncture until free bleeding stops.
10. Determination of clotting time
To observe the formation of a fibrin thread in a nonheparinized capillary tube and report the elapsed time by the capillary-tube teaching method. [1]
11. Measurement of blood pressure
To obtain and record two seated blood-pressure readings with a validated automatic upper-arm monitor, then calculate their arithmetic mean for a supervised teac
12. Determination of ABO and RhD blood group
To use a supervised forward-grouping demonstration to distinguish the ABO and RhD reaction patterns of an instructor-supplied teaching sample. [1, 2]
13. Study of the axial skeleton using charts, models, and specimens
To identify the main regions of the axial skeleton on teaching charts, models, or approved specimens and relate each region to its protective or supporting role
14. Study of the appendicular skeleton using charts, models, and specimens
To identify the limb bones and the pectoral and pelvic girdles on teaching charts, models, or approved specimens, and explain how the girdles connect the limbs
15. Study of the cardiovascular system using charts, models, and specimens
To identify the heart chambers, major valves and vessels, and the pulmonary and systemic circuits on teaching charts, models, or approved specimens. [1, 2, 3]
16. Study of the respiratory system using charts, models, and specimens
To identify the main air passages, lungs, alveolar region, and diaphragm on charts, models, or approved specimens, then trace the route of inhaled air. [1, 2]
17. Study of the digestive system using charts, models, and specimens
To identify the principal gastrointestinal tract organs and accessory digestive organs on charts, models, or approved specimens, and trace the path of food thro
18. Study of the urinary system using charts, models, and specimens
To identify the kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, and urethra on charts, models, or approved specimens and trace the path of urine from formation to exit. [1,
19. Study of the nervous system using charts, models, and specimens
To distinguish central and peripheral nervous-system structures on charts, models, or approved specimens and trace a simple sensory-to-motor information path. [
20. Study of special senses using charts, models, and specimens
To identify the main receptor organs and pathways for vision, hearing and balance, smell, and taste on charts or models, and to distinguish skin sensation as a
21. Study of the reproductive system using charts, models, and specimens
To identify the principal structures shown on typical female and male reproductive-system charts or models and trace the broad routes of an oocyte and sperm. [1
22. Study of family planning appliances
To identify selected physical contraceptive appliances in a supervised teaching collection, classify their broad method, and distinguish items that require a tr
23. Demonstration of a urine pregnancy test
To perform a supervised qualitative urine hCG test with instructor-approved control material, read the device's control and test indicators, and record a valid
24. Study of appliances used in experimental physiology
To identify the main appliances used to stimulate a nerve-muscle preparation and record a muscle response, and to explain each appliance's place in the recordin
25. Recording and analysis of a simple muscle curve
To obtain or examine a single gastrocnemius muscle twitch trace after one sciatic-nerve stimulus in an approved teaching simulation or instructor-supplied recor
26. Recording and analysis of a simple summation curve
To compare an isolated twitch with a paired-stimulus trace from an approved sciatic-gastrocnemius simulation or instructor-supplied record and identify when a s
27. Effect of temperature on a muscle curve
To compare labelled gastrocnemius twitch traces recorded under different temperature conditions in an approved simulation or instructor-supplied record, and des
28. Effect of load and after-load on a muscle twitch
To compare the shortening of a sciatic-gastrocnemius preparation under a free load and an after-load, using an instructor-approved simulation or archived traces
29. Recording and interpretation of a simple muscle fatigue curve
To follow the change in response height during a series of comparable stimuli in an approved sciatic-gastrocnemius simulation or instructor-supplied trace and i
Theory notes: Human Anatomy and Physiology