Unit 1 Reflection

In Unit 1 our class learned about the different anatomical terms used to define positions and the proximity of locations in the body. We also learned about Histology and the four major types of tissue: epithelial, connective, muscle, and nervous. Each tissue preforms a specific role in the human body that helps keep us functioning throughout our lives. For example, connective tissue helps connect all the organs inside the body and acts as a transportation system for circulating nutrients throughout the body and for removing waste.

Some themes in this unit included how form fits function. This saying means that the function of the particular cell, tissue, or organ depends on how it was built, where it is located, and what structures it contains. For example, skeletal muscle is closely attached to our skeleton and consists of long, cylindrical cells with multiple nuclei. This particular muscle helps us move our limbs and accomplish a range of activity from running around to picking up a pile of books.
After all of the work we have done in the class so far, the one thing that I would like to improve on is my tissue classification. Before this class, I never needed to know the classification of so many tissues or which category of major tissue they fell under. I have gained a lot of new insight that has helped me classify tissues now, but I still mix up a couple of the tissues and would like to improve in the future.
For the next unit, I know a little bit more about anatomy and physiology now than I did before I started the class. I can refer back to this knowledge while learning new material. However, I will still try to work on memorizing more of the vocabulary and I will try to picture the different anatomical structures working together such as the lungs working with the circulatory system to pump oxygen through the body, or a cell's nucleus and ribosomes working together to create proteins.
A real world job where I can use the knowledge I gained from this unit is the job of a veterinarian. Even though what we are learning mostly refers to human anatomy and its physiology, many animals have the same organs that accomplish the same function as ours do. My logic is to have an understanding of how an animal's body works as a vet, one must first gain a greater understanding of how a human body works as well.