Anatomy - MBBS
Anatomy - MBBS
ANATOMY
Total duration of course is one year. It comprises of two semesters I and II. Each semester is of six
months duration.
Course commences from 1st August every year and ends on 15 June following year.
The subject of anatomy is taught under the following heads :
1. Gross anatomy
2. Microanatomy
3. Embryology and Genetics
4. Neuroanatomy
Total number of teaching hours are approximately 541.
Distribution of teaching hours for theory and practicals are as follows :
Subject Approximate No. of hours taught
1. Gross Anatomy
Lectures 38
Practicals 349
2. Microanatomy
Lectures 20
Practicals 43
3. Embryology
Lectures 21
Practicals 18
Genetics
Lectures 5
Practicals 1
2 Syllabus MBBS — AIIMS
4. Neuroanatomy
Lectures 19
Practicals 27
Total No. of teaching hours in Anatomy 541
(Theory and Practicals)
OBJECTIVES
At the end of the course, the student should be able to:
• Comprehend the normal disposition, inter-relationships, gross, functional and applied anatomy of
the various structures in the body.
• Identify the microscopic structures of various tissues, and organs in the human body and correlate
the structure with the functions as a prerequisite for understanding the altered state in various
disease processes.
• Comprehend the basic structure and connections between the various parts of the central nervous
system so as to analyze the integrative and regulative functions on the organs and systems. He/She
should be able to locate the site of gross lesions according to the deficits encountered.
• To understand the basic principles of embryology including genetic inheritance and stages involved
in development of the organs and systems from the time of conception till birth. The student should
recognise the critical stages of normal development and the effects of common teratogens, genetic
mutations and environmental hazards on it. He/She should be able to explain the developmental basis
of the occurrence of major variations, abnormalities and congenital anomalies.
COURSE CONTENT
1. Gross Anatomy
Introduction to Anatomy, nomenclature, anatomical position, planes, tissues and movements.
I. Osteology
(a) Names of the bones of the body and their position; classification of the bones with examples;
general features of the bone and normal development; microscopic anatomy of bone; general pattern
of blood supply; ossification of the bones of the limbs for age determination. X-rays of bones.
(b) Process of repair of bone.
2. Muscular System
(a) Classification and identification of the muscles of the body: main attachments, nerve supply and
action(s), microscopic anatomy of muscles and the nerve terminations.
(b) Details of attachments of the muscles; ultrastructural features of muscle; mechanism of the movement
caused by the muscle/muscles and various forces exerted by them and their detailed action(s).
3. Arthrology
(a) Definition and classification of joints, general features of different types of joints; detailed study of
major joints of the limbs and movements performed at various joints in the body.
Anatomy 3
(b) Microscopic anatomy of articular cartilage; maintenance of articular cartilages; blood supply and
nerve supply of the joints.
5. Respiratory System
(a) Position, parts, relations, blood supply of upper and lower respiratory tract. Pleura, its reflection,
nerve supply, pleural recesses and their significance, bronchopulmonary segments, their importance.
(b) Mechanism of respiration
6. Digestive System
(a) Position, extent, parts, relations, blood supply, nerve supply, lymphatic drainage and sphincters of
the gastrointestinal system.
(b) Sphincteric action including functional implications.
7. Genito-Urinary System
(a) Parts, position, relations, blood supply, nerve supply and lymphatic drainage of uterus, cervix,
vagina, ovary, ovarian duct, testes, epididymis, seminal vesicle, ductus deferens, prostate, kidney,
ureter, urinary bladder and urethra
(b) Innervation of urinary bladder in detail
II. Microanatomy
Microscope and basic principles of microscopy, commonly used stains, basophilic and acidophilic
staining reactions and their significance. Commonly encountered artifacts. Brief principle of electron
microscopy and interpretation of ultrastructural features.
GENERAL HISTOLOGY
Cell : detailed structure of cell and its components and their functional mechanisms.
Exocrine glands : Characteristics, simple and compound glands; types of secretions, modes of secretion,
detailed structural features of a serous secreting cell and mucous secreting cell, serous and mucous
acini, duct system, features of salivary glands, exocrine pancreas, sweat and sebaceous glands, mammary
gland, bulbourethral gland etc.
Circulatory system : Structural features of heart; conducting and distributing arteries and arterioles;
types of capillaries, their structural features and distribution and microcirculation, detailed structure of
endothelium; structural characteristics of large and small veins and venules arterio-venous shunts,
lymphatics.
Respiratory system : Structural features of nose, nasopharynx, larynx, trachea, principal brochi, lung
including intrapulmonary bronchi, bronchioles, alveolar ducts, atria, alveoli, blood-air-barrier. Functions
of different parts of respiratory system.
Skin and nerve-end-organs : Thick, thin and hairy skin, cell renewal and pigmentation of skin, skin
appendages, healing of skin wounds, sensory receptors of skin. Functions of skin.
Immune system and lymphoid organs : Lymphocytes, their subtypes and functions. Humoral and cell
mediated immunity. Thymus, lymph nodes, spleen, tonsils and other mucous associated lymphoid follicles.
Digestive system (GIT) : General organization, oral cavity, lip, cheek, tongue, taste buds, associated
salivary glands. Layers of tubular digestive tract, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, gastroesophageal
junction, gastroduodenal junction, large intestine, anal canal and rectoanal junction. Liver, internal
organization of liver, liver lobule, liver acinus, significance of zonation in liver acinus, liver sinusoids,
detailed structure of hapatocyet, bile canaliculi, bile ducts, gall bladder, bile duct and pancreas.
Endocrine glands : Thyroid, parathyroid, Islets of Langerhan’s gland, adrenal cortex and medulla, their
structural details, functional mechanisms, hypophysis cerebri, cell types secretion and their functions,
hypophyseal portal circulation, common endocrine disorders
Urinary system : Detailed microscopic structure of kidney, cortex, medulla, pyramids, medullary rays,
cortical columns, glomerulus, nephron, glomerular filtration juxtaglomerular apparatus, its structural
features and functions, renal interstitium, collecting ducts, renal sinus, minor and major calyces,
microcirculation of kidney, histophysiology of the kidney, renal pelvis and ureters, urinary bladder and
urethra.
Female reproductive system : Ovary, ovarian stroma, primary and secondary graafian follicles, functions
of various constitutents and structural details of graafian follicles, atretic follicles, corpuluteum and its
functions, corpus albicans. Oviducts, uterus, arterial supply of uterus, cyclic changes in uterine
endometrium, fertilization, vagina, female external ganitalia and mammary glands.
Male reproductive system : Testes, spermatogenesis, spermatozoon, cycle of seminiferous epithelium,
sertoli cells, interstitial tissue Leydig cells, histophysiology of testes, epididymus, vas deferns, prostrate,
seminal vesicles, penis.
III. Embryology
(b) Sperm in the male genital tract; sperm in the female genital tract, activation and capacitation of
sperm in the female genital tract.
(c) First Week of Development
Definition and normal site and process of fertilisation, formation of zygote, cleavage division; formation
of morula and blastocyst.
(d) Second Week of Development
Differentiation of embryoblast and trophoblast; changes in the embryoblast formation of bilainar
germ disc; changes in the trophoblast; formation of cytotrophoblast, syncytiotrophoblast, amniotic
membrane, yolk sac, extra embryonic mesoderm and extra embryonic coelom and connecting
stalk; formation of chorion, amniotic cavity, primary yolk sac cavity appearance of prochordal
plate.
Implantation; formation of decidua, types of implantation and abnormal sites of implantation
(e) Third Week of Development
Appearance of primitive streak and primitive node; formation of intraembroynic mesoderm resulting
in trilaminar germ disc; gastrulation formation of notochord, buccopharyngeal and cloacal membranes,
paraxial, intermediate and lateral plate mesoderm, secondary yolk sac, intraembryonic coelom and
allantoic diverticulum; derivatives of ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm.
(f) Fourth To Eighth week of Development (Embryonic period)
Formation of somites, neural tube, cephalocaudal folding, lateral foldings, body form, stomodeum,
proctodeum, gut and vitelline duct; subdivisions of gut into foregut, midgut and hindgut.
Development from third month to birth (Fetal period)
(g) Maturation of tissues and organs and rapid growth of body.
(h) Estimation of age.
Placenta
(i) Formation of placenta and chorionic villi, decidua basalis; features and functions of placenta; placental
circulation; abnormalities; placental barrier; placentome, types of placenta.
Umbilical Cord
(j) Formation of umbilical cord; features of umbilical cord.
Amniotic Cavity
(k) Amniotic cavity and membrane; amniotic fluid – functions, expansions of amniotic cavity and
fusion with chorion; chorion laeve with decidua capsularis; decidua capsularis with parietalis;
obliteration of chorionic and uterine cavities; function of fused foetal membranes to dilate cervical
canal.
(l) Abnormalities; obliteration of chorionic and uterine cavities; abnormalities of chorion.
(m) Formation of twins and types of twins.
(n) Arrangement of foetal membranes. Conjoined twins.
Teratology
(o) Genetical and environmental factors as causative factors for congenital malformations.
(p) Mode of actions of teratogenes and critical periods.
Anatomy 7
PRACTICALS
Gross Anatomy
Upper Limb: Dissection: Pectoral and scapular, axillary and shoulder region, arm, forearm.
Prosected parts: Joints, Palm and dorsum of hand.
Thorax : Dissection: Chest wall, mediastinum, pleura, lungs, heart.
Abdomen: Dissection: Anterior abdominal wall and inguinal region, external genitalia. Viscera and Posterior
Abdominal wall and nerve plexus.
Pelvis: Dissection : Pelvic viscera, blood vessels and nerves.
Prosected Parts: Perineum including ischio-rectal fossa.
Lower Limb: Dissection: Gluteal region, front and back of thigh popliteal fossa, front back and lateral
side of leg and dorsum of foot.
Prosected Parts: Sole of the foot and joints
Head & Neck: Dissection: Superficial and deep dissection of face and neck, orbit and eye ball.
Submandibular region temporal and infratemporal fossa, cranial cavity, naso and oropharyngeal regions.
Ear,. Larynx and pharynx.
Neuro Anatomy
Gross specimen of full brain, meninges, spinal cord, prosected specimens to demonstrate visual system,
auditory and vesibular pathways and major functional areas.
Stained sections of brain and spinal cord at various levels to demonstrate cranial nerve nuclei, ascending
and descending tracts, thalamic nuclei and important functional areas.
8 Syllabus MBBS — AIIMS
Demonstrations
– Bones of skull and vertebral column
– Brain and spinal cord
– Cross-sectional anatomy
– Radiological anatomy
– CT and MRI scan
Microscopic Anatomy
– Routine and special stained slides of all the tissues and organs of body.
– Electronmicrographs to demonstrate filtration barrier of kidney, alveolar septum, tight junctions of
capillaries and such relevant areas.
Developmental Anatomy
– Models to demonstrate various stages of early foetus and different organ development.
– Slides of ovary and testis to show follicles and stages of maturation of spermatozoa: early chick and
pig embryos to understand the development of tissues and organs from conception till term.
Genetics
Demonstration of normal karyotype and common abnormal conditions including banding; Pedigree
chart, syndromes and their clinical phenotype. Demonstration of various new techniques such as FISH.
Skills
1. Demonstrate surface markings of important organs.
2. Localise important pulsation and the structures against which pressure can be applied in case of
bleeding from a particular artery.
3. Demonstrate muscle testing and movements at joints.
4. Locate sites for : Lumbar puncture, sternal puncture, pericardial tapping, liver biopsy.
5. Locate veins for venae puncture.
6. Locate the site for emergency tracheostomy.
7. Locate the subcutaneous positions of large veins.
1. Didactic Lectures : discussing the topic in detail in one hour lecture time.
Practicals
Learning objectives are given to students before each session.
2. Dissection : is done by students on the cadavers and is being assisted/supervised by a team of
teachers. Some prossected specimen/dissection are shown on Ultrascope which is telecasted on
TV monitors fitted in dissection Hall.
3. Video tapes of some dissections are also shown on TV after the completion of dissection of the part/
region to recaptulate the details of the part/region dissected.
4. Cross sections of whole body and brain are shown to correlate with MRI. X-rays are shown after
dissection of each region.
5. Self assessment MCQs are given at the end of dissection of each region and discussed with teachers
in-charge.
6. Handouts are given at the end of completion of part/region to the students to recaptulate and remember
the Gross anatomy, Neuroanatomy, Embryology and Histology.
7. In microanatomy, a preview of the slides is given on TV monitor in small groups to understand the
structural details of tissue/structure/organ.
8. In embryology, the serial sections of early chick embryos and pig embryos are demonstrated to
understand the sequence of events involved in development of various systems and to understand
the developmental basis of occurrence of various congenital abnormalities. Computer assisted
programs for understanding the normal development of organ/systems is also demonstrated. Specimen
and models depicting normal development of system are shown.
9. In genetics, the phenotype photographs, karyotyPes and pictures of various banding techniques are
shown to understand the chromosomal abnormalities and various syndromes.
10. In Neuroanatomy, the stained sections at various levels of brain and spinal cord are shown on slides
and computers to localize the cranial nerve nuclei and trace the origin, course and termination of
ascending and descending tracts in order to understand the effects produced as a result of lesions.
11. Case studies of neural lesions are discussed to understand the location and level of lesions.
12. Demonstrations : Mainly the bones of the entire body, few dissected specimen are taught in small
groups.
By a combination of the above teaching-Learning tools and modalities the student is able to understand
the development, gross and microscopic structure of the organ systems and gain an insight into the
structure-function correlation. This combined with the knowledge of applied/clinical anatomy provides
an understanding of the anatomical basis of health and disease.
Professional Examination
Theory Marks
Paper I (General Anatomy and Gross Anatomy of whole body) 50
Paper II (Embryology, Microanatomy, Neuroanatomy & Genetics) 50
Total (Theory) 100
Practicals (Gross Anatomy, Embryology, Histology, Neuroanatomy, Genetics) 65
Viva Voce 35
Total (Practical & Viva) 100
Grand Total (Theory + Practicals & Viva) 200
Theory Papers
Comprise of mainly Short Answer Questions (SAQs), diagrams of cross sections and important
arrangement / relation of viscera, fill in the blanks etc.
Practicals
Include identification of slides, models, photographs, specimen, prossected parts, X-rays, MRI and
structure in cross sections at various levels of body.