This text is written for the two semester anatomy & physiology course. The writing is comprehensive, providing the depth necessary for those courses not requiring prerequisites, and yet, is presented with such clarity that it nicely balances the thorough coverage. Clear descriptions and exceptional illustrations combine to help students develop a firm understanding of the concepts of anatomy and physiology and to teach them how to use that information. Great care has been taken to select important concepts and to perfectly describe the anatomy of cells, organs, and organ systems. The plan that has been followed for ten editions of this popular text is to combine clear and accurate descriptions of anatomy with precise explanations of how structures function and examples of how they work together to maintain life. To emphasize the concepts of anatomy and physiology, the authors provide explanations of how the systems respond to aging, changes in physical activity, and disease, with a special focus on homeostasis and the regulatory mechanisms that maintain it. This text has more clinical content than any other A & P book on the market.