Editing History of anatomy (section)

==Today's anatomical research==
Anatomical research in the past hundred years has taken advantage of technological developments and growing understanding of sciences such as [[evolutionary biology|evolutionary]] and [[molecular biology]] to create a thorough understanding of the body's organs and structures. Disciplines such as [[endocrinology]] have explained the purpose of glands that anatomists previously could not explain; medical devices such as [[MRI]] machines and [[CAT scan]]ners have enabled researchers to study organs, living or dead, in unprecedented detail. Progress today in anatomy is centered in the development, evolution, and function of anatomical features, as the macroscopic aspects of human anatomy have largely been catalogued. Non-human anatomy is particularly active as researchers use techniques ranging from [[finite element analysis]] to molecular biology.

To save time, some medical schools such as Birmingham, England have adopted [[prosection]], where a demonstrator dissects and explains to an audience, in place of dissection by students. This enables students to observe more than one body. Improvements in colour images and photography means that an anatomy text is no longer an aid to dissection but rather a central material to learn from. Plastic [[anatomical model]]s are regularly used in anatomy teaching, offering a good substitute to the real thing. Use of living models for anatomy demonstration is once again becoming popular within teaching of anatomy. Surface landmarks that can be [[palpated]] on another individual provide practice for future clinical situations. It is possible to do this on oneself; in the Integrated Biology course at the [[University of Berkeley]], students are encouraged to "introspect"<ref>Diamond M. 2005. Integrative Biology 131 - Lecture 01: Organization of Body. Berkeley, University of California.</ref> on themselves and link what they are being taught to their own body.<ref name="McLachlan, J. 2006. p.243-53"/>

In Britain, the [[Human Tissue Act 2004]] has tightened up the availability of resources to anatomy departments.<ref>{{Cite news |last=BBC News |date=2006-08-30 |title=Q&A: Human Tissue Act |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4944018.stm |access-date=2024-07-01 |language=en-GB}}</ref> The outbreaks of [[bovine spongiform encephalitis]] (BSE) in the late 1980s and early 1990s further restricted the handling of brain tissue.<ref name="McLachlan, J. 2006. p.243-53"/><ref>{{cite journal |author1=Demiryurek D. |author2 = Bayramoglu A|author3=Ustacelebi S. | year = 2002 | title = Infective agents in fixed human cadavers: a brief review and suggested guidelines | doi =10.1002/ar.10143 | journal = Anatomical Record | volume = 269 | issue = 1| pages = 194–7 |pmid = 12209557|s2cid = 20948827| doi-access = free }}</ref>

The controversy of [[Gunther von Hagens]] and public displays of dissections, preserved by [[plastination]], may divide opinions on what is ethical or legal.<ref>British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) News. 2002 Controversial autopsy goes ahead. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2493291.stm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070124102852/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2493291.stm |date=2007-01-24 }} Accessed 22 April 2008.</ref>