Reading Map . BIOL 304

The textbook

Anatomy and Physiology 2e by Betts, Young, Wise, Johnson, Poe, Kruse, Korol, Johnson, Womble, and DeSaix. Published by OpenStax (Rice University). Free digital access at openstax.org/details/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e. Low-cost print copies available through OpenStax and most campus bookstores.

OpenStax is released under a Creative Commons Attribution license (CC BY 4.0). Students may download the PDF, read online, print portions, or purchase print at cost. There is no access code, no publisher subscription, and no new-edition churn.

Citation: Betts, J. G., Young, K. A., Wise, J. A., Johnson, E., Poe, B., Kruse, D. H., Korol, O., Johnson, J. E., Womble, M., & DeSaix, P. (2022). Anatomy and Physiology 2e. OpenStax. Access for free at openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e.

Weekly Reading Map

Three tiers. Read what matters, focus where the lab anchors, use the reference chapters as a lookup source when you need them.

Read Full chapter, essential. Focus Named sections only. Reference Lookup source, not required.

1Week

Body Basics · Cells & Tissues

Levels of organization, terminology, biomolecules, cells, the four tissue types, homeostasis.

Read

Ch 1 An Introduction to the Human Body
Ch 4 The Tissue Level of Organization

Focus

Ch 2 The Chemical Level of Organization Read 2.4 Inorganic Compounds, 2.5 Organic Compounds (biomolecules). Skim the atomic structure sections.
Ch 3 The Cellular Level of Organization Read 3.1 Cell Membrane, 3.2 Cytoplasm and Organelles. The transport concepts in 3.1 anchor why we care about membranes for the tonicity lab.

Weekly lab: Anatomy labels body planes, cavities, directional terms, the cell, and tissue types. Physiology runs tonicity reasoning (isotonic, hypotonic, hypertonic) and burn fluid resuscitation using the Parkland formula and Rule of Nines. Introduces the measure, calculate, interpret pattern.

2Week

Protection & Support

Skin, bone and joints, skeletal muscle. Structures that protect, support, and move the body.

Read

Ch 5 The Integumentary System
Ch 10 Muscle Tissue Through section 10.3; deeper fiber-type detail is extra.

Focus

Ch 6 Bone Tissue and the Skeletal System Read 6.3 Bone Structure, 6.4 Bone Formation and Development, 6.5 Fractures and Bone Repair. Bone density and remodeling anchor the DEXA lab.
Ch 9 Joints Read 9.1 Classification of Joints. Types only, not every specific articulation.

Reference

Ch 7 & 8 Axial Skeleton, Appendicular Skeleton Source for bone gross anatomy in the Week 2 anatomy workbook (skull, spine, thoracic cage, upper and lower limbs). No read-through required.
Ch 11 The Muscular System Source for major muscle groups in the Week 2 anatomy workbook.

Weekly lab: Anatomy labels skin layers, the skeleton (skull three views, spine, thoracic cage, all limbs), long bone structure, osteon, joint, and muscle/sarcomere. Physiology interprets DEXA scans, calculates T-scores, and applies NOF treatment thresholds and FRAX risk assessment for fall and fracture risk.

3Week

Control Systems

Nervous and endocrine basics. Fast electrical signaling, slower chemical signaling, and how the two coordinate.

Read

Ch 12 The Nervous System and Nervous Tissue
Ch 13 Anatomy of the Nervous System
Ch 17 The Endocrine System Section 17.9 on the endocrine pancreas anchors the OGTT and HbA1c content for this week.

Focus

Ch 15 The Autonomic Nervous System Read 15.1-15.3. The autonomic-somatic split anchors the Valsalva maneuver and ANS reflex content. Section 15.4 on drug effects is optional enrichment.

Weekly lab: Anatomy labels the neuron, synapse, glia, brain (lateral and sagittal), spinal cord, cranial nerves, endocrine torso, three endocrine histology slides, and ANS. Physiology runs the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) interpretation, HbA1c estimated average glucose calculation, and Valsalva maneuver autonomic reflex reasoning.

4Week

Senses & Integration

Special senses, central processing, brain regions, reflex arcs, and the bedside neurological exam.

Read

Ch 14 The Somatic Nervous System Special senses live here (14.1 Sensory Perception, 14.2 Central Processing, 14.7 Cranial Nerve Exam).
Ch 16 The Neurological Exam Ch 16 is the direct anchor for the full neuro exam this week. All five subsections are short and worth reading.

Weekly lab: Anatomy labels the eye (external and internal), retina, ear, sensory pathways, cranial nerve review, and Circle of Willis. Physiology runs the full bedside neuro exam: the five-component assessment, MRC muscle strength scale, Glasgow Coma Scale, and FAST stroke screen with tPA decision logic.

5Week

Transport

Heart, vessels, blood composition, circulation, and the lymphatic and immune systems.

Read

Ch 18 The Cardiovascular System: Blood
Ch 19 The Cardiovascular System: The Heart Section 19.2 on cardiac electrical activity underpins the ECG lab.

Focus

Ch 20 The Cardiovascular System: Blood Vessels and Circulation Read 20.1 Structure and Function, 20.2 Flow and Resistance, 20.4 Homeostatic Regulation, 20.5 Circulatory Pathways. RAAS regulation in 20.4 anchors the blood pressure content. Fetal circulation in 20.6 is optional.
Ch 21 The Lymphatic and Immune System Read 21.1 Anatomy, 21.2 Barrier and Innate Defenses, 21.3 Adaptive Response. Skim cancer and transplant immunology in 21.7.

Weekly lab: Anatomy labels the heart (external and internal), cardiac histology, conduction system, vessels, major arteries, major veins, blood smear, and lymph anatomy. Physiology runs the five-step ECG reading method (rate, rhythm, axis, intervals, morphology), identifies common rhythms, calculates ASCVD 10-year risk by tier, and reasons through RAAS-related blood pressure scenarios. Heaviest week; plan accordingly.

6Week

Gas Exchange & Waste

Respiratory mechanics and gas exchange, kidney filtration, acid-base and fluid balance.

Read

Ch 22 The Respiratory System
Ch 25 The Urinary System

Focus

Ch 26 Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Balance Read 26.1 Body Fluids and Fluid Compartments, 26.4 Acid-Base Balance. Acid-base balance directly anchors the ABG interpretation lab. Conceptual level is enough; the deep buffer chemistry is optional.

Weekly lab: Anatomy labels the upper and lower respiratory tracts, alveoli, lung volumes, kidney, nephron, and urinary anatomy. Physiology runs three clinical labs: spirometry (FEV1/FVC ratios for obstructive vs restrictive patterns), the four-step arterial blood gas interpretation method, and urinalysis dipstick decoding.

7Week

Nutrition

Digestive anatomy, mechanical and chemical breakdown, absorption, metabolism, and the liver.

Read

Ch 23 The Digestive System Section 23.6 on accessory organs covers the liver as metabolic hub, which directly anchors the LFT and lipid panel lab.

Focus

Ch 24 Metabolism and Nutrition Read 24.4 Nutrition and Diet. Skim 24.1 Overview of Metabolic Reactions for concepts only. The carbohydrate and lipid metabolism sections are optional.

Weekly lab: Anatomy labels the GI canal, GI wall, stomach, villi, colon, liver gross and lobular structure, biliary tree, and peritoneum. Physiology interprets liver function tests (hepatocellular vs cholestatic patterns), calculates LDL using the Friedewald equation, applies lipid panel decision logic, and reasons through nutrition assessment.

8Week

Life Stages · Final Synthesis

Reproductive anatomy, pregnancy and development, lifespan integration, end-of-life physiology.

Read

Ch 27 The Reproductive System

Focus

Ch 28 Development and Inheritance Read 28.1 Fertilization, 28.4 Pregnancy Labor and Birth, 28.5 Adjustments at Birth, 28.6 Lactation. Deep embryonic and fetal staging (28.2, 28.3) and the inheritance chapter (28.7) are optional.

Weekly lab: Anatomy labels the male and female reproductive tracts, testis, ovary, uterine cycle, breast, embryonic development, placenta, and fetal circulation, with a lifespan reference table. Physiology integrates EEG band interpretation, the apnea test for brain death determination, and lifespan integration of physiology across the eight body systems studied.

What We Skim or Skip

OpenStax A&P 2e is written for a two-semester course. Eight summer weeks cannot do it at the same depth. Here is what gets treated lightly or set aside, with reasoning.

Ch 2: atomic structure detail

Sections 2.1 to 2.3 on elements, bonds, and reactions are useful background but not required. Biomolecule sections (2.4, 2.5) carry the essential content.

Ch 3: mitosis and the cell cycle

The membrane and organelles carry the weight for this course. Cell division is not tested at depth.

Ch 7, 8, 11: gross anatomy atlases

These chapters are lookup references. Students use them to name bones and muscles during the trainer, but read-through is not expected.

Ch 9: specific articulations

Joint classification matters. The detailed anatomy of every specific joint does not.

Ch 24: deep metabolic pathways

Carbohydrate, protein, and lipid metabolism at the biochemistry level is optional. Conceptual understanding of metabolism is sufficient.

Ch 26: buffer chemistry detail

Acid-base balance at a conceptual level, yes. The quantitative buffer equations are not a target.

Ch 28: embryonic staging, inheritance

Sections 28.2, 28.3, and 28.7 are interesting but fall outside the lab-anchored content for Week 8.

Career Connections sidebars

Throughout the book, these are strong supplements for allied health students. Optional but recommended for anyone figuring out their direction.