The Kaitai Shinsho (New Book of Anatomy) translated by Genpaku SUGITA, Ryotaku MAENO and others had laid the foundation of Western studies of the Edo period and of anatomy of Japan, and later, their disciple Gentaku OTSUKI had published the revised edition of Kaitai Shinsho with better translation and illustrations by copper-plate etchings, however, the development of anatomy had not much advanced since then.
杉田玄白、前野良沢らが訳した解体新書は江戸蘭学、日本解剖学の基礎を築いたが、その後継者大槻玄沢がより正確な訳と版画凹版画を用いたものに改良した「重訂解体新書」を刊行するなど解剖学ではその改善に留まる。