Switching from VB/MsAccess to PHP/mySQL

I'm a total convert, but during my early explorations with PHP and mySQL, I'm beginning to wonder if certain concepts aren't applicable to mySQL. For example, in MsAccess there is a notion of a "current record" which you can "move" to by seeking a match in its primary key (this isn't done with conventional SQL). Then you can "move about" your recordset. So in the past, I've put previous page and next page buttons on webpages that roughly translated as "move up" or "move down" in the recordset. Is this sort of thing possible with PHP (or should I just ask, how is it possible with PHP/MySQL?)

You can make an easy primary key field with a n sql statement such as the following:

CREATE TABLE ToDoList (
ItemNumber INT(4) UNSIGNED NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
Description VARCHAR(200),
DateWritten DATE,
LastUpdate DATE,
DateCompleted DATE);
DESCRIBE ToDoList;

A new ItemNumber will be added and properly incremented automatically every time you add a record with an sql statement such as:
INSERT INTO ToDoList (Description, DateWritten, LastUpdate, DateCompleted) VALUES ('Make a ToDoList Application','2000-05-05','2000-05-05',NULL);

Let me try to clarify my question. With access and VB, it's possible to select a record and navigate your recordset without SQL statements, is this also possible with PHP and mySQL?