To show the organization of the course that includes this module, follow this link Course organization
The aim of the physiology course is to provide students with the basic knowledge necessary to understand how the human body works, together with its homeostatic mechanisms. The course starts reminding some concepts of cell physiology that are important for the understanding of cell-cell communication inside and between tissues. After this, lessons will be focused on the physiology of organs and systems, including the functional and regulatory mechanisms aimed at homeostasis maintenance. The aim of the course is to give to students the tools for the understanding and for the prediction of the homeostatic adjustments that are necessary for human survival.
-Introduction to human physiology and definition of homeostasis
-Types of membrane transports, osmotic pressure, membrane potentials.
-Biophysics of cell membranes: resting membrane potentials, ionic equilibrium potentials, action potential and its propagation along axons. The neuron; chemical and electrical synapses; excitatory and inhibitory synapses.
-The neuromuscular junction and muscles: excitation-contraction coupling; mechanism of muscle contraction. Bioenergetics and biomechanics of muscle fibers.
-Anatomic and functional organization of the nervous system: central nervous system, autonomic nervous system, somatosensory and motor nervous system. Basis of motor control and different types of reflex arcs.
-Sensory organs: Visual system, auditory apparatus, taste.
The cardiovascular apparatus: structure, electrical conduction system, cardiac cycle, cardiac output, mechanisms of blood pressure control, nervous regulation of heart activity.
Respiratory apparatus: structure, gas physic laws, pulmonary ventilation. Oxygen and carbon dioxide exchanges and transport into blood. The respiratory centres, genesis and chemical regulation of the respiratory rhythm.
-Excretory system: kidney structure and function, glomerular filtration, tubular absorption and secretion, clearance, water and sodium balance, urination
-Gastrointestinal apparatus: structure and motility of the gastrointestinal tract, role of salivary glands, pancreas and liver. Mechanisms of liquids and nutrients absorption.
Reference books | |||||
Author | Title | Publisher | Year | ISBN | Note |
Poltronieri Roberto | Elementi di Fisiologia | EdiSES | 2018 | ||
Barrett K.E., Barman S.M., Boitano S., Brooks L.H. | Fisiologia Medica di Ganong (Edizione 13) | Piccin | 2017 | ||
Hall J.E. | Guyton e Hall Fisiologia Medica (Edizione 13) | edra | 2017 | ||
Zocchi L. | Principi di Fisiologia | EdiSES | 2017 | ||
Widmaier E.P., Raff H., Strang K.T. | Vander Fisiologia (Edizione 2) | Ambrosiana | 2018 | 9788808280022 |
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