536-029 Physiology

Note

Special Requirements: White coat, name tag, dissecting instruments, and practical note book (details in laboratory manual).

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

This subject covers the following areas: principles of physiological integration; the interface between tissue cells and the internal environment; biophysics of excitable and contractile tissue; the physiology of mammalian organ systems: circulation of blood, respiration, electrolyte balance, digestion and absorption, sensation and movement; and the coordination of bodily functions by hormonal and neural mechanisms.

On completion of this subject, students should:

Comprehend: the terminology of physiology; the principles and essential information regarding the functions of different cell types and how they interact in organ systems; the mechanisms by which these different organ systems are controlled in the normal human being; the normal numerical values for those physiological variables that are commonly used as indices of disease.

Have developed: observational and organisational skills to use experimental techniques in investigating physiological systems and document the findings reliably; skills in analysing and evaluating physiological experimental data.

Appreciate: the ranges of normality for physiological parameters; the factors which influence the significance of results obtained from investigating physiological factors.

Assessment

One 2-hour mid-year examination; a 3-hour end-of-year examination; assignments during the course; practical note book.

Prescribed Texts

• Berne R M and Levy M N 1996, Principles of Physiology. 2nd ed. Mosby.
  or
  Sherwood L 1993, Human Physiology from Cells to Systems. 2nd ed West.
  or
  for more detailed coverage - Berne R M and Levy M N 1993, Physiology. 3rd ed Mosby.