536-301 Integrative Physiology: Heart & Kidney

Formerly known as 536-301 Systems Physiology Part A.

Physiology 536-201, 536-211, and 536-202.

BBiomedSc students: 521-213 and 536-250.

The Head of Department will consider exemptions for students who passed 536-201 and 536-211.

This subject focuses on physiological control systems with an emphasis on cardiovascular, renal and endocrine homeostasis. Your studies will follow the programmed development of the cardiovascular system from gene to cell and organ. You will develop an understanding of how hearts, kidneys and hormones interact in a coordinated and integrated way to control blood pressure and fluid balance.

Cardiovascular and renal themes of study include principles of endocrine action; factors controlling heart and kidney growth and function; interaction of genetic and environmental influences; adaptations in pregnancy and human pathophysiology. You will also be introduced to experimental approaches and models in physiology and current controversies in heart, kidney and hormone research. Disturbances in physiological function will be studied to gain insight into the molecular and cellular bases of disease processes. These disturbances include hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy and arrhythmia, renal failure and pre-eclampsia.

In this subject, the lectures are supplemented with multimedia workshops where you will work together in small groups with the assistance of specialist tutors. You will be introduced to the primary research literature and will select an article of current interest to analyse for your assignment. Assessment includes short report writing, a literature analysis task and a final examination.

On completion of this subject students will have:

• established a sound factual understanding of cardiac and renal structure, function and development at both organ and cellular levels;

• developed the skills to predict how altered renal and cardiac function impacts on systemic cardiovascular control processes;

• proficiency in reading, analysing and evaluating current scientific literature in the field of cardio-renal integrative physiology, and

• awareness of current research controversies in the cardio-renal area.

A 2-hour end-of-semester examination (65%), one written assignment of not more than 2000 words (25%), two multimedia tutorial reports (10% total)