PHYSIOLOGY
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- Versione italiana
- Academic year
- 2022/2023
- Teacher
- RITA CANELLA
- Credits
- 6
- Didactic period
- Primo Semestre
- SSD
- BIO/09
Training objectives
- The objective of the course of physiology is to provide students with the basis for approaching the study of physiological systems and their interconnections and to understand the basics of pathophysiological mechanisms.
The main knowledge gained will be:
• Structure of biological barriers and description of transport mechanisms located therein
. Some homeostatic mechanisms such as thermoregulation, management of the flow of energy in the body and hormonal control.
• Features of excitable tissues with particular regard to the propagation of nerve impulses and muscle excitation-contraction coupling
• Physiology of the digestive system
• Cardiac activity and circulatory system
• Introduction to blood physiology Prerequisites
- Prerequisites:
For this course are not requested introductory courses.
As prerequisites, the following knowledge are requested:
• elementary concepts of electrology and fluid dynamics;
• knowledge of the basic concepts of chemistry, the properties of the elements and inorganic compounds and major organic molecules of biological interest;
• knowledge of cell structure and organization of tissues; Course programme
- Contents:
The course includes 48 hours of lectures on the following topics:
Areas of study of physiology
Definition of isolated, closed and opensystems. From the cell to the body. Functional Organization of the organism. Internal homeostasis and hormonal regulation. Energy exchanges. External relations and communication mode.
Physiology of biological membranes and transport mechanisms
Structure of biological membranes. Transport mechanisms in free form. mediated transport. Endocytosis and exocytosis. Ionic fluxes and membrane potential. Ion permeability. Gibbs-Donnan Balance. Hodgkin Goldman and Katz equation .
Excitable tissues
Electrophysiological Techniques. The action potential. The voltage-clamp technique. The Hodgkin-Huxley model. Comparison between the model predictions and the current knowledge.
Nervous tissue
Highlights onorganization of the nervous system. Cytology of neurons and glia. The conduction of the action potential. Electrical and chemical synapses; the chemical transmission mechanism: pre- and postsynaptic phenomena; direct and indirect synapses; biochemistry of the synaptic receptors. Sensory systems.
Physiology of the muscle
Skeletal muscle: the muscle fiber structure; excitability; contraction; excitation-contraction coupling; mechanical properties of the muscle; energy metabolism and muscle contraction. The smooth muscle: highlight of cellular organization, contractile apparatus and muscle mechanics, excitability and contraction.
The digestive tract
General structure. Motility and electrical activity. Secretion. nervous and hormonal control. Digestion in the various sectors: from the mouth to the large intestine. Exocrine and endocrine pancreas. The liver and biliary secretion. The absorption of nutrients.
The heart
anatomical and histological notions. General properties: excitability, contractility, conduction, refractory, rhythm, sequential activation. The mechanical function: the cardiac cycle; cardiac output. extrinsic regulation: the nervous control; The humoral control.
The blood and the circulation:
The hematocrit; plasma and serum; the cells; Red blood cells and platelets. Leukocytes. The innate and acquired immune response. Hemoglobin saturation; the buffer systems of the blood. Notes on circulatory dynamics.
The endocrine system:
Hypothalamic-pituitary axis. The hormones of the adenohypophysis and the neurohypophysis. Thyroid-parathyroid and control of calcemia. Adrenal glands. Endocrine pancreas and blood sugar control. Hormones of male and female gonads. Didactic methods
- The course is theoretical and uses lectures.
Learning assessment procedures
- The purpose of the exam is to verify the level of achievement of the previously indicated training objectives. If the health situation allows it, the exam will be in the presence and will consist of a test of 15 closed questions with 4 answers, one of which is correct. Each correct answer is worth 2 points, each answer not given or wrong 0 points. There will be a 3-point question in order to get to the "lode".
If it is necessary to carry out the remote examination, the test will be the same, but with the telematic tools indicated by the university.
The teacher reserves the right to carry out oral exams if she deems it necessary.
The exam aims to evaluate the study of the subject and the understanding of the basic topics. The score to pass the exam is 18. It is not allowed to consult texts or use PCs, smartphones, calculators, etc.
The overall time for the test is 20 minutes. Reference texts
- Notes provided by the teacher; the link will be comunicated in class
Texts:
AA.VV., FISIOLOGIA UMANA Elementi, Casa Editrice EdiErmes
Guyton and Hall., TEXTBOOK OF MEDICAL PHYSIOLOGY, Saunders Elsevier
