COMPARATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Bibliography
- Delivery method
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
The course requires partial proficiency in main subjects of a biology course: english reading skills, mathematics, chemistry, physics, cytology and histology, comparative anatomy, genetics, biochemistry, microbiology, general physiology. Mandatory exams are not present in this degree course.
Oral examination, 40 minutes interview.
A comparative physiology course intended for BSc students. The course is meant as follow up of the general physiology course and proposes up to date knowledge about comparative physiology. The structure function relationships of different organs will be approached considering also evolutionary aspects. Some examples in the animal kingdom will be exploited.
The aim of the course is to promote a study across the borders based on the various preparatory “biological” disciplines, a prerequisite to understand comparative physiology. The course intention is to stimulate the student in the use of a logical approach and deductive reasoning instead of the pure mnemonic way, essential requirements in order to facilitate the comprehension of the topics.
Fundamentals of physiology (2CFU):
Animals and environments: function on the ecological stage
Molecules and cells in animal physiology
Genomics, proteomics, and related approaches to physiology
Physiological development and epigenetics
Transport of solutes and water
Food energy and temperature (2CFU):
Nutrition, feeding, and digestion
Energy metabolism
Aerobic and anaerobic forms of metabolism
The energetics of aerobic activity
Thermal relations
Oxygen and carbon dioxide transport (1CFU):
Introduction to oxygen and carbon dioxide physiology
External respiration: the physiology of breathing
Transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide in body fluids (with an introduction to acid-base physiology)
Circulation
Water salts and excretion (1CFU):
Water and salt physiology: introduction and mechanisms
Water and salt physiology of animals in their environment
Kidneys and excretion (with notes on nitrogen excretion)
Textbook: Hill, Wise, Anderson, Animal Physiology, third edition, Sinauer (english) or Hill, Wise, Anderson, Fisiologia Animale, translation of the second edition, Zanichelli (italian). Lecture slides available on the e-learning website.
Lectures conducted in presence or carrie out remotely.
Lectures will be held by two teachers.
office hours: upon appointment via email.
stefano.giovannardi@uninsubria.it
elena.bossi@uninsubria.it