HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Full programme
- Bibliography
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
To be admitted to the final exam of Human Physiology it is necessary to possess a positive evaluation of the exams of Human Anatomy and of Biochemistry
The evaluation of the attainment of the objectives foreseen by the integrated Course is performed through a final exam on all issues presented in the detailed program of the part of Human Physiology 1 and Human Physiology 2. The exam consists of a multiple choices test of 40 questions, whose positive evaluation (score higher than 18/30) allows to proceed to the oral evaluation, consisting of open questions. The whole exam aims at defining the knowledge and the degree of comprehensions of the human physiological mechanisms, the capacity to apply knowledge and comprehension and the learning capacity of the issues dealt with in the part of Neurophysiology and Systems Physiology.
The score of the exam of Human Physiology will take into account the evaluation of both parts of Neurophysiology and Systems Physiology. .
Physiology studies the human vital functions and analyses he mechanisms through which the organism realizes ad maintains its internal homeostasis at molecular, cellular and tissue level in spite of the modification of the surrounding environment.
The objective of the Course Human Physiology 1 will be to provide graduates with all the information necessary to understand, from a biophysical-quantitative point of view, the functioning of the various organs and systems of the body under normal conditions and their control by the nervous system central and autonomous and endocrine system.
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
1. describe the fundamental functional parameters that characterize the physiological conditions of cells, tissues and organs;
2. explain how cells and tissues work
3. use biophysical-quantitative tools (equations, graphs) to describe and analyze the physiological processes involved;
4. describe the correlations between structure, biophysical behavior and function of organs and systems.
5. describe the mechanisms underlying the coordinated and interactive functioning of several organs and systems
6. analyze the phenomena that lead to possible modifications of the quantitative and functional parameters as the organic conditions vary
7. discuss the topics dealt with clearly and using the appropriate technical language.
8. explain how the changes in functional balance found in physiological conditions lead to the onset of pathophysiological conditions of clinical interest for cells, tissues and organs.
The Course will deal with the biophysical mechanisms that guarantees the normal functions and omeostatic control in the following systems:
Skeletal muscle and locomotion.
Cardiac muscle.
Vascular systemic circulation and lymphatic system.
Pulmonary and coronary circulation. Control of cardiovascular function.
Respiratory system, gas exchanges and transport.
Nervous and chemical control of respiratory function.
Renal system and regulation of volume and osmoticity in extracellular body fluids.
Acid-base equilibrium.
Metabolism.
Thermoregulation.
Digestive system.
Endocrine system.
Neurophysiology:
Resting membrane potential. Time and space constant of nerve fibers. Action potential and its propagation. Synapses. Neuromuscular junction. Neuronal coding. Synaptic integration. Sensory systems. Monosynaptic and pluri-synaptic reflexes. Tactile and kinesthetic sensitivity. Tactile receptors. Neuromuscular spindles. Golgi muscle and tendon organs. Thermal sensitivity and pain relief. Vestibular system. Acoustic, visual, olfactory and gustatory sensitivity. Motor control. The neuromotor unit. Spinal reflexes. Maintenance of posture. Motor coordination. Afferent, efferent pathways. Voluntary movement. Cortical areas. Pain sensitivity. Trigeminal system. Nociception in the oral cavity.
Systems Phusiology:
Muscle and locomotion. Isometric, isotonic and iso-velocity contraction. Force-length, force-velocity and dynamic force-velocity diagrams.
Heart. Cardiac pace-maker. Electrocardiogram. Control of cardiac function. Cardiac mechanics. Valves function. Ventricular pressure and volume during cardiac cycle. Cardiac stroke and cardiac output. Work output, cardiac efficiency and metabolism.
Distribution of blood volume. Velocity, cross section and pressure in the circulatory districts. Mechanical features of blood vessels. Laplace and Bernoully laws. Poiseuille law. Laminar and turbulent flow. Arterial and venous pulse pressure. Pressure distribution in the systemic and pulmonary circulation. Fluid and solute exchanges between microvasculature and interstitial space. Diffusion and convection. Control of interstitial volume and lymph formation. Oedema. Control of cardiovascualr function. Pulmonary and coronary circulation.
Respiratory system. Air composition and respiratory gasses. Spirometry, static lung volumes. Pulmonary and alveolar volume and flow. Static. Lung, chest and respiratory system pressure-volume curves. Intrapleural pressure and pneumothorax. Dynamics Mechanical work of respiration. Respiratory gas exchanges. O2 consumption and CO2. production. Respiratory ratio. Alveolar gas equation. Alveolo-capillary respiratory gas diffusion. O2 and CO2 transport in blood transport in blood. Ventilation-perfusion ratio. Artero-venous shunt, hypoxia. Nervous and chemical control of respiratory function.
Renal system. Glomerular filtration: composition of glomerular filtrate. Renal blood flow and filtration fraction. Glomerular auto regulation. Renal clearance. Proximal tubule Absorption of water, Na+, Cl-, bicarbonates, aminoacids, urea. Secretion of H+ and organic substances. Henle loop. Counter current mechanism. Osmolarity in tubular and extracellular fluid. Vasa recta. Distal convolute and collecting tubules. Absorption of water and Na+; excretion of H+, K+. Aldosterone and vasopressine. Regulation of volume and osmoticity in extracellular body fluids. Urine volume, pH and composition.
Acid-base equilibrium. Physiological buffer solutions. H+ production and its buffering. Respiratory and metabolic acidosis and alkalosis. Control of pH by renal and respiratory correction.
Metabolism. Energetic fuel: anaerobic and aerobic pathways. Energy available in food. Oxygen debt. Basal, rest ad exercise metabolism. O2 consumption.
Thermoregulation. Thermal equilibrium. Physiological mechanisms of heat production and dispersion. Nervous and endocrine control of heat production and dispersion.
Digestive system. General features of the digestive tube. Peristaltic movements. Salivary and gastric secretion and their nervous control. Bile secretion and functions. Composition and functions of pancreatic and intestinal secretion. Endocrine control of secretions. Digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, ions (Fe++, Ca++, etc.), vitamins, drugs and water.
Endocrine system. Mechanisms of hormone release and action. Pituitary gland. Anterior lobe. Hypotalamic neurosecretion and portal blood vessels. Releasing (RH) and inhibiting hormones (IH). Somatotropin, thyreotropin, corticotropin, gonadotropin
AA.VV. – FISIOLOGIA UMANA – a cura di F.Grassi, D.Negrini, C.A. Porro - Poletto Editore, Milano
AA.VV. – FISIOLOGIA MEDICA - a cura di F. Conti - Casa Editrice Edi-Ermes, Milano
Guyton & Hall – FISIOLOGIA MEDICA – Elsevier-Masson
Monografie:
Kandel, Schwartz – Principles of neural science – Elsevier
AA.VV. - Neuroscienze - a cura di D.Purves, Zanichelli
J.B.West – Respiratory Physiology
The course will be presented through frontal lessons with slides. Students are encouraged to interact with teachers with questions and curiosities. During lectures, the lecturers will also present examples and daily facts that can make sense of the application / importance of the subjects of the lessons.
Students are required to attend the lessons as set out in the teaching regulations of the course and sign the attendance sheet to be able to take the exam.
The teachers are available for the students by appointment taken at the e-mail address:
daniela.negrini@uninsubria.it and andrea.moriondo@uninsubria.it
Modules
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Credits: 5Place of teaching: Varese - Università degli Studi dell'Insubria
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Credits: 4Place of teaching: Varese - Università degli Studi dell'Insubria