DEPARTMENT OF PHYSIOLOGY

Physiology describes the nature of life. It provides the framework for studying and exploring the bases of life. Important historic milestones in physiology will be introduced in order to help place study of this course in the context of current and predicted physiological science developments. The students are instructed to view life from the simplest to the most complex levels of organization - from the subcellular, to the whole person.  This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the function & regulation of the human body and physiological integration of the organ systems to maintain homeostasis. Course content will include neural & hormonal homeostatic control mechanisms, as well as study of the musculoskeletal, blood and body fluids, circulatory, respiratory, renal, digestive, special sense, immune, reproductive, and endocrine organ systems.

Course Objectives

• Understand in broad terms human physiological structure and function
• Describe functional organization of the human body and control of its internal environment
• Describe the cell, its components and its function
• Demonstrate an understanding of genetic control of protein synthesis, cell function and cell reproduction
• Describe transport of ions and molecules throughout the cell membrane
• Demonstrate an understanding of membrane potentials and action potentials
• Understand how the major controlling systems of the body, endocrine and central nervous system
• Discuss the major regions and functions of the brain and spinal cord
• Describe how hormones react with cell receptors to bring about cell, organ and homeostatic changes
• List the major organs of the endocrine system, examples of their hormones and provide examples of homeostatic control pathways.