Learning objectives
Knowledge and understanding.
Students need learn the fundaments of the physiology of different organs in the adult;
Applying knowledge and understanding
Students must use the knowledge of physiology to understanding the difference between well-being, health and pathology
Making judgments
Ability to reason about the methodologies for the study of the physiology.
Communications skills
Ability to understand and be understood in technical situations with physicians
Learning skills
Ability to summarize a technical procedure and to write a scientific progress report
The course is designed to give the students the methods for studying the
morphological and functional organization of the human body and in
particular of: the cell, the tissues, the organs, with an overview of
embryology; the anatomy and the physiology of the human body, with
special emphasis on the cardio-respiratory, urinary and nervous systems.
Prerequisites
Students must possess basic and fundamental notions of Anatomy, cell and tissue biology and biochemistry of the organs and systems which are the topic of this part of the course.
Course unit content
first lessons: general principles of physiology.
the following lessons: physiology of the nervous system and of the cardiovascular system
Latest lessons: respiratory and urinary tract physiology
Full programme
1)Physiology of the central nervous system:
- Basic anatomy and functional properties of neurons.
-Action potentials.
-Synapses and receptors.
-Sensory organs and receptors.
-Organization of the somatosensory system.
-Organization of the motor system.
-Spinal reflexes.
-Organization of motor and somatosensory cortices. Somatotopy.
2) Physiology of the cardiovascular system:
- Miocardial properties: rhythm, conduction, excitability, contraction.
- Heart electrophysiology. Ionic theories of resting and action potentials.
- Electrocardiogram.
- Heart mechanics and the cardiac cycle.
- Cardiac output.
- Intrinsic and extrinsic regulation of heart activity.
- The vascular system.
- Blood pressure
3) Physiology of the respiratory apparatus:
- Chest and respiration muscles.
- Lung volumes and capacities.
- Mechanics of breathing.
- Blood-tissue gas exchange in the lung and in peripheral tissues.
- Blood transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
4) Physiology of Renal Function:
- The kidney: structural and functional properties. Kidney vascularization.
- Glomerular filtration.
- Tubular functions.
- Regulation of osmolarity and volume of the body fluids
Bibliography
Di Prampero – Fisiologia dell’Uomo. Edi-Ermes.
Teaching methods
Oral lesson, lectures. Assimilation of scientific literature concerning the methods, the experimental protocols, the animal models, the assays for the study of the physiological and functional response of the cell.
Assessment methods and criteria
End-of-term evaluation and continuous assessment. The assessment of the achievement of the objectives of the course consists of an oral examination. Through questions about the contents of the course will be determined whether the student has achieved the goal of knowledge and understanding of the content.
Other information
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