PHYSIOLOGY
cod. 08704

Academic year 2017/18
3° year of course - First semester
Professor responsible for the course unit
Vittorio GALLESE
integrated course unit
8 credits
hub: PARMA
course unit
in ITALIAN

Course unit structured in the following modules:

Learning objectives

The knowledge of the functional mechanisms of the human organs and apparati taugh during the course, the knowledge of their dynamic integration and the general mechanisms of functional control in normal conditions and in particular pathological conditions.

Prerequisites

The knowledge of the functional mechanisms of the human organs and apparati taught during the course, the knowledge of their dynamic integration and the general mechanisms of functional control in normal conditions and in particular pathological conditions.

Course unit content

The course addresses the second part of the physiology of the human body, by focusing on the physiology of the heart and circulatory system and of the respiratory and urinary systems.

Full programme

Cardiovascular apparatus (Prof. Gallese). Physical principles of hemodynamics. Physical properties of blood. 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. Passive mechanical properties. Vascular smooth muscles. Nervous and endocrine regulation of blood vessels. Blood pressure; systolic, diastolic, mean and pulsatory. Measuring blood pressure. Venous pressure and blood circulation. Arterial and venous pulse. Coronaric circulation and and heart metabolism. Local circulation: muscle, skin, kidney, splancnic. Brain circulation: chemical, metabolic and nervous regulation.


Respiratory Apparatus (Prof. Gallese). Physical laws of gases. Chest and respiration muscles. Alveolar and pulmunary ventilation. Lung volumes and capacities. Anatomic and functional dead space. Mechanics of breathing. Intra-pulmunary and intra-pleural pressures. Compliance. Pressure-volume curves. Airway resistance. Work of breathing. Inspirated air, alveolar air, and expirated air. Blood-tissue gas exchange in the lung: relationships between ventilation and alveolar pressures of gases. Distribution of ventilation. Gas exchange between alveoli and capillaries. Blood transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Pulmunary circulation. Ventilation-perfusion relationships. Respiratory centers: Genesis of the rhythm of respiration. Ventilation responses to variation in alveolar pressures of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Chemical and central regulation of respiration.

BODY FLUIDS AND RENAL FUNCTION (Prof. Tirindelli).
Body Fluids and Renal Function. Physiology of the body fluids. Filtration and blood flow. Proximal tubule function. The loop of Henle and the distal nephron. Regulation of osmolarity and volume of the body fluids. Acid-base balance and regulation of H+ excretion. Potassium balance and regulation of potassium excretion. Regulation of calcium, magnesium and phosphate excretion.

Bibliography

FISIOLOGIA MEDICA. a cura di Fiorenzo Conti. Edi-Ermes Editore
BASI FISIOLOGICHE DELLA PRATICA MEDICA di West, Ed. Piccin per l'Apparato Urinario.
L'ABC DELL' EQUILIBRIO ACIDO-BASE di Davenport, per l'equilibrio acido-base. Libro non più ristampato ma fotocopie disponibili dei capitoli trattati a lezione.

Teaching methods

Frontal lectures with audio-visual material.

Assessment methods and criteria

Learning is verified by means of an oral examination.

Other information

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2030 agenda goals for sustainable development

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