39145 - Physiology of Organs and Systems

Academic Year 2021/2022

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Biomedical Laboratory techniques (cod. 8484)

    Also valid for First cycle degree programme (L) in Neurophysiopathology techniques (cod. 8482)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student has the ability to acquire the notions that deal with the functions of the organism in its various and progressively more complex levels of cellular, tissue, organ and system organization and constitute the prerequisite for understanding the processes inherent in the pathological functioning of the organism.

Course contents

Cellular physiology:

- Transmembrane Ion-channels; Resting membrane potential; Action potential and its propagation; Synaptic transmission.

- Signal transduction in sensitive receptors; neural coding of the stimuli.

- General principles of the neuromuscular transmission and contractile process of smooth and skeletal muscle fibers.

Endocrine System: General principles of endocrine physiology; Classification of hormones and mechanism of action; Control mechanisms of hormonal secretion; Role of hypothalamus and pituitary gland on the control of hormone secretion.

Autonomic nervous system: Anatomo-functional organization of autonomic nervous system: sympathetic and parasympathetic section. Effects of sympathetic and parasympathetic stimulation on different organs and systems.

Respiratory system: Mechanics of pulmonary ventialtion; Exchanges of gases in lungs and tissues; Blood transport of oxigen and carbon dioxide; Control mechanisms of respiratory activity.

Cardiovascular system: Electrical activity of the heart; Mechanical activity of the heart; Control of cardiac output; Regulation of blood arterial pressure.

Renal system: Glomerular filtration; Tubular reabsorptions and secretions; Osmolarity of biological fluids; Mechanisms of diuresis regulation; Regulation of acid-base balance.

Gastrointestinal system: Nervous regulation of gastrointestinal functions; Principal motor functions of gastrointestinal system; Principal secretion functions; Digestion and absorption of nutritional principles.

Readings/Bibliography

Requested textbook

VANDER FISIOLOGIA. Widmaier Eric P., Raff Hershel, Strang Kevin T.; Ambrosiana Editori, 2018

Suggested textbooks

- FISIOLOGIA dalle molecole ai sistemi integrati. Carbone, Cicirata & Aicardi et al., EdiSES 2018.
- Fisiologia, Cindy Stanfield. EdiSES 2017.
- Fisiologia medica. Guyton & Hall, Edra Ed., XIII edizione italiana, 2016

 

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons using Power point presentations. Interactive methods learned in recent didactic laboratories of UNIBO will also be added (E.g. Kahoot, Quizizz, etc..).

Assessment methods

The final examination consists in an oral test in which the student will discuss two different topics taken from the program. The exam will be considered passed if the student has demonstrated sufficient knowledge in each topic.

The exam points to verify the reaching of didactic objectives: a) knowledge of the mechanisms of generation and transmission of electric signals in the tissues; b) knowledge of the functional mechanisms of the organs and their control.

The student’s ability to move across various topic of the physiology program will be also evaluated. The student’s achievement of a comprehensive view of the topics addressed in class, together with their critical thought, the ability to make associations, the demonstration of rich and intelligible expression and use of appropriate language will be evaluated with scores of excellence.

The final score will be the arithmetic average of the scores obtained in all courses of the Integrated course.

Teaching tools

The didactic material will be available on the “Insegnamenti online” platform.

Office hours

See the website of Konstantinos Chatzidimitrakis

SDGs

Good health and well-being Quality education

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.