· Biol 1319: Introductory Physiology
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· In the simplest of terms, physiology is the
study of function of components within a living organism. Another
way of defining physiology is to say that it is the study of how living
organisms maintain homeostasis. Homeostasis is an important
concept in physiology. In essence, this term refers to the steady state
conditions within a living organism that must be constantly maintained in order
for the organism to survive and reproduce. In large multicellular organisms
such as humans, this is quite a task, and the various organ systems within our
bodies must operate efficiently in order to maintain an internal environment
that will allow all of the cells and tissues in our bodies to survive as a
whole. Every individual cell, no matter where it is located within the
organism, has certain basic requirements for energy, oxygen, water, minerals,
and other basic necessities of life. To meet these needs, homeostatic processes
are working continuously to maintain the steady state of the fluid that
surrounds each and every cell in the body. In addition to these needs, there
must be systems for ingestion and digestion of nutrients, and systems for
elimination of the toxic waste products of metabolism. There must also be
mechanisms for communication between cells (as well as between organisms), and
the nervous and endocrine systems are designed to carry out these interactions.
The objective of this physiology course is to advance your knowledge of
homeostasis.
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Syllabus
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