Course Requirements

There will have 6 lecture exams. The first 5 exams are worth 100 pts. The last exam is a comprehensive exam and is also worth 100pts. Refer to the course schedule for dates. The chapters covered by each exam are indicated on the course schedule and the material is specified in the learning objectives for each unit.  There are no retests in this course; once you have taken an exam, you may not take it again to try for a better grade. The exams are designed to assess your understanding of the basic principles of human anatomy and physiology. The exam will be 50-70% objective questions (multiple choice, matching) and 30-50 % short-answer (short answer, draw and label, essay). There will also be 5 homework assignments.

Readings

The text used will be "Human Physiology: from cells to systems" 7/e by Lauralee Sherwood. 2010. Bring your textbook to every class. 

The current version is 7.0 [ISBN-10: 0321548574 ISBN-13: 978-0321548573] but 6.0 [ISBN-10: 0321496574 ISBN-13: 978-0321496577] or 5.0 would be acceptable.

Chapters 1,3-16, and 18-20 will be covered during the semester

Course Subjects

Topics covered include: Homeostasis, membrane functions, neurophysiology, the central nervous system, the peripheral nervous system, muscle physiology, cardiac physiology, vascular physiology, the immune system, the blood system, respiratory physiology, renal physiology, digestive physiology, the central and peripheral endocrine systems, fluid-pH balance, and the reproductive system.

Student Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives

 BIOL 2305/2102 Human Physiology - Course Objectives

Course Description:  An in-depth inquiry into the physiology of the human body with am emphasis on the characteristics of physiological processes and the influence of environmental and other factors on these processes.  Prerequisites:  CHEM 1405 and BIOL 2401 or equivalents with lab.

Goals:(material in italics was taken from HAPS guidelines)

·      to define a core body of knowledge and skills for that will be covered completely in all sections of the course, while allowing instructors some flexibility in the addition of material beyond the core objectives

·      to meet the needs of the Austin Community College Allied Health Sciences programs

·      to meet the needs of students transferring to other institutions

·      to provide a varied and comprehensive laboratory experience including participatory, hands-on experiences that reinforce and expand on concepts covered in lecture

·      to encourage critical thinking, the understanding of scientific methodology, and the application of scientific principles

·      to promote understanding of physiological processes through laboratory exercises that use living tissue

·      to provide a description of course content for new faculty

·      to accommodate differences in student learning styles

Assumptions:

·      Studentswho take Biology 2402(Human Physiology)must have completed all prerequisite courses with a minimum grade of C.  Students who cannot provide documentation of completion of the course prerequisite will be administratively withdrawn from the course.  Equivalent courses will be defined as majors level courses with a lecture and a laboratory component.

·      Students enrolled in BIOL 2402 possess a common base of knowledge from prerequisite courses (CHEM 1405, BIOL 1406, BIOL 2401) as represented by their common course objectives.  Students who did not complete the course prerequisites at ACC should be informed of the location of the appropriate common course objectives on the departmental web site and told that we assume they already have this knowledge base.

·      Material covered in the prerequisite courses as defined by their common course objectives are not included in BIOL 2402 Common Course Objectives.

·      The material covered in the BIOL 2402 Common Course Objectives is arranged by topic and follows the order of topics in the most commonly used course textbook: Human Physiology by Sherwood.  This is done for convenience and does not mean that covering the topics in this order is required.

·      The BIOL 2402 Common Course Objectives will be provided to the ACC Health Sciences Division and will define their expectations of the knowledge and skills of students entering their programs.

·      Instructors will be able to add a certain amount of material beyond the core objectives.

·      The common course objectives for BIOL 2402 should reflect the fact that it is a majors level biology course.

Skills and competencies expected of students completing this course successfully:

• ability to explain physiological processes in detail and on an appropriate level (knowledge, comprehension, application and analysis)
• ability to observe phenomena and to record and analyze data including basic statistics and their meaning
• ability to carry out analytical procedures
• ability to infer from data
• ability to demonstrate higher level critical thinking skills
• ability to solve problems
• ability to construct graphs from data
• ability to obtain information from graphs
• ability to manipulate equipment
• ability to work effectively in a group
• ability to work safely in a lab setting
• ability to follow directions
• computer literacy
• self-directed learning

 

Unifying concepts

·      homeostasis

·      emergent properties/levels of organization 

·      integration

 

Course Objectives

Homeostasis

 assumptions concerning students’ existing knowledge:

• students have a thorough understanding of human anatomy at the gross and microscopic level and are familiar with the organ systems and their general functions

1.    Define homeostasis and use specific examples to explain how it applies to the internal environment of the body.  Relate each example to to specific processes at the relevant molecular, cellular, tissue, organ and system levels.

2.    Describe a typical homeostatic control system.  Describe the function of each component and explain how they work together.  

3.    Explain the difference between positive and negative feedback systems and list several examples of each type of feedback.

Membrane Functions (transport, communication/signal transduction, potentials)

assumptions concerning students’ existing knowledge:

• students have a thorough understanding of plasma membrane structure at the molecular level and are familiar with the functions of membrane proteins (including receptors, channels, enzymes and carriers) and the structure and function of cell junctions
• students have a thorough understanding of the characteristics of membranes and particles that determine whether or not simple diffusion will occur
• students have a basic understanding of membrane transport processes (including simple diffusion, facilitated diffusion, solute pumps, and vesicular transport), concentration gradients, and the factors that influence diffusion rate

1.    Describe the processes of simple and facilitated diffusion, solute pumping and vesicular transport, the energy source that drives each process, and the characteristics of each process.

2.             Describe osmotic pressure and its relationship to osmolarity and tonicity.

3.             Explain the process of secondary active transport using a specific example.

4.             Describe various types of cell-to-cell communication.

5.    Describe various types of chemical messengers and their mechanism of interaction with receptors in the cell.

6.    Discuss in detail the second messenger mechanism using at least one specific example. 

7.             Define membrane potential and explain the functions of membrane potentials. 

8.    Describe the mechanisms involved in the establishment and maintenance of the resting membrane potential.

Neurons

assumptions concerning students’ existing knowledge:

• students have a thorough understanding of the structure and diversity of neurons
• students have a basic understanding of synaptic structure
• students have a thorough understanding of the mechanisms that establish and maintain the resting membrane potential

1.    Describe the general use of membrane potentials as intracellular signals.

2.    Compare the mechanisms and functions of graded and action potentials.

3.    Describe the ionic mechanisms responsible for depolarization, repolarization and hyperpolarization in an action potential.  Describe the specific conformations of the ion channels during these events and the triggers that open or close them.

4.    Define threshold and explain what happens when the membrane depolarizes to the threshold.

5.    Describe and compare action potential propagation in unmyelinated and myelinated fibers.  Explain the factors that affect velocity of action potential propagation.

6.    Define absolute and relative refractory period, describe the mechanisms that are responsible for them, and explain their effect on action potential propagation.

7.    Describe the function of a chemical synapse.  Explain the difference between excitatory and inhibitory synapses. 

8.    Describe how neurotransmitters are released, mechanisms by which they can act on the postsynaptic membrane, and their inactivation or removal.

9.    Define postsynaptic potentials and postsynaptic summation and integration.

10.Describe diverging and converging neuronal circuits.

Central Nervous System

assumptions concerning students’ existing knowledge:

• students have a thorough understanding of the anatomy of the central nervous system, glial cells, and meninges
• students have a thorough understanding of the organization of the nervous system (CNS, PNS, motor, sensory, somatic, visceral/autonomic)

1.    Describe the formation, circulation, functions, and reabsorption of cerebrospinal fluid.

2.    Describe the structure and functions of the blood-brain barrier.

3.    Describe the general function of the major brain components.

4.    Describe the functions of individual functional regions of the cerebral cortex.  Describe spatial representation and explain its significance in sensory and motor areas.  Explain how the functions of these regions are integrated.

5.    Describe the limbic system, its functions, and its interactions with the cerebral cortex, especially those that modify emotional behavior.

6.    Describe the basic neural mechanisms underlying learning and memory.

7.    Describe the physiological mechanisms associated with sleep and other stages of consciousness.

8.    Differentiate reflexes based on effector type (somatic vs autonomic).  Describe the pathways and functions of simple spinal reflexes (example:  stretch reflex, withdrawal or flexor reflex).  Explain reciprocal innervation and its role in somatic reflexes. 

Sensory Physiology

assumptions concerning students’ existing knowledge:

• students have a thorough knowledge of the gross and anatomical structure of the special sense organs and their afferent neural pathways
• students have a thorough knowledge of the structure, types and distribution of cutaneous and proprioceptors

1.    Discuss the mechanisms involved in receptor and generator potentials and how they may result in the formation of action potentials.

2.    Explain the mechanisms of frequency and population intensity coding.

3.    Differentiate tonic and phasic receptors. Define adaptation and explain its function.

4.    Describe the structure or mechanism that allows the CNS to localize sensory input to specific body regions. 

5.    Explain how the size of receptive field, convergence in the afferent pathway and lateral inhibition affect acuity and sensitivity.

6.    Describe and explain the physiological mechanisms involved in the special senses.

Function of the Somatic and Autonomic Motor Divisions

assumptions concerning students’ existing knowledge:

• students have a thorough knowledge of the structure of the neuromuscular junction and a basic knowledge of the structure of autonomic motor junctions
• students have a thorough knowledge of the structure of the ANS including the structure and innervation of the adrenal medulla

1.    Describe the ANS neurotransmitters and their receptors in terms of anatomical distribution and function.

2.    Describe the overall functions of the sympathetic and parasympathetic ANS divisions and specific effects on selected organs.

3.    Describe the role of the adrenal medulla in the sympathetic response.

4.    Explain dual innervation and its function.

5.    Describe  specific instances of tonic activity in the ANS (example:  effect of parasympathetic suppression of intrinsic SA node depolarization rate).

6.    Explain how the brain is involved in regulating and coordinating ANS activity.

7.    Describe integration of input from multiple sources by the motor neuron.

8.    Explain the events that occur at the neuromuscular junction.

Muscle Physiology

assumptions concerning students’ existing knowledge:

• students have a thorough understanding of skeletal muscle at the organ, tissue, cellular and molecular levels

1.    Explain the role of ICF Ca in skeletal muscle contraction, the control of it’s release and re-sequestration.

2.    Explain the sliding-filament mechanism of muscle contraction (cross bridge cycle) and how it is controlled.

3.    Correlate events that occur during excitation-contraction coupling and the cross-bridge cycle to the phases of a muscle twitch.

4.    Describe the arrangement of individual muscle cells in motor units and their distribution in a muscle.

5.    Explain the physiological mechanisms that lead to summation in skeletal muscle.

6.    Discuss the energy sources used by skeletal muscles.  Correlate energy production with muscle fatigue and oxygen debt.

Cardiac Physiology

assumptions concerning students’ existing knowledge:

• students have a thorough knowledge of the gross and microscopic anatomy of the heart including the conduction system and valves

1.    Explain the ionic mechanisms underlying the cardiac pacemaker potential and the functions of the pacemaker potential in coordinating contraction in the myocardium.

2.    Discuss variation in the intrinsic rates of autorhythmic cells in the heart and their potential role when the SA node is not working. 

3.    Describe a typical EKG recording and the events that cause its individual components.

4.    Explain the ionic basis for the cardiac contractile cell action potential, including the purpose of the plateau phase.

5.    Describe the events of the cardiac cycle including systole, diastole, valve positions, and blood movement.  Correlate the heart sounds to events in the cardiac cycle.

6.    Define cardiac output, describe how it can be calculated, and explain how it can be increased or decreased to meet the demands of the body.

Vascular Physiology

assumptions concerning students’ existing knowledge:

• students have a thorough understanding of the structure of elastic and muscular arteries, arterioles, capillaries and veins

1.    Explain the relationship between flow, pressure and resistance in blood vessels, and the factors that affect the amount of resistance.

2.    Describe the measurement of systemic arterial pressure and the calculation of pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure.

3.    Discuss the factors that affect mean arterial pressure.

4.    Explain the function of elastic arteries as pressure reservoirs.

5.    Discuss the mechanisms by which arteriolar resistance is regulated (intrinsic and extrinsic).

6.    Describe the mechanisms by which materials move between blood and tissue fluid at the capillaries.  Discuss the relationship between capillary cross sectional area and blood flow.  Explain the regulation of capillary beds and their bypass mechanism.

7.    Define venous return and describe the factors that affect it.

8.    Explain how mean arterial pressure is regulated by the baroreceptor reflex and other neural and hormonal mechanisms.

Blood

assumptions concerning students’ existing knowledge:

• students will have a thorough knowledge of the structure of erythrocytes and the 5 groups of leukocytes

1.    Describe the functions of whole blood and individual blood components (plasma proteins, erythrocytes, leukocytes, thrombocytes).

 2.    Explain how and where blood elements are formed, and how these processes are controlled.  Describe the life cycle of erythrocytes and the fate of hemoglobin.

3.    Describe major disorders of erythrocytes and leukocytes and their possible causes.

4.    Define hematocrit and explain what information can be derived from it.

5.    Describe the processes involved in hemostasis and their control.

6.    Describe the cellular basis for the presence of the ABO and Rh blood types in humans. Include the location of antigens A, B and Rh and the plasma antibodies associated with each type. Explain the difference between preformed (anti-A and anti-B) and anti-Rh antibodies.

Immune System

assumptions concerning students’ existing knowledge:

• students are familiar with the location and basic function of lymphoid tissues

1.    Describe the cellular, chemical, and other mechanisms involved in nonspecific/innate immunity and explain how they are controlled and how they work together.

2.    Compare the two classes of adaptive/specific immune response with respect to the lymphocyte classes that are involved, the specific types of things they protect against, the method of activation of the lymphocytes, and the specific physiological actions of the lymphocytes.

3.    Describe and compare the primary and secondary responses.

4.    Differentiate natural and acquired, active and passive immunity.

5.    Describe the relationship between the MHC genes and antigens, and the functions of the antigens.

Respiratory Physiology

assumptions concerning students’ existing knowledge:

• students have a thorough knowledge of the gross and microscopic anatomy of the respiratory system including the structure of the respiratory membrane

1.    Explain the process of ventilation.  Describe the effect of the transmural pressure gradient, surface tension in the intrapleural fluid, airway resistance, and alveolar surface tension on ventilation.

2.    Explain the relationship between air flow, pressure gradients and resistance in the lungs.  Discuss the factors that control bronchiole diameter.

3.    Explain what ventilation-perfusion matching means and how it occurs.

4.    Define and give average values for the pulmonary volumes and capacities, and for pulmonary ventilation and alveolar ventilation.

5.    Discuss the diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide between alveolar air and pulmonary capillary blood. 

6.    Describe the processes of oxygen and carbon dioxide transport in the blood.  Describe the information that can be obtained from and oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve.  Discuss factors that cause the Bohr effect and the resultant change in dissociation.  Describe the chloride shift.

7.    Discuss control of respiration by the respiratory centers in the brain stem, and the autonomic reflexes that act through the respiratory centers.

Renal Physiology

assumptions concerning students’ existing knowledge:

• students will have a thorough knowledge of the gross and microscopic structure of the kidneys including the components of the renal tubule, the glomerular, peritubular and vasa recta capillaries, and the juxtaglomerular apparatus

1.    Explain how the kidney uses the processes of glomerular filtration, tubular reabsorption and tubular secretion to accomplish it’s functions of regulating body water, ion, waste, and acid levels.

2.    Describe the process of glomerular filtration, its normal rate, and how it is adjusted to meet the needs of the body.

3.    Describe the specific processes by which sodium, glucose and water are reabsorbed from the filtrate, and how the level of reabsorption is controlled.  Define tubular maximum and explain the relationship between the tubular maximum, the filtered load, and the amount of a substance that is secreted.

4.    Describe the process that results in the formation and maintenance of the medullary osmotic gradient.

5.    Describe the action of ADH/vasopressin on the renal tubules and how it’s secretion affects urine volume and solute concentration.

6.    Define tubular secretion and explain why some substances are secreted.

7.    Define renal/plasma clearance and calculate values given appropriate data.

Fluid, Ion, and pH Balance

assumptions concerning students’ existing knowledge:

• students will have a thorough understanding of factors that cause movement across the cell membrane and across the capillary wall
• students will have a thorough understanding of pH including the pH scale and  the dissociation of strong and weak acids and bases

1.    Describe the distribution of body water in compartments and the selectively permeable membranes that separate the compartments.  Discuss differences in the ion distribution among these compartments.

2.    Discuss the forces that control the movement of fluid between the major compartments.  Describe conditions under which fluid would shift between compartments.

3.    Explain why the body needs a stable fluid volume, and describe the mechanisms used to maintain it.

4.    Explain why the body needs a stable fluid osmolarity, and describe the mechanisms used to maintain it.

5.    Describe the contributions of chemical buffer systems, the respiratory system, and the renal system in maintaining normal ECF pH.

6.    Describe the causes of and compensation for respiratory and metabolic acidosis and alkalosis.

Digestive Physiology

assumptions concerning students’ existing knowledge:

• students have a thorough knowledge of the gross and microscopic anatomy of the digestive system

1.    Describe the general mechanisms by which digestive processes are regulated: 

a.    autonomous smooth muscle pacesetter cells

b.    intrinsic nerve plexuses and sensory receptors

c.     extrinsic nervous control (ANS)

d.    GI hormones 

2.    Describe the mechanisms involved in and controlling salivation and swallowing.

3.    Describe the process of peristalsis and its roles in swallowing, the stomach, and the small intestine. 

4.    Describe the neural and hormonal control of stomach secretion, mixing, propulsion and emptying. 

5.    Describe the functions of pancreatic secretions and the control of their release. 

6.    Describe the secretion, storage, function, and recycling or excretion of bile components. 

7.    Describe mixing and propulsion in the small intestine. 

8.    Describe the complete digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. 

9.    Describe the absorption of ions and water. 

10.Describe propulsion and absorption in the large intestine.             

Metabolism and Growth

 assumptions concerning students’ existing knowledge:

1.    Define basal metabolic rate, describe how it is measured, and discuss factors that affect it. 

• students have a thorough knowledge of cellular respiration

2.    Describe the process by which body temperature is maintained and regulated. 

3.    Compare energy sources during the absorptive and postabsorptive states.  Describe hormonal regulation during these metabolic states. 

4.    Describe the hormonal control of growth.

 Endocrine Physiology

 assumptions concerning students’ existing knowledge:

• students have a thorough knowledge of the second messenger and direct gene activation mechanisms
• students have a thorough knowledge of the anatomical relationship between the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland

 1.    Describe the characteristics of hormones and target cells.

 2.    Explain how hormones are transported in the blood and the significance of the free/unbound hormone concentration.  Discuss the factors that determine the plasma concentration of biologically active hormones.

 3.    Describe the general mechanisms by which hormone secretion is controlled.  Discuss the role of negative and positive feedback in the regulation of hormone secretion.

 4.    Describe the general role of the hypothalamus in the endocrine system. 

5.    Describe the release and actions of the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, pancreatic, and adrenal cortical hormones.

 6.    Explain the hormonal control of blood glucose concentration and blood calcium levels.

 Reproductive Physiology

 assumptions concerning students’ existing knowledge:

• students have a thorough knowledge of the gross and microscopic anatomy of the gonads
• students have a basic knowledge of the location of the accessory sex organs

 1.    Describe fetal sex differentiation.

 2.    Explain the process of spermatogenesis including the roles of the sustentacular (Sertoli) cells. 

3.    Describe the hormonal control of reproductive processes in the male.

4.    Describe the male sex reflexes.

5.    Explain the process of oogenesis.

6.    Describe the ovarian cycle including the role of pituitary and gonadal hormones.

7.    Describe the uterine cycle.  Correlate events in the uterine cycle to the ovarian cycle.

8.    Describe and explain the female sex reflexes.