FISIOLOGIA UMANA I

- To know basic cellular physiology, with particular reference to the mechanisms of cellular excitability and neurotransmission

- To understand how the living organism obtains and maintains homeostasis in relation to internal modifications and the surrounding environment.

- To understand the functioning mechanisms of individual cells, tissues, organs and the integration between these.
- To understand the functioning of the cardiovascular, respiratory, renal and gastrointestinal systems and their interaction.
- To understand the mechanisms underlying basal and energy metabolism

- To Acquire the basics of pathophysiology

Frontal and theoretical-practical lessons, in-depth seminars, cooperative teaching (student-teacher) through sharing of teaching material and multimedia supports. If the teaching is taught in mixed or remote mode, the necessary variations may be introduced with respect to what was previously stated, in order to respect the program foreseen and reported in the Syllabus.

Prerequisites as per the study plan.

AUTONOMOUS NERVOUS SYSTEM

Anatomical-functional organization of the nervous system: functions and modes of action; Sympathetic and parasympathetic system, neurotransmitters of the autonomic nervous system, integrated functions and higher control mechanisms.

BLOOD AND LYMPH
Composition of blood: corpuscular part and liquid part, hematocrit, plasma proteins and electrophoretic protodogram, main laboratory tests, blood count. Red blood cells: erythropoiesis and iron metabolism, hemocateresis, hemolysis, respiratory functions of red blood cells, affinity of hemoglobin for respiratory gases, intake and release of O2 by hemoglobin. Physio-pathological implications: anemia. Leukocytes: distribution and leukocyte formula, functions. Physio-pathological implications: infections. Platelets: functions, hemostasis and coagulation. Physio-pathological implications: anti-aggregants and anti-coagulants. The lymphatic system: lymphatic stations, composition and function of the lymph. The blood-tissue barrier.

CARDIOCIRCULAR SYSTEM

Electrical function of the heart: excitability, cardiac automatism and cardiac pacemakers, refractory periods, conduction.

Electrocardiography: Einthoven's triangle. Echocardiogram. Pathophysiological implications: flutter, fibrillation, extrasystole, bundle branch block, infarction.

Mechanical function of the heart: cardiac cycle, changes in pressure in the atria and ventricles during the phases of the cardiac cycle and duration of the phases.

Cardiac output and its regulation. Heart tones: locations of auscultation and characteristics of heart tones. Pathophysiological implications.

Properties of the heart: chronotropism, bathmotropism, dromotropism, inotropism.

Nervous control of the heart: ANS, bulbar and hypothalamic centers, reflex regulation of the cardiovascular system.

Work of the heart, cardiac metabolism and oxygen consumption.

Systemic blood pressure: systolic, diastolic, differential, mean. Mechanisms of short and long-term regulation of systemic blood pressure. Arterial pulse. Determination of systemic blood pressure. Pathophysiological implications: arterial hypertension

Venous bed: distensibility of the veins, posture and veins, venous return to the heart. venous insufficiency

Special vascular circuits: district distribution of cardiac output.

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

Respiratory mechanics: General considerations. Upper airway functions. Generation of pressure gradients: eupneic inspiration and expiration. Role of the respiratory muscles and importance of the pleurae. Elastic return of the lung. Airway resistance to flow. Effects of surface tension on respiration and role of surfactant. Spirometry.

External and internal breathing: Ventilation perfusion coupling. Alveolar compartment, role of membrane thickness and surface in respiratory exchanges. Partial pressures of gases, solubility and physical laws applied to respiratory physiology. Role of red blood cells and hemoglobin. Recall on the function of hemoglobin, oxygen dissociation curve, oxygen saturation. Definition of hypoxia.

Regulation of breathing: Definition of the nervous structures fundamental to the generation of the respiratory pattern: pneumotaxic and apneustic centers, dorsal and ventral respiratory groups. Central and peripheral chemoreceptors. Other regulatory mechanisms.

URINARY SYSTEM

Kidney functions. Generality. Notes on functional anatomy. The functional unit of the kidney: the nephron. Differences between cortical nephrons and juxtamedullary nephrons.

Functions of the glomerulus. Mechanisms that determine glomerular filtration. Glomerular filtration rate. Inulin clearance and creatinine clearance.

Functions of the tubules. Reabsorption processes at the level of the proximal tubule. Active and passive transport. Renal threshold and maximum tubular transport. Glucose reabsorption and the appearance of glycosuria. Facultative reabsorption at the distal tubule. Action of aldosterone. Urine concentration. Henle loop and countercurrent multiplication mechanism. Vasa recta and countercurrent exchange mechanism. Action of vasopressin. Tubular secretion (hydrogen ions, potassium and ammonium ion). Acidification of urine.

Renal circulation, extrinsic control of renal circulation. Renal autoregulation of blood flow in relation to systemic blood pressure (myogenic mechanism and tubulo-glomerular feedback).

Systemic functions of the kidney. Systemic blood pressure control. Osmolarity control. Regulation of the composition and volume of organic liquids. Production of erythropoietin. Endocrine functions of the kidney.

Applied renal physiology. Renal function tests: the concept of clearance and its application to the control of glomerular, tubular and vascular bed function. Meaning of glucose load and water load. Osmotic diuresis and water diuresis. Fluid deficit: dehydration and general consequences of dehydration. Excess fluids: water intoxication, edema. Notes on pharmacology: diuretics.

Bladder physiology, filling and emptying. Action of the nervous system.

GASTROENTERIC SYSTEM, METABOLISM AND NUTRITION

Digestive processes: Digestive canal. Chewing. Salivary secretion. Composition and function of saliva. Conditioned reflexes. Swallowing. Gastric filling. Stomach movements. Gastric secretion. Nervous and humoral regulation of gastric secretion. Pancreatic secretion. Secretin and pancreozymine. Pancreatic juice. Secretion of the small intestine and colon. Movements of the small intestine. Gastrointestinal hormones.

Gastrointestinal nervous system: Intrinsic and extrinsic innervation. Endoluminal pressure regimes. Movements of the villi. Types of bowel movements. Esophageal, gastric and intestinal motility. Myogenic and neurogenic mechanisms of bowel movements. Visceral reflexes. Colon motility. Defecation.

Liver: The functional unit of the liver. Bile synthesis and excretion. Hepatic bile and cystic bile. Entero-hepatobiliary circulation.

Basal and energy metabolism. Carbohydrate metabolism: carbohydrates in foods, digestion processes, absorption and metabolic fate. Lipid metabolism: processes of digestion, absorption and metabolic fate. Protein metabolism: carbohydrates in foods, digestion processes, absorption and metabolic fate.

PH REGULATION

The control of pH in intracellular and extracellular fluids, buffer systems, alterations of the acid-base balance (respiratory and metabolic acidosis and alkalosis) and compensation mechanisms.

THERMOREGULATION

Regulation of body temperature in humans, physiological and pathological variations in body temperature, thermal balance, thermogenesis, thermodispersion, temperature regulation, response mechanisms to heat and cold.

Lessons and  seminars

Cooperative teaching (student-teacher) through sharing of teaching materials and multimedia supports

If the teaching is taught in mixed or remote mode, the necessary variations may be introduced with respect to what was previously stated, in order to respect the program foreseen and reported in the Syllabus.

Oral exam: program topics covered during the lessons

Sample questions: Short-term regulation of blood pressure; Long-term regulation of blood pressure; Gas transport in the blood; Ventilation/perfusion; water absorption and its regulation at the renal level; red blood cells; blood clotting