MEDSCI142CourseOutline Lastupdated02July2013

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MEDSCI142
BiologyforBiomedicalScience:HumanOrganSystems

Disclaimer:Informationprovidedinthisdocumentisbasedonbestavailabledataatthetimeof
preparation.Subsequentupdatesmaynotbereflected,thusthisdocumentshouldonlybe
consideredasgeneralreference.

Overview
ThisistheprimaryfirstyearhumanbiologycourseattheUniversityofAucklandwhichprepares
studentsformoreadvancedstudyinawiderangeofprofessionalprograms(includingbiomedical
engineering,medicine,pharmacy,nursing,healthsciences,biomedicalscience,optometry,sports
science,,etc).

Ithasanenrolmentofabout1,200students(2012).

MEDSCI142istaughtbystaffintheDepartmentofAnatomywithRadiology,Departmentof
Physiology,DisciplineofNutritionandDepartmentofObstetricsandGynaecologyintheFacultyof
MedicalandHealthSciences.

HUMANBIO142/MEDSCI142
In2006theUniversityofAucklandofficiallyrenamedthecoursefromHUMANBIO142toMEDSCI
142.Thecoursecontenthasevolvedslightlyovertheyears,howeverthebreadthanddepthofthe
topicscoveredhasremainedrelativelyconsistent,andthelearningobjectives/expected
competenciesareconsideredcomparablefromyeartoyear.ThisiswhyintheUniversityofAuckland
Calendar,HUMANBIO142islistedasarestriction(i.e.studentswhohavetakenHUMANBIO142are
notnormallypermittedtotakeMEDSCI142).

IntendedLearningOutcomes(ILOs)ofthecourse
1. Explainindepthwhyaparticularorgansystemisimportanttoyourstudies
2. Explainhowthehumanorgansystemsinterrelateinhealthanddisease
3. Useanddevelopgenericintellectualandcognitiveskillstocompleteontaskactivities
4. Communicateasafuturehealthcareand/orscientificprofessionalwithfellowstudentsandthe
academicfaculty
5. Planandevaluateyourownprogresstowardsachievingpersonalandprofessionalgoals

Uponsuccessfulcompletionofthecourse,studentsshouldbeableto:
1. showcompetencyindeclaringandapplyingspecialistknowledge;
2. communicateasafuturehealthcareorscientificprofessionalwithfellowstudentsandthe
academicfaculty;
3. planandevaluatetheirownprogresstowardsachievingpersonalandprofessionalgoals,
throughtheuseanddevelopmentofgenericintellectualandcognitiveskills.

MEDSCI142CourseOutline Lastupdated02July2013
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AlignmentofcourseILOswithattributesoftheUniversityofAuckland
GraduateProfile

UniversityofAucklandGraduateProfile:http://www.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/home/for/current
students/csacademicinformation/csregulationspoliciesandguidelines/csgraduateprofile
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Coursecontentandformatofdelivery
Thecoursecontentincludesthestructureandfunctionofselectedhumanorgansystems:
Nervous
Reproductive
AutonomicandEndocrine
Cardiovascular
Musculoskeletal
Respiratory
Renal
Alimentary

Lectures
Thereare40lecturesintotal.Eachoftheorgansystemshasbetween28lectures.Lecturescover
theintegratedanatomyandphysiologyofeachsystem,withclinicalexampleswhereappropriate.
Thereisastrongemphasisonrecentresearchwhenitcontributestoourknowledgeoforgan
function.

Laboratory(practical)classes
Aprogrammeofsix,2.5hourlaboratorysessionsaccompaniesthelectures.Thereare:
Threeanimaldissectionlaboratories,coveringalimentary,cardiovascular,and
musculoskeletalsystems;
Onebasedonplastinatedtissueofthehumanbrain;
Oneinvolvingphysiologicalmeasurements(ventilation)
Oneisamixtureofmodalities,coveringthereproductivesystems.

Thelabsessionsareassessedusingshorttestsattheendofeachsession.Thelabcontestisalso
assessedinthemidandendofsemestertests.

Assessment
12%fromshortinlabtests(6labs,quizzesweighting2%each)
24%froma1.5hourmidsemestertest(allmultiplechoice);
26%froma1.5hourendofsemestertest(allmultiplechoice);
38%fromthe3hourfinalexam(multiplechoiceandshortanswers)

Thepassrateforthiscoursein2012was81.6%;historicallythepassratehasbeencloserto7075%.

MEDSCI142CourseOutline Lastupdated02July2013
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Intendedlearningoutcomesforeachtopic

Nervoussystem
- Identifythemajorsubdivisionsofthehumanbrain
- Drawanoutlineofthelateralviewofthecerebralcortexandidentifythemajorgyri/sulci,lobes,
andthesensory/motorandlanguageareas
- Explainthefunctionaleffectsoflesions(e.g.strokes)ofthecerebralcortex
- Describethegeneralstructuresofthespinalcord
- Explainhowtouchandpressure/painandtemperatureinformationisconveyedfromtheskinto
thespinalcord
- Explainhowlowermotorneuronscontrolmuscleactivity
- Understandtheeffectofinjuriestothespinalcord
- Describethegeneralorganisationofthetwomajorsomatosensorypathwaysfromtheskintothe
cerebralcortex
- Describekeydifferencesbetweenthediscriminativeandnondiscriminativepathways
- Howarethevariouspartsofthebodyrepresentedintheprimarysomatosensorycortex?Which
bodypartshavethelargestrepresentationandwhy?
- Describethebodyrepresentationintheprimarymotorcortex(whichpartsofthebodyhavethe
largestrepresentation)
- Describetheoverallstructureandfunctionofthepyramidaltractandhowitcontributesto
musclecontrol
- Explainhowthebasalgangliaandcerebellumcontributetomovementcontrol
- Describethemajorsymptomaticdifferencesbetweendiseasesofthepyramidal,basalganglia,
andcerebellasystems
- DescribethebasicneuropathologyandchemistryofParkinsonsDisease
- Outlinehowabetterresearchknowledgeofthepathology/chemistryofParkinsonsdiseasehas
ledtothedevelopmentofnewtreatmentstrategies

Respiratorysystem
- Distinguishbetweenexternal,internalandcellularrespiration
- Describeorlabeladiagramofthenasalcavities,andcommentontheirfunction
- Distinguishthreeregionsofthepharynxandexplainhowfoodiskeptoutoftheairwayduring
swallowing
- Listindescendingorderofsizethepassageswhichmakeuptheconductingandrespiratory
airways
- Describethemainfeaturesofthetrachea
- Labeladiagramofthebronchialorbronchiolarwall
- Describe,labelordrawthecellswhichoccurinthealveolarwall.Identifywhatconstitutesthe
diffusionbarrier
- Listorlabelthelobesofthelungs
- Definewhatismeantbyalungsegment,andexplainitsclinicalsignificance
- Namethepleuraeanddescribetheirrelationstothelung,bodywallanddiaphragm
- Brieflyexplainhowmovementsoftheribcageanddiaphragmcauseventilationofthelungs,and
namethemuscleschieflyresponsible
- Definethelungvolumesandcapacities
- Describetheeventsthatcauseinspirationandexpiration
- Explaintherelationshipsamongthepressuresresponsibleformovingairintoandoutofthelungs
- Explainthemechanicalconsequencesofpneumothorax
- Definecompliance,listfactorsthatinfluencelungcomplianceandexplainhowpulmonary
complianceaffectsthemovementofairintoandoutofthelungs
- Defineairwayresistance,listfactorsthatinfluenceairwayresistanceandpredicthowincreased
resistancewouldinfluencethemovementofairintoandoutofthelungs
- Describe,andexplaintheconsequencesof,anatomicdeadspace
- Explainwhatdrivesthediffusionofgasesinsolution
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- Brieflyoutlinethebasesofthreepathologicalstatesthataffectpulmonaryventilation:respiratory
distresssyndrome,emphysema,andasthma
- Listthefundamentalpropertiesofgases
- Defineoxygencontentandoxyhaemoglobinsaturation
- Describeandexplaintheshapeoftheoxyhaemoglobinequilibriumrelation
- Discussthephysiologicalsignificanceoftheoxyhaemoglobinequilibriumrelation
- Listthefactorsthataffecttheaffinityofhaemoglobinforoxygen
- Listthemechanismsbywhichcarbondioxideistransportedinblood
- Describethecarbondioxidedissociationcurve
- Explainhowoxygenandcarbondioxidearetransportedintheblood
- Describetheexchangeofoxygenandcarbondioxidebetweentheatmosphereandthe
mitochondria
- Distinguishingpulmonaryventilationfromalveolarventilation
- Explainhowhypoventilationandhyperventilationalterthearterialpartialpressuresofoxygen
andcarbondioxideatconstantmetabolicrate
- Giveanoverviewofthecontrolofbreathing:Whatissensed?Whatisregulated?
- Explaintheroleofthemusclesofventilationinregulatingthedepthofventilation
- Describetheroleofreceptorsinthethoraxinthecontrolofventilation
- Explaintheroleofchemicalfeedbackinthecontrolofventilation
- Comparethedifferentrespiratoryresponsestoreducedarterialoxygenlevelsandraisedarterial
carbondioxidelevels

AutonomicandEndocrinesystems
- Describethestructureofthenervoussystemandfeaturesoftransmissionofimpulsesfromone
nervetoanother
- Describethedifferencebetweenmyelinatedandunmyelinatednerves
- Nametheneurotransmittersassociatedwithsympatheticandparasympatheticdivisions
- Explainthefeaturesofthealarmandrelaxationresponses
- Comparetheautonomicandsomaticnervoussystems
- Describethelocationsoftheendocrineorgansofthehumanbody
- Nametwobroadclassesofhormonesandexplainhowtheyinteractwithtargetcells
- Drawdiagramstoshowthetwogeneralmechanismsofhormoneactionbasedontheirchemical
solubility
- Explainand/ordrawtherelationshipbetweenthehypothalamusandpituitaryglands
- Explainorcompleteaflowdiagramdescribingeventsinthealarmand/orresistancereactions
- Listthephysiologicalresponseswhichresultfromthealarmresponseandresistancereactions
- Listthephysiologicalmechanismsthatconnectthenervousandendocrinesystemstothe
immunesystem
- Explainwhystressaffectsimmunefunction

Reproductivesystem
- Describetheendocrineglandscontrollingreproductiveprocesses
- Listthenamesandessentialfeaturesofthereproductivehormones
- Describethearrangementofthehypothalamicpituitarygonadalaxisandhowtheyare
regulated
- Identifythehormonesthatregulatetheactivityoftheovariesandtestes
- Understandthefunctionofthehormonesproducedbytheovariesandtestes
- Describethefemalereproductiveorgans
- Describethehistologyoftheovary
- Describetheeventsoffolliculardevelopment
- Describethekeyeventsduringthefemalereproductivecycle
- Describethekeyeventsduringsexdeterminationanddifferentiation
- Describethekeyeventsduringpuberty
- Describethekeyeventsduringmenopause
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- Listtheeventsofspermatogenesisandidentifywheretheseeventsoccurwithinthetestes
- Drawadiagramdescribetheendocrine(hormonal)controlofspermproduction
- Labeladiagramofspermatozoa
- Describethetechniqueofintracytoplasmicsperminjection
- Labeladiagramofthemalereproductivetract
- Describethecourseofspermasittraversesthemalereproductivetract
- Describethebasicmechanismbywhicherectionoccurs
- Describetheincidenceofbenignprostatichyperplasiaandprostatecancerandtheconsequences
oftheseconditions

Cardiovascular
- Comparethesystemicandpulmonarybloodcircuits,andbrieflydescribeunusualfeaturesof
venousdrainagefromthegut
- Describeorlabelthechambersandgreatvesselsoftheheart
- Explainand/ordrawtheventricularinletandoutletvalvesintheiropenandclosedstates
- Relatetheshapeandwallthicknessofthefourchamberstothemaximumbloodpressurewithin
them
- Explaintheorientationoftheheartanddescribeitsborders
- Explaininprincipletherelationshipofthepericardiumtotheheart
- Describethemechanismandelectricalfunctionsofthefibrousskeleton
- Draw,orwritebriefnotesabout,theconductionsystem
- Describeinalogicalsequencetheeventsofthecardiaccycle,includingimpulsepropagationby
theconductionsystem,pressuresinthechambersandgreatvessels,valveopeningsandclosures,
andheartsounds.
- Brieflydescribethestructureandfunctionofthemajorclassesofbloodvessels,andbeableto
comparethefeaturesoftwoormoreclasses
- Provideasimpleexplanationordrawingofthetwocoronaryarteries
- Explainwhatismeantbyregurgitation
- Predicthowbloodpressureandbloodflowislikelytochangebothupstreamanddownstreamof
theincompetentvalve
- Predict(atasimplelevel)howthedefectmightaffectheartsounds
- Labelaflowdiagram,orwriteaseriesofstatements,toexplainwhybreathlessnessisfrequently
asymptomofproblemsontheleftsideoftheheart.
- Explaintheconceptofdemandandsupplyasitappliestothecardiovascularsystem
- Drawandexplainapressure/volumeloop
- DescribetheFrankStarlinglawoftheheart
- Describethefeaturesoftheheartsconductionsystem
- Explainthecardiacactionpotentialandhowitdiffersfromactionpotentialfoundinnerves
- ExplainthephasesoftheECGcomplexandrelatetotheirunderlyingphysiology
- Explainthecontrolofheartratebytheautonomicnervoussystem
- ExplainindetailtheconceptsrelatingtotheequationBP=COxTPR
- Describetheregulationofbloodpressurebybaroreflexes
- Explainthephysicalrelationshipsbetweenpressure,flowandresistance
- Definefactorsthataffectthevasculature
- Describethetransferofsubstancesacrossthecapillarywall

Musculoskeletalsystem
- Listthefunctionsoftheadultskeletonandthetwomainskeletalregions
- Describethegeneralregionalorganisationandanatomyofalongbone
- Explaintheappearance,locationandfunctionofthedifferentcelltypesfoundinbonetissue
- Describethefeaturesthatmakeboneaspecialisedconnectivetissue
- Listthedifferencesbetweenthetwomaintypesofadultbone
- Describetwowaysinwhichosteonsareformed
- Broadlyclassifyjointsbyfunction
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- Explainordrawatypicalsynovialjointanditsimportantfeatures
- Describethecomponentsofarticularcartilageandhowtheyarearranged
- Describethestructureofatypicalproteoglycancomplex
- Explainthemechanismsandprocessesthatoccurduringtheloadingandunloadingofarticular
cartilage
- Drawanddescribethefunctionandorganisationofthelayersandcellsfoundinthearticular
capsule
- Listtheimportantcomponentsandfunctionsofsynovialfluid
- Listthefunctionsofmuscletissue
- Describethebasicarrangementofamuscle
- Describetheorganisationofskeletalmuscle,includingitssurroundingconnectivetissue,froma
sarcomerethroughtothesurroundingfascia
- Describeskeletalmusclecompartmentalisation
- Defineanddiscussskeletalmusclehypertrophyandatrophy
- Describethestructuralfeaturesthatenableforcegeneratedbysarcomerecontractiontobe
transmittedtothemovementofbone
- Draworlisttheanatomicalcharacteristicsofthemyotendinousjunction

Renalsystem
- Describetheoverallorganisationofthehuman(multilobar)kidney.
- Outlinethebloodsupplyofthekidneys.
- Outlinetheorganisationofthenephronandcollectingductsanddescribehowtheyarearranged
inthekidney.
- Describethetissueandcellularorganisationoftherenalcorpuscle,inparticulartheelements
whichformtheglomerularfilter.
- Describethetissueandcellularorganisationofthetubularcomponentsofthenephron.
- Listthemainfunctionsofthekidney.
- Describethedistributionoffluidinthebodyandtheprocessofosmosis.
- DescribetherelativeconcentrationsofNa
+
,K
+
andCl

inintracellularandextracellularfluid.
- Foreachpartofthenephronwriteonesentencestatingitsmainfunction.
- Describehowantidiuretichormoneinfluencesurineproduction.
- Describehowantidiuretichormoneinfluencesurineproduction
- Describetheroleofthereninangiotensinaldosteronesysteminbloodpressureregulation
- DescribetheresponsestoingestionofNaClorwater

Alimentarysystem
- Describeorlabelthemainpartsofatooth
- Describeordrawthepapillaeandintrinsicmusclesofthetongue
- Listthethreemajorsalivaryglands,describethefunctionoftheirsecretions
- Describehowmesenteryisrelatedtoparietalandvisceralperitoneum
- Explainatleastfourmethodsbywhichsurfaceareaoftheepitheliumliningtheguttubemaybe
increased
- Listfourmainfunctionsofthedigestivesystemandexplainhowtheyvaryalongthelengthofthe
guttube
- Listorlabelthefourlayerswhichgenerallymakeupthewalloftheguttube.Describethetissue
componentsofeachlayer,andcommentontheirfunctions
- Describethewaysinwhichthestandardguttubeismodifiedintheoesophagus,andrelatethisto
function
- Describeorlabelgrossanatomicalfeaturesofthestomach,includingitsfourregions
- Describeorlabelgastricpitsandglandsofthemucosa,andcommentonthecelltypeswhich
occurthere.Explainhowtheycontributetothefunctionsofthestomach
- Brieflylistthemajorfunctionsoftheliver
- Explainusingnotesoradiagramhowhepatocytesareplacedinrelationtothebloodandbile
spacesaroundthem
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- Explainorlabelthestructureofoneliverlobuleandthevesselswhichconveybloodorbiletoor
fromit
- Writebriefnotesabouttheexocrinefunctionofthepancreas
- Explainorlabeltheexocrineaciniandtheirbranchingsystemofducts
- Listthethreeregionsofthesmallintestine,anddescribetheirfunctions
- Explainthewaysinwhichthestandardguttubeismodifiedintheintestine,andidentifythe
adaptationswhichincreasesurfacearea
- Describeorlabelintestinalvilliandglands,andcommentonthecelltypesfoundthere
- Listthesevenregionsanddescribethemainfunctionsofthelargeintestine
- Explainthewaysinwhichthestandardguttubeismodifiedinthecolon,especiallytheexternal
musclecoat
- Describeorlabelmucosalglandsofthecolon,andcommentonthecelltypesfoundthere

CourseCoordinators
PleasedirectallenquiriesregardingMEDSCI142to:

MrPeterRiordan
SeniorTutorandHumanAnatomy
LaboratoryManager
AnatomywithRadiology
Phone:+6493737599x85177
DDI:+6499235177
Email:p.riordan@auckland.ac.nz

MissAngelaTsai
ProfessionalTeachingFellowandCourse
Coordinator
SchoolofMedicalSciences
Phone:+6493737599x81552
DDI:+6499231552
Email:a.tsai@auckland.ac.nz