BASIC PRINCIPLES OF

HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY
Integrative Teaching Bloc IV
Dr. Swanny, MSc

The definition
Physiology is :
The study of the functions of a living
organism and its component parts,
including all chemical and physical
processes.
The term physiology literally means
knowledge of nature.

History
Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) : the function of all
living organisms, not only the human body.
Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.) : the healing power
of nature, closely associated with medicine.
In 16th century : the study of vital functions of
the human body.
1970s : rapid advances in the fields of cellular
and molecular biology.

Physiologists are trained to think about the

INTEGRATION of function across all levels,
from molecules to living body.
(To integrate means to bring varied elements
together to create a unified whole.)
To reach it understand the fundamental
principles of physiology to know the way
the human body functions.

Levels of organization
1. ATOMS 2. MOLECULES 3. CELLS
4.TISSUES 5. ORGANS 6.
ORGAN SYSTEMS 7.ORGANISMS
8. POPULATIONS OF ONE SPECIES
9. ECO-SYSTEM of DIFFERENT
SPECIES 10. BIOSPHERE.

Fields of study
Level 1, 2 : Chemistry.
Level 2,3 : Molecular biology.
Level 2,3,4 : Cell biology.
Level 2,3,4,5,6,7,8 : Physiology.
Level 7,8,9,10 : Ecology.

Organs Systems of human

body

System Name Organs/tissue Function

s
1. Circulatory Heart, blood
Transport of
vessels, blood materials
throughout
the body
2. Digestive

Stomach,
intestines,
liver,
pancreas

Conversion of
food into
particles that
can be taken
into body,
elimination of

3. Endocrine

Thyroid gland, Coordination

adrenal gland of body
function
throughout
synthesis and
release of
regulatory
molecules

4. Immune

Thymus,
spleen, lymph
nodes

5.
Skin
Integumentar

Defense
against
foreign
invaders
Protection
from external

6.
Musculoskelet
al
7.Reproductiv
e
8. Urinary

Skeletal
muscles,
bones
Ovaries,
uterus, testes
Kidneys,
bladder

Support and
movement
Perpetuation
of the species
Maintenance
of water and
solutes in the
internal
environment;
waste
removal

9. Nervous

Brain, spinal
cord

10.Respirator Lungs,
y
airways

Coordination
of body
function
through
electrical
signals and
release of
regulatory
molecules
Exchange of
O2 and CO2
between
internal and
external

Integrative Physiology
The current challenges in physiology is
INTEGRATING information from the
different body system into a cohesive
picture of human body.
One way to do this , is by using
MAPPING.

Mapping
A non- linear way of organizing material
that has been shown to improve
understanding and retention.
Benefits :
1. Integrate newly acquired information
into knowledge base.
2. Steps in experiments.
3. Guide to diagnosis and treatment.

Maps in physiology
1. Structure / function maps :
relationships between anatomical
structure and physiological process.
2. Process maps / flow charts : normal
homeostatic control pathways and
responses to abnormal events/
pathophysiological condition.

Physiology is an Integrative
science
On levels of organization cut across many
levels.
Focus : integration among system. e.g. the
control of blood pressure cardiovascular
system, kidney and body fluid.
Challenge : EMERGENT properties of complex
system. E.g. emotion, intelligence, brain
function that cant be predicted from
knowing individual properties of nerve cells.

Function and Process

FUNCTION the WHY of the system.
PROCESS the HOW of a system.
Examples : Why RBC transport O2?
Because RBC brings O2 to cells that need
it.
How ? mechanistic approach
because RBC contains Hemoglobin that
combines reversibly with O2 molecules.

Evolution of physiological
systems
Human beings are large, mobile,
terrestrial animals whose bodies are
about 60% water.
The anatomy and physiology of human
body is designed to survive in a dry,
highly variable external environment.
Evolution ADAPTATION.

Homeostasis
As a whole adapted to cope with
variable external environment.
As an individual cell less tolerant to
change.
Internal stability is important !
The bodys ability to maintain internal
stability is known as HOMEOSTASIS.

Homeostasis
Failure to maintain homeostasis disrupts
normal function disease state or
pathological condition.
Based on origin :
1. Arises from internal failure : abnormal
growth of cells, autoimmune disease.
2. Outside sources : toxic chemicals,
viruses and bacteria, physical trauma.

Keys concepts in physiology

1. Homeostasis and control systems.
2. Structure and function relationship.
3. Communications.
4. Movements of substances across
membrane.
5. Biological energy.
6. Mass balance
7. Mass flow.

Homeostasis and control

system
Key functions are REGULATED VARIABLES
that are monitored and regulated by a
PHYSIOLOGICAL CONTROL SYSTEM.
Example : control of breathing.
central controller output effector
/muscle of respiration signals to
sensors / receptors input central.

Structure/Function
relationship
1. Molecular interactions. E.g. enzymes that
speed up chemical reactions.
2. Mechanical properties of cells, tissues and
organs. Usually direct result of anatomy
structure. E.g. compliance, elastance.
3. Compartmentation of body and cells. E.g.
membrane cell separates cells from each
other different area to specialize
function.

Communication
Cells to cells communicate with chemical
signals. Nervous system uses electrical
signals.
Communication can be local or long
distance.
Signals that cant transferred across
membrane cell, must translated into
an intra cellular signal signal
transduction

Movement of substances
across membrane
Movement of water, gas, other
molecules between the intracellular
and extracellular compartments
requires crossing barrier of cell
membrane.
Cells have special process that
selective about what materials they
allow in or out.

Biological energy
Synthesis and breakdown of
molecules, to transport molecules
across the cell membrane, and to
create movement.
Examples : breakdown of glycogen to
ATP, the Krebs cycle.

Mass balance
Law of mass balance :
if the amount of a substance in body
is to remain constant, any gain must
be offset by equal loss.
Example; to maintain body temperature
constant: Heat gain must be equal to
heat loss. ( input = output )

Mass Flow
Function of time.
Examples : sodium intake per day, CO2
production per minute.
Rate of intake, production, out put.
Mass flow = concentration x volume flow
(amount/min) (amount/vol) (vol/min)

Mass flow
Movement of substances within and
between compartments of body.
Blood flow, air flow, gases, nutrients
and wastes move into and out of cells.
Flow is created by a driving force, such
as a pressure or concentration
difference / gradient.

Concepts of Cell Function

Cells are smallest functional units of
living things.
Cells are living because they are able
to carry on metabolic activities that
provide energy sustain themselves,
to grow and reproduce and to
respond to short and long terms
changes in environment.

Chemical organization
Some important chemical reactions.
1. Law of Mass reaction.
2. Oxidation Reduction reaction.
3. Enzyme assisted reactions.

Translocation of materials
1. Diffusion of gases.
2. Movement across cell membrane:
a. physical transport process
b. physiological transport process

Physical transport
1. Diffusion
2. Osmosis
3. Filtration

Physiological transport
1. Carrier mediated transport:
-facilitated diffusion
-active transport
2. Transport of large molecules
- Endocytosis : phagocytosis, pinocytosis
- Exocytosis : secretion process.
-

Electrical phenomena
Electrical activity is an essential for
energy releasing activities.
Characteristic of living things :
- properties of live
- in absence of electrical activity in
nervous system is important criterion
for determining clinical death.

Electrical concepts
The force of attraction of negative and
positive charges potential energy
capable of doing work.
It is referred as :
Voltage
Electrical potential
Potential difference

Skeletal muscle system

Skeletal muscles acting upon a system
of levers formed by bones and joints
that cause movement.
Muscle is characterized by the ability
of its cells to change shapes, that is,
to contract and to shorten.

Arrangement of muscle
fibers
1. Longitudinal or parallel.
2. Unipendate
3. Bipendate
4. Multipendate
5. Radiate.

Muscle contraction
Skeletal muscle is known as striated
muscle because its fibers show
alternating light and dark stripes.
Also known as voluntary muscle
because its contraction can be
voluntarily initiated.
Muscle contraction is due to the
arrangement of myofibrils within it.

Contraction Sliding
filaments
For contraction , muscle needs energy ATP.
Energy release from ATP exert a force that
causes a rotation of myosin head and cross
bridge( which is bound to actin), causing a
slight displacement between thick and thin
filaments. The thin filaments are moved
toward the center of sarcomere, increasing
the area of overlap of thick and thin
filaments.

Stimulation of isolated skeletal

muscle
Stimulus increases permeability of
membrane to sodium ions, sodium
ions diffuses into cell reducing its
internal negativity Depolarization.
A single stimulus produces a single
Action Potential and a single brief
contraction known as a muscle
twitch.

Types of contraction
1. Isotonic contraction : muscle
shortens and moves the recording
levers ( isotonic = equal tension ).
2. Isometric contraction : the load is so
heavy that muscle cannot shorten
( isometric = equal length).

Smooth muscle
1. Single unit ( visceral ) smooth muscle is
organized to function as a single unit.
Single unit has Automaticity or
inherent rhythmicity.
2. Multiunit smooth muscle. It is more like
skeletal muscle , organized in bundles
and does not have automaticity.
Examples: walls of blood vessels.

Cardiac muscle
Intermediate between smooth and
skeletal muscle.
Cardiac muscle are both involuntary and
striated, but it is found only in heart.
Characteristic : Automaticity due to
pacemaker cells that depolarize
spontaneously and develop an action
potential.

Nervous system
The nervous system is a
communication system based on the
conduction of impulses that provide
information and give direction.

Its organization and

components
Nerve cells are called : NEURON.
Structure called RECEPTOR are sensitive to
certain changes in their immediate
environment. Impulses ( information ) from
receptor are transmitted to SPINAL CORD
or BRAIN. Then, other nerve fibers carry
impulses from spinal cord/brain to
EFFECTORS, such as skeletal, smooth,
cardiac muscle and gland.

The process in nervous

system
The operation of the nervous system
involves RECEIVING and
PROCESSING information ( impulses )
generated by many receptors in
many parts of the body, and
directing the responses of many
EFFECTORS to bring about
appropriate responses.

Endocrine system
The organ of endocrine system is
GLAND which secretes HORMONES
which affect many cell functions that
are not under neural control.
Together the endocrine glands
constitute a control system that
parallels, but does not duplicate , the
nervous system.

Endocrine glands
1.Pituitary gland/hypophysis
2.Adrenal gland
3.Thyroid gland
4.Parathyroid gland
5.Pancreatic islands/islets of
Langerhans
6.Gonads( ovary, testis )

Hormone
Hormones are chemical messenger.
Based on its nature , hormones are
divided into :
1. Protein
2. Amino acids derivative
3. Steroid.

Hormone action and

regulation
To act on target organ, hormone needs
RECEPTOR.
Hormone action depends on its nature.
The major control of endocrine glands
is chemical in nature. It is exerted by
what is known as a NEGATIVE FEED
BACK MECHANISM.

Blood
Blood is a FLUID TISSUE.
Great numbers of cells are suspended
in the fluid (PLASMA), and a variety
of solutes are dissolved in it.
Blood is vital for TRANSPORT.

Composition of blood
1. Plasma
2. The cells : erythrocytes/ RBC,
leukocyte/ WBC
3. Platelets formed elements, which
are not actually whole cells.

Cardiovascular system
Consists of HEART as the driving force
that causes blood to move through
BLOOD VESSELS.
The CIRCULATION of blood is vital to
the survival of all cells of the body.

Respiratory system
Structure :
1. Upper respiratory tract, consisting
structure from nasal cavity through
larynx
2. Lower respiratory tract, consisting
trachea through the lung.
3. Thoracic cavity

Digestive system
The organs of digestive system occupy most
the abdominal cavity.
The process Digestion/breakdown of
nutrients, Transport them to appropriate
sites for Absorption into blood stream.
Inside the TD, the nutrients also mixed
with Secretion of TD to help digestion
process.

Urinary system
The important structure is Kidney.
Kidney is an EXCRETORY organ.
The process in kidney :
-filtration
-secretion
-excretion
-maintain the composition of extracellular
fluid.

THANK YOU