Lecture 1 - Intro To Physiology

Introduction to Physiology
BME331
University of Toronto
1
Learning Objectives
1. Define physiology and understand its
importance as a field of study.
2. Explain the levels of organization of the body
from the chemical level to the organism level.
3. Describe the concept of homeostasis and the
importance of negative feedback in
homeostatic control.
4. Differentiate between negative and positive
feedback and feedforward mechanisms.
2
Readings
• Chapter 1 in Sherwood and Ward
3
Physiology
• The study of how the body works.
• What are the mechanisms that allow the body
to accomplish the tasks essential to its
survival?
4
Levels of Organization of the Human Body
• Chemical: atoms and molecules

• Cellular: the smallest unit capable of carrying out
the processes associated with life.
• Tissue: a group of cells of similar structure and
specialized function
• Organ: several tissues of different types
organized together to perform a specific function
• System: collection of organs performing related
functions and interacting to accomplish a
common activity essential to survival of the
whole body.
5
Example
From Sherwood, Kell, and Ward, Human Physiology: From Cells to Systems, 2nd Edition, Nelson, 2012
6
Cell Level
• Basic roles of a cell:
– Respiration
Extracellular Oxygen, nutrients Chemical reactions
Environment Cell
produce energy
CO2, waste products
– Synthesize and transport components (e.g. proteins)

within the cell
– Regulate cell reproduction
– Exchange materials with the extracellular
environment and respond to changes in it.
7
Cell Level
• Specialized functions of a cell (examples):
– Produce and secrete digestive enzymes or other
material to be secreted into the extracellular
environment
– Control muscle contraction
– Nerve cells generate, transmit, and store
information
8
Tissue Level
• Four primary types of tissues
– Muscle tissue
– Nervous tissue
– Epithelial tissue
– Connective tissue
9
Muscle Tissue
• Specialized for contracting and generating
force
• Three types:
– Skeletal muscle
– Cardiac muscle
– Smooth muscle
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/
19841.htm
10
Nervous Tissue
• Consists of cells specialized for initiating and
transmitting electrical impulses
• Found in brain, spinal cord, and nerves
11
Epithelial Tissue
• Specialized for exchanging materials between
the cell and its environment
• Organized into two general types of structures
– Epithelial sheets
– Secretory glands
• Exocrine
• Endocrine
12
Epithelial Tissue
13
Connective Tissue
• Connects, supports, and anchors various body
parts
• Distinguished by having relatively few cells
dispersed within an abundance of
extracellular material
– Examples include tendons, bone, and blood
14
Organ Level
• Consists of two or more types of primary
tissues that function together to perform a
particular function or functions
– Example: Stomach
• Inside of stomach lined with epithelial tissue
• Wall of stomach contains smooth muscle
• Nervous tissue in stomach controls muscle contraction
and gland secretion
• Connective tissue binds all the above tissues together
15
Body System Level
• The human body has 11 systems:
– Circulatory System – Integumentary System
– Digestive System – Immune System
– Respiratory System – Nervous System
– Urinary System – Endocrine System
– Skeletal System – Reproductive System
– Muscular System
• These systems interact to regulate complex

body processes
16
Homeostasis
17
Definition of Homeostasis
• Ability of a cell or organism to maintain a
relatively stable internal environment
• Acting in response to changes in set point
(e.g. negative feedback).
• Is a dynamic process
• The body regularly initiates small non-
random changes (heart rate, breathing, etc.)
18
Homeostasis
• Homeostasis is necessary because cells need a
relatively stable environment to survive
(within a narrow physiological range).
• Each cell in turn contributes to creating this

stable environment, through the actions of
various body systems.
19
Copyright © 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.
20
Body-Fluid Compartments
• The exchanges between the cells and their
environment are made possible by the body-
fluid compartments.
• Fluid within cells is intracellular fluid (ICF)
• Fluid outside cells is extracellular fluid (ECF)
– Plasma: fluid portion of blood
– Interstitial fluid: surrounds cells
21
Body-Fluid Compartments
22
Group Work
• Get in groups of 3-4 and think of examples of

homeostasis. Try to frame it in terms of
control variables involved.
23
Regulation of Homeostasis
• Homeostasis is maintained in the human body
by thousands of control systems acting together.
25
Homeostatic Control Systems
• In order to maintain homeostasis, a control
system must be able to
– Detect deviations from normal in the internal
environment that need to be held within narrow
limits (sensor)
– Integrate this information with other relevant
information (control centre)
– Make appropriate adjustments in order to restore
a factor to its desired value (effector)
Copyright © 2013 by Nelson Education Ltd. 26

Homeostatic Control Systems
• Control systems are grouped into two classes
– Intrinsic controls
• Local controls that are inherent in an organ
– Extrinsic controls
• Regulatory mechanisms initiated outside an organ
• Allows synchronized regulation of several organs for a
common goal
• Accomplished by nervous and endocrine systems
(closely interlinked systems)
Copyright © 2013 by Nelson Education Ltd. 27

Key Terminology
• Feedforward: Response made in anticipation
of a change
• Feedback: Response made in response to a

change
– Negative feedback opposes an initial change
– Positive feedback amplifies an initial change
28
Negative Feedback Positive Feedback
Sensor
Controller
Effector
29
In engineering terms…
30

Lecture 1 - Intro To Physiology

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Lecture 1 - Intro To Physiology

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Lecture 1 - Intro To Physiology

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Introduction to Physiology

• Chemical: atoms and molecules

– Synthesize and transport components (e.g. proteins)

• These systems interact to regulate complex

• Each cell in turn contributes to creating this

• Get in groups of 3-4 and think of examples of

Copyright © 2013 by Nelson Education Ltd. 26

Copyright © 2013 by Nelson Education Ltd. 27

• Feedback: Response made in response to a

You might also like