1999 Pharmacy Handbook

Physiology

Introduction
General objectives
Syllabus
Practical
Textbooks
Assessment

Introduction

Dr David Taylor
88 lectures, 12 tutorials and 75 hours of practical work.
The major aim of the subject is to provide students with a knowledge of mammalian physiology as a basis for understanding how physiological processes are altered by disease states or affected by drugs. This knowledge is mandatory for understanding pharmacology and pathology taught in later years.

General objectives

In this teaching program students are expected to develop:

understanding of basic cellular anatomy and biochemistry and how these processes are utilised in cells with specialised functions; cellular reproduction and genetics; chromosomal abnormalities leading to genetically based human diseases; properties of cell membranes including transport of substances into and out of cells and the transmission of electrical impulses along nerve cells; structure and function of smooth, skeletal and cardiac muscle; chemical transmission between nerve cells and from nerve cells to effectors (glands or muscle); the physiology of sense organs, blood and other body fluids, the liver and body systems;
abilities in the areas of the observation and measurement of physiological processes; the assessment and integration of physiological information;
an appreciation of the integrated functioning of physiological systems; the pathophysiological changes arising from defects in normal physiological functions; the potential sites of action and mechanisms by which therapeutic agents can affect normal and abnormal physiological function.

Syllabus

Basic cell physiology

An introduction to cellular biochemistry and metabolism. Constituents of cells, proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, lipids, enzymes and enzyme inhibition. Bioenergetics, concept of free energy change, exergonic and endergonic reactions, ATP, energy-rich and energy-poor bonds, biological oxidations and oxidative phosphorylation, photosynthesis. Aerobic and anaerobic glycolysis, citric acid cycle. Macro and micro nutrients.
Cellular structure. General structure and functioning of cells, cytoplasm, lysosomes, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complex, ribosomes, centrosomes, nucleus. Functional and structural specialisation in cells.
Cellular reproduction and genetics. Genetics, Mendel's work, laws of independent segregation and random assortment of allelic pairs. Chromosome replication and division, mitosis and meiosis. Linkage and crossing over, chromosome maps. Sex determination and x (sex) linkage. Multigenic and non-Mendelian inheritance. Mutations and chromosomal abnormalities. Genetic variability. Pharmacogenetics. Genetically-based human diseases. Genetic counselling.

Cellular functions

Membranes. Structure and function, diffusion of solutes and water across cell membranes, transport mechanisms. Gibbs-Donnan equilibrium, the Nernst equation and electrical properties of membranes. Resting, graded and action potentials, role of inorganic ions. Regulation of the internal environment.
Synaptic transmission. Origin and transmission of nerve impulse. The generator potential. Axo-dendritic, axo-somatic and axo-axonal synapses. Excitatory and inhibitory post-synaptic potentials, presynaptic inhibition. Neuronal pools. Neuroeffector junctions. Humoral transmission. Facilitation and blockade. Characterisation of transmitters. The autonomic nervous system, an introduction.
Properties of muscle. Physiology of skeletal muscle, contractile and elastic components, isotonic and isometric contractions, twitch and tetanus. Ultra-structure of muscle and sliding filament theory. Focally and multiply-innervated fibres. Structure and properties of cardiac muscle and its conducting system. Electrical activity of cardiac muscle membranes, the ECG. Smooth muscle, structure, location and function. Multi-unit and single-unit muscle. Vascular smooth muscle. Electrical activity of smooth muscle membranes.
Calcium. Sources, functions and control mechanisms in skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscle.

General physiology

Nervous system. Neurones, myelinated and non-myelinated axons, propagation of action potentials. Synapses, neuromuscular junctions, neurotransmitters, receptors, excitatory and inhibitory potentials. Neural mechanisms, integration of electrical signals, sensory receptors, classification of nerves. Reflex arcs, spinal cord, sensory and motor nerves. Introduction to central nervous system. Autonomic nervous system.
Endocrine function. Definition of endocrine glands and hormones. Regulation of hormone levels, endocrine control of homeostasis. Study of individual endocrine systems and their roles, diseases affecting endocrine function.
Skeleton and skeletal muscle. General structures and function. Joints. Movement.
Skin. Physiology of the skin and its inclusions. Wound physiology.
Circulation. Basic mammalian circulatory system. Heart. Vasculature. Cardiovascular mechanics and control of circulation.
Respiration. Structure and function of the respiratory system. Gaseous exchange and transport. Respiratory pigments. Control of respiration. Effects of change of environment.
Feeding, digestion and absorption. The gastrointestinal tract, its development, function, hormonal and nervous control. Absorption.
Liver. Structure and functions; storage, synthesis, metabolism and excretion, the biliary system.
Excretion. General patterns and organs involved. Structure and function of the vertebrate kidney. Ultrastructure of the kidney. The formation of urine. Active transport systems in the nephron, competition, saturation and inhibition.
Temperature regulation. Role of the hypothalamus and regulatory mechanisms in the maintenance of temperature, fever.
Special senses. Structure and function of organs concerned with sight, hearing and balance. Chemoreception.
Reproduction and early embryological development. Asexual and sexual reproduction. Oestrus and menstrual cycles and their hormonal control. Fertilisation, implantation and initial developmental stages. Embryology. Teratology. Formation and physiology of the placenta. Pregnancy, parturition, lactation. Contraception, infertility.
Blood and body fluids. Blood: its constituents and their functions. Formation of blood cells, regulation of erythrocyte numbers. Transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Blood groups, transfusion reactions, the Rhesus factor. Clotting and fibrinolysis, drugs which affect both processes. Immune function and the role of white blood cells. Diseases affecting functions of blood. Iron balance, transport and storage, iron deficiencies and excesses.

Practical

Twenty-six 3-hour practical, tutorial and discussion sessions designed to illustrate aspects of the syllabus.
Practical classes are designed to provide experience in the logical approach and skills required to gain physiological information by observation and experimentation. Students must provide themselves with dissecting instruments.

Textbooks

Recommended texts

Fox S T Human physiology 5th edn, Little Brown, 1996
MacKenna B R and Callander R Illustrated physiology 6th edn, Churchill Livingstone, 1997
Moffett D F and others Human physiology: Foundations and frontiers 2nd edn, Times Mirror Mosby, 1993
Mosby's medical nursing and allied health dictionary 5th edn, Mosby, 1998
Rhoades R and Pflanzer R Human physiology 3rd edn, Saunders, 1996
Vander A J and others Human physiology 7th edn, McGraw-Hill, 1998
Vardaxis N J Immunology for the health sciences Macmillan, 1995
Victorian College of Pharmacy Physiology laboratory manual VCP, 1999

Reference books

Alberts B and others Molecular biology of the cell 3rd edn, Garland, 1994
Burkitt H G and others Wheater's 'Functional histology' 3rd edn, Churchill Livingstone, 1993
Ganong W F Review of medical physiology 18th edn, Appleton and Lange, 1997
Lewis R Human genetics - concepts and applications 2nd edn, Brown, 1997
Mueller R F Emery's Elements of medical genetics 10th edn, Churchill Livingstone, 1998
Tobin A J and Morel R E Asking about cells Saunders, 1997

Assessment

Subject assessment will reflect the learning objectives outlined above. Methods of assessment will include:

Progress examination (May) (1.5 hours): 10%
Practical work and ongoing assessment: 20%
End-of-year examination (3 hours): 70%