Introductory description

Metabolism is the key to understanding how the human body obtains its energy with which to carry out all its essential functions. The generation of energy is the key step in metabolism and this part of the module focuses on where energy can be generated and the metabolic pathways used in energy generation. Equally important is an understanding of how essential components are built in the human body through anabolic reactions.

Physiology is the study of how the human body works and can be determined at the sub-cellular to whole organism level. In order to remain healthy, many physiological variables must be maintained within narrow limits. These variables include body temperature, blood pressure, blood glucose, and oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood. The ability of the body to maintain the constancy of such variables is called homeostasis and understanding how this is achieved is a central goal of physiology. This module provides a framework for understanding homeostasis by covering the major organ systems of the body. The final lecture integrates the knowledge from individual organ systems to understand how the whole body maintains homeostasis in environmental extremes.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Introduction to enzymes: What enzymes are and how they work, measuring how fast they work, enzyme inhibition as the basis of some drugs, and the value of enzymes in biotechnology.

Metabolism: Energy and its uses in biological systems. The organisation of metabolism into catabolic and anabolic pathways. Specific basic pathways such as glycolysis, citric acid cycle, pentose phosphate pathway, oxidative phosphorylation and photosynthesis.

Integration of Metabolism using glucose homeostasis as an example.

Signalling: Principles; cell surface receptors that are kinases, focusing on growth and insulin signalling; cell surface receptors associated with kinases, focussing on leptin and EPO signalling; GPCRs, focussing on sight and adrenaline responses; intracellular receptors, focussing on NO an oestrogen signalling; techniques and problems.

Neurobiology: Nervous system structure and function, neurons and glia, resting potential, action potential, synaptic transmission, sensory and motor systems, the autonomic nervous system, muscle contraction.

Cardiovascular system: The heart as a pump; properties and physiological regulation of the systemic circulation; introduction to the pulmonary circulation; response to blood loss, response to exercise

Respiration: Anatomy and physiology (including mechanics of respiration, gaseous exchange, nervous control of breathing).

Special senses: Physiology of vision and hearing

Integrated Physiology: Combining material from physiology and metabolism lectures to understand adaptation to extreme conditions such as altitude, depth, hot and cold.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• At the end of this module the students should have acquired a thorough understanding of the basics of metabolism and signal transduction as well as the physiology of the cardiovascular and respiratory system, the nervous system and special senses and how these work together and adapt to environmental conditions.

Indicative reading list

1. Illustrative Bibliography
   Berg, Tymoczko and Stryer. Biochemistry 8th edition 2015

Vanders Human Physiology: The mechanism of body function 14th edition (McGraw Hill).

G Pocock & CH Richards Human Physiology: The Basis of Medicine. 5th Edition. OUP 2017

Berne & Levy Principles of Physiology 5th edition 2006

Associated reading

Life at the Extremes. Frances Ashcroft Flamingo 2000

Subject specific skills

At the end of this part of the module students should have acquired:

a) A thorough foundation of basic knowledge of energy generation, anabolism and metabolism.

b) Knowledge of the major metabolic pathways and their regulation.

c) Knowledge of the principles of cell signalling: signals, receptors, second messenger, main signal transduction pathways.

d) An understanding of neurobiology, the cardiovascular system, respiratory system and special senses.

e) Some appreciation of how this knowledge can be applied to understand how whole organisms adapt to extreme conditions.

Transferable skills

1. Critical appraisal of source material
2. Self directed learning
3. Adult learning