Lecture 1: Principles of Systemic Physiology
Reading: chapter 1
Levels of Organization (Figure 1-1)
Cell (Figure 2-1)
Functions:
obtain nutrients and oxygen
metabolism
synthesis
exchange of materials
intracellular transport
reproduction
Tissue (aggregate of cells and extracellular material)
4 primary types
Muscle (contraction)
skeletal
cardiac
smooth
Nervous (transmission of signals)
central
peripheral
Epithelial (exchange of materials) Figure 1-2
epithelial sheets (form boundaries)
glands (secretion of synthesized materials)
Exocrine (external secretion)
Endocrine (internal secretion)
Connective (structural support)
tendons
bones
blood
Organ (two or more primary tissues organized to perform a function)
e.g. Stomach: composed of all 4 tissue types
Epithelial
epithelial sheet - barrier to digestive juices
exocrine gland - secretes digestive juices
endocrine gland - regulates exocrine secretion
Muscle
smooth muscle - stomach wall
Nervous
peripheral nerves - regulate contraction
Connective
structural support
Organ System (collection of organs that perform related functions
essential to survival) Figures 1-3, 1-6
Circulatory System
heart, blood vessels, blood
Digestive System
mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large
intestine, salivary glands, pancreas, liver, gall bladder
Respiratory System
nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, lungs
Urinary System
kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, urethra
Skeletal System
bones, cartilage, joints
Muscular System
skeletal muscles
Integumentary System
skin, hair, nails
Immune System
white blood cells, thymus, bone marrow, tonsils, adenoids, lymph
nodes, spleen, appendix, gut-associated lymph tissue, skin-
associate lymph tissue
Nervous System
brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, sense organs
Endocrine System
hormone secreting tissues: hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid,
adrenals, endocrine pancreas, parathyroids, gonads, kidneys,
intestine, heart, thymus, pineal, skin
Reproductive System
male: testes, penis, prostate gland, seminal vesicles, bulbourethreal
glands
female: ovaries, oviducts, uterus, vagina, breasts
Organism
Homeostasis
dynamic maintenance of a stable internal (extracellular)
environment within the organism (Figure 1-5)
essential to survival of each cell
requires continual exchange of materials between the intracellular and
extracellular spaces
each organ system contributes by counteracting changes of internal
environment
Factors that must be maintained
concentration of nutrients
circulatory, digestive, muscular, nervous, endocrine
concentration of O2 and CO2
circulatory, respiratory, muscular, nervous
concentration of waste products
circulatory, digestive, urinary, muscular, nervous, endocrine
pH
respiratory, urinary, nervous
concentration of water and electrolytes
circulatory, digestive, urinary, skeletal, muscular, integumentary,
nervous, endocrine
temperature
muscular, integumentary, nervous
volume and pressure
muscular, nervous, endocrine
defense against foreign invaders
immune
Homeostasis is maintained by control systems
Intrinsic
local control systems built into an organ
e.g. increased CO2 production leads to relaxation of smooth
muscle and dilation of blood vessels
Extrinsic
external control system outside of an organ permitting coordinated
regulation of several organs
Physiological Principles
Negative Feedback - change in a controlled variable triggers a
response that opposes the change (Figure 1-7)
sensor - mechanism to detect the controlled variable
set point - the desired value of the variable
integrator - compares the sensor’s input with the set point
effector - adjusts the value of the controlled variable
Positive Feedback - reinforces the change in a controlled variable,
occurs relatively rarely
Feedforward Control - response occurring in anticipation of a
change in a control variable
