Human Physiology

Principles of fluid biophysics
Density, force, pressure - filling, hydrostatic, and propulsion pressures - compliance, elasticity static and kinetic forces. Pressure-tension relation in hollow organs. Laminar flow and turbulence. Flow and viscosity. Pressure-flow relation. Flow speed and resistance to flow. Gas diffusion law.

Circulatory System
Physical model of the circulatory system, circulating fluid. Heart excitation and contraction: cardiac spontaneous rhythmical activity, excitability and contraction of cardiac muscle cells. Principles of Electrocardiography (ECG): registration of ECG signals and their relation to intracellularly recorded cardiac cells potentials, derivation measurements, significance and interpretation of the ECG. Mechanical properties of the heart: functional heart anatomy; cardiac cycle in the left and right portions of the heart; central venous pressure and cardiac cycle; heart rate, duration of systolic and diastolic phases, and pressure-volume relation during the different phases. Cardiac output: definition, variability and measurements. Arteries and veins: structure, elastic properties of arteries, hemodynamics, nervous control. Capillaries, lymphatic vessels and balance of fluid exchanges: capillary microcirculation, interstitial space, lymphatic circulation, capillary filtration, Starling hypothesis of fluid exchanges. District circulation: tissue metabolic need and regulation, flow auto-regulation. Blood physiology: general principles, blood volume, composition, and distribution.

Respiratory System
Structure and functions: gas exchanges and other functions. Pulmonary ventilation: pulmonary volumes and their measurement. Respiratory mechanics: inspiration and expiration muscles; elastic properties of the lungs, pressure-volume relation, compliance and surface tension; surfactants; differences in regional ventilation and their causes; elastic properties of the thoracic wall; airway resistance and pressure variations during the respiratory cycle; work in respiration.
Diffusion of respiratory gases: limitations of diffusion and perfusion, transfer of oxygen and carbon dioxide in pulmonary capillaries. Gas exchanges in peripheral organs: oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve, carbon dioxide. Pulmonary circulation: pressure inside and around pulmonary blood vessels, flow resistance in pulmonary vessels, distribution of blood flow and its measurement, hypoxic vasoconstriction, water balance in the lungs; differences in regional perfusion and their causes. Ventilation-perfusion relation: oxygen transport from air to tissues, hypoventilation and shunt, consequences of changes in the ventilation-perfusion ratio, regional gas exchanges in the lung.

Urinary System
Structure and function: filtration and reuptake in the kidney: filtration pressure, clearance, measurement of renal plasma flow and glomerular filtrate, glomerular filtration rate, maximal tubular transport rate, autoregulation. Juxtaglomerular apparatus. Mechanisms of tubular reuptake for water, ions, and organic substances. Tubular functions: proximal tubule, loop of Henle, distal nephron. Integrated renal functions: control of sodium excretion, urine dilution and concentration, renal proton excretion.

Digestive System
Structure and function: innervation of the gastrointestinal tract, hormones, motility, digestive functions, water and molecular exchanges. Deglutition and emesis. Saliva: composition, volume and functions; formation of primary saliva; nervous control of salivary secretion. Gastric digestion: stomach motility and digestion. Digestive action of gastric juice and regulation of its secretion, protective mechanisms of the gastric mucosa. Intestinal digestion and absorption: intestinal motility, digestive secretions, and intestinal digestion, intestinal bacterial flora. Principles of human nutrition.

Integrative Physiology and Homeostasis of the Internal Milieu
Control mechanisms of blood pressure: renal, hormonal, and nervous mechanisms (integration centers, afferent and efferent pathways). Regulation of cardiac output and venous return.
Control mechanisms of respiration: central control, receptors, effector cells, integrated responses.
Mechanisms of thermoregulation.
Control mechanisms of volume and osmolarity of bodily fluids: water, composition and osmolarity of bodily fluids, volume and osmolarity homeostasis.
Control of blood pH: metabolic production of acids, physiological buffers, H+ balance, acid-base alterations and compensation mechanisms.
Principles of endocrine physiology: hypothalamus-pituitary axis, thyroid and adrenal glands, glucose metabolism regulation, bone metabolism regulation, reproductive endocrine regulation.
Physiological response to stress.
Principles of neuroimmunology: bidirectional communication between nervous and immune systems.
Life in hypo- and hyper-baric conditions.
Physical exercise and principles of sport physiology.