OVERVIEW

General Physiology investigates the functions of living organisms by analyzing the fundamental and unifying mechanisms of life processes in chemical and physical terms.

The discussion is articulated from the molecular and cellular level, to subsequently consider the interactions between cells and the functioning of the most important organs and systems, up to the analysis of integrated functions that involve different systems. The teaching takes into consideration the general physiology of mammals and in particular of the human being, with hints at its evolutionary origin.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Promote the understanding, acquisition of knowledge, analytical skills, application skills, and communication skills related to:

1. General principles and common mechanisms that regulate cellular functions (intercellular communication; propagation of nerve impulses, synaptic transmission, sensory receptors, muscle contraction)
2. Fundamental aspects, cellular and molecular mechanisms of the functions of the main organs and systems, and the main integrated functions that involve various systems, with reference to the vegetative life and the relational life of the human being (sensory, motor and autonomous nervous system; cardiovascular system; respiratory system; excretory system and osmoregulation; digestive system; energy balance; endocrine system and reproduction).

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to guide students to the understanding, the acquisition of knowledge, analytical skills, application skills, and communication skills relative to the fundamental principles and mechanisms of the functioning of mammalian organisms (and in particular of humans), their systems, their organs, with particular reference to the cellular and molecular level. The course also aims at acquiring technical-scientific linguistic and communication skills specifically related to the discipline.

Through attending lectures, participating in classroom activities, individual study on manuals notes and educational material, the exercise of applying acquired knowledge to specific problems, and the exercise of communicating acquired knowledge, the course aims to achieve the following objectives:

• understand, know and being able to describe the common mechanisms that regulate, in chemical-physical terms, cellular functions, the general principles that govern the functions of the organism and their cellular and molecular mechanisms;
• being able to apply the knowledge learned to the analysis of concrete examples of specific physiological phenomena, to the formulation of a hypothesis for their explanation, or to the formulation of hypotheses of expected results for experiments concerning the physiological processes dealt with during the course, thanks to the use of critical thinking and the ability to argue formulated hypotheses 
• acquire an overview, knowing how to identify relationships, analogies and differences between the physiological systems treated and between the cellular and molecular mechanisms treated in different physiological contexts, which allow to identify and explain conceptual connections between different topics of the program
• being able to understand and use in the exposition in an appropriate way the technical-scientific language specific to the discipline for the purpose of clear and effective communication at the academic and professional level.

PREREQUISITES

In order to aim at the achievement of the course objectives, it is necessary to have previously acquired:

• Elements of Mathematics (algebra, exponentials and logarithms), General Chemistry.
• Knowledge of Cellular Biology, Histology and Anatomy, suitable for dealing with topics related to the functioning of the cell and its molecular components.
• Knowledge and mastery of the Italian language (understanding and production, written and oral) and the specific terminology of the disciplines that are part of the knowledge included in the prerequisites
• Understanding of written and oral English (B2 level).

It is then suggested as an optimal prerequisite to have started to acquire:

• Elements of Physics (classical mechanics, thermodynamics, electronics), Physical Chemistry and rudiments of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, suitable for dealing with biological themes.

TEACHING METHODS

The course includes lectures that encompass the description of the principles and operating mechanisms provided by the program, in-depth studies, examples, explanations, and connections, with the constant aid of images (educational illustrations, data graphs, diagrams, scientific images), and frequent use of videos, to guide students to a systematic and thorough understanding of the program topics, and to the identification of key concepts on which to build their own conceptual network of the subject, as well as to provide an example for the acquisition of linguistic, expository, analytical, applicative, and argumentative skills that the teaching aims at.

The lectures will be periodically interspersed with:

• instant-polls as a method of self-assessment, formative evaluation of the achievement of the specific objectives of the individual parts of the teaching, also useful to direct integration actions to achieve these objectives and to promote deep learning;
• analysis of examples, specific cases and problems to be briefly analyzed in pairs, groups, and collectively (according to teaching methods such as “think-pair-share”) to stimulate interest, reflection, understanding, analytical skills, applicative skills, critical thinking, communicative and argumentative skills, and promote deep learning.
• In itinere tests, followed by collective discussion (and individual, upon request) of the questions, solutions, and results, will provide an opportunity for classroom practice and self-testing of the level of understanding, knowledge, and application skills of the topics covered in the tests

Achieving the teaching objectives will require individual study on one of the reference manuals. Students can then take advantage of the slides shown in class, additional supporting material available on AulaWeb and indications to questions for self-assessment of the knowledge acquired, expository and linguistic skills, and a series of examples and problems for the exercise and self-assessment of the acquired skills of analysis, critical thinking, synthesis, argumentative skills, and making connections between different topics of the program.

Any Student with documented Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), or with any special needs, shall reach out to the Lecturer(s) and to the dedicated SLD Representative in the Department ( Prof. Luca Raiteri, Luca.Raiteri@unige.it ) before class begins, in order to liaise and arrange the specific learning methods and ensure proper achievement of the learning aims and outcomes. VERY IMPORTANT: any request for compensatory tools and adaptations in the exam MUST be done within 10 working days before the date of the exam according to the instructions that can be found at https://unige.it/disabilita-dsa/comunicazioni

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The lectures and the exam will cover all the topics of the following detailed program.

General principles of physiology • Characteristics of living beings. • Chemical composition of living matter. • Homeostasis and adaptation.

Cellular Physiology

• Cell membrane. Diffusion, osmosis. Membrane transport. • Cellular communication. Signal molecules, receptors. Signal transduction pathways. Signaling and calcium homeostasis. • Equilibrium potentials and diffusion. Membrane potential and currents • Resting membrane potential, passive properties of the membrane • Passive propagation of currents and changes in membrane potential • Action potential and its conduction • Synaptic transmission, neurotransmitters and membrane receptors • Electrophysiology techniques (patch-clamp)

System Physiology

• CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM: Brain, brainstem, cerebellum. Effector systems. • Somatic sensory system, cutaneous receptors, pain. Special senses (sight, hearing, vestibular sense, taste, smell).

• SOMATIC AND AUTONOMOUS MOTOR SYSTEM: types and cellular physiology of skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscle fibers (electrophysiology, molecular mechanism of contraction, excitation-contraction coupling); mechanics of contraction. Types of contraction, types of muscle fibers. Efferent nervous system, types of movement, proprioception, motor reflexes, descending pathways, motor control. Organization and function of the autonomic nervous system

• CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM: heart, cardiomyocytes and their characteristics; cardiac cycle, electrocardiogram; principles of hemodynamics and vascular system; lymphatic system; regulation of arterial pressure; body fluids, blood, hemostasis; introduction to the immune system.

• RESPIRATORY SYSTEM: respiratory mechanics. gas exchanges, oxygen and carbon dioxide transport; control of respiration

• EXCRETORY SYSTEM: organization and function of the nephron; filtration, secretion and reabsorption; water-salt balance; acid/base regulation, alkalosis, acidosis.

• DIGESTIVE SYSTEM: digestion, assimilation, secretions, motility; salivary glands, stomach, liver, pancreas, small intestine, large intestine; intestinal motility; control of gastrointestinal functions; enteric nervous system

• ENDOCRINE SYSTEM: hypothalamus-pituitary axis, pineal gland, thyroid, parathyroids, calcium homeostasis, adrenal glands; regulation of metabolism and energy balance; endocrine gonads.

• REPRODUCTIVE APPARATUS: male and female (menstrual cycle, childbirth, lactation)

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

For the achievement of the teaching objectives, it is recommended as necessary to personally study a manual of your choice published in the last 10 years and aimed at students of CTF/Pharmacy, Biology/Biotechnology or Medicine.

Recommended reference manuals (alternatively to each other) for an optimal discussion (to be integrated with notes, slides, and in-depth studies):

• Belfiore, Berteotti, Biella, Fisiologia umana. Fondamenti. Ed. Edi-Ermes
• D’Angelo, Peres, Fisiologia. Ed. Edi-Ermes
• Koeppen, Stanton, Berne e Levy Fisiologia, Ed. CEA 

Manuals for a more synthetic discussion:

• Stanfield, Fisiologia, Ed. Edises
• Silverthorn, Fisiologia umana, Ed. Pearson

In-depth manuals:

• Conti, Fisiologia medica vol.1-2, Ed. Edi-Ermes
• Boron, Boulpaep, Fisiologia medica, Ed. Edra
• Kandel, Schwartz, Jessell, Principi di Neuroscienze, Ed. CEA

For self-assessment tests, application quizzes and theoretical excercises, these books may be taken into consideration:

• Stanfield, Fisiologia, Ed. Edises
• Brambilla, Eserciziario di Fisiologia, Ed. Edises

The Professor is always available to guide in identifying additional bibliographic sources according to the interests of the students.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

GIORGIO GRASSELLI (President)

BRUNO PIETRO BURLANDO

ILARIA DEMORI (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

According to the academic calendar.

Class schedule

GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY (PCT)

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral exam: 30-45 min discussion on topics of the syllabus and on their applications.

Access to the oral test may be regulated by passing a basic qualifying question on fundamental principles of cellular physiology.

The in itinere tests may contribute to the final grade of the oral test or they may serve as an exemption to specific parts of the syllabus.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The oral test will aim at assessing the understanding and knowledge of the topics in the syllabus, the ability and appropriateness of exposition in an organic, systematic and synthetic way with a technical language suitable for the disciplinary context, the ability to make connections, and apply knowledge to the analysis of specific cases or ideal experiments to formulate well-argued hypotheses.

The final evaluation will positively consider participation during the lessons and a positive result to one or more in itinere tests.

A sufficient evaluation will be considered for students who demonstrate sufficient knowledge and understanding of all the main contents of the program with a sufficient level of depth and a sufficient expository capacity.

Consequently, the lack of preparation of entire sections of the program (corresponding to at least one hour of lesson) will correspond to an insufficient evaluation, as it will also not be sufficient to demonstrate remembering a good amount of details if this is not associated with a sufficient understanding, knowledge and overall vision or if this does not concern all sections of the program.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Ask the Professor for further information not included in the teaching sheet.