This version of the course guide is provisional until the period for editing the new course guides ends.

Logo UAB

Animal Physiology 

Code: 100898 ECTS Credits: 6
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
2500252 Biochemistry FB 2

Contact

Name:
Merce Giralt Carbonell
Email:
merce.giralt@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

Basic skills and knowledge of the subjects of Biochemistry, Cell Biology and Histology

Objectives and Contextualisation

Learn the basics of physiology of different functional systems of the body animal and regulatory systems.
										
											
										
											- Acquire a complete and integrated view of the interrelationships of the various body systems.
										
											
										
											- Integrate the knowledge of the physiology acquired in other core subjects that deal with the structure and cellular and molecular aspects of the organism to obtain an overview of the functioning of organizations and achieving an overall the operation of the animal body.
										
											
										
											- To train students to apply knowledge in physiological deduction of the consequences of disease.

Competences

  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
  • Analyse and explain normal physiological processes and alterations in them on the molecular scale, using the scientific method.
  • Be able to self-evaluate.
  • Collaborate with other work colleagues.
  • Combine research and and the generation of knowledge with problem-solving in one's own field, showing sensibility to ethical and social questions.
  • Demonstrate an integrated vision of the function of hormones, neurotransmitters and growth factors in the control of gene expression and metabolism.
  • Make an oral, written and visual presentation of one's work to a professional or non-professional audience in English and understand the language and proposals of other specialists.
  • Manage bibliographies and interpret the information in the main biological databases, and also know how to use basic ICT tools.
  • Manage information and the organisation and planning of work.
  • Read specialised texts both in English and one's own language.
  • Take responsibility for one's own learning after receiving general instructions.
  • Take sex- or gender-based inequalities into consideration when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
  • Think in an integrated manner and approach problems from different perspectives.
  • Understand the language and proposals of other specialists.
  • Use ICT for communication, information searching, data processing and calculations.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
  2. Be able to self-evaluate.
  3. Collaborate with other work colleagues.
  4. Combine research and and the generation of knowledge with problem-solving in one's own field, showing sensibility to ethical and social questions.
  5. Compare the different circulatory systems in animals.
  6. Contrast and describe nitrogen excretion processes in different animal species.
  7. Define the systems for controlling the cardiovascular function: cardiac function, circulation and arterial blood pressure.
  8. Describe the motility, secretion, digestion and absorption systems of the digestive tract.
  9. Describe the processes involved in gas exchange and osmoregulation processes in animals.
  10. Explain temperature-regulation processes and related adaptations and responses in animals.
  11. Explain the mechanisms for controlling the reproductive function.
  12. Holistically interpret physiological responses to exercise, fasting, satiety and thirst.
  13. Identify and distinguish between the bases of blood function.
  14. Identify the systems for controlling the volume, osmolarity and pH of body fluids.
  15. Identify the systems for endocrine control of the thyroid, pancreatic and adrenal functions and control of calcemia and phosphatemia.
  16. Interpret the mechanisms regulating the gastrointestinal function.
  17. Interpret the principles behind the functioning of the somatosensory system (from receptor transduction to central processing) and the system of special senses.
  18. Interpret the renal function systems.
  19. Make an oral, written and visual presentation of one's work to a professional or non-professional audience in English and understand the language and proposals of other specialists.
  20. Manage information and the organisation and planning of work.
  21. Perform simulations of function and adaptation of different physiological functions and interpret the results.
  22. Read specialised texts both in English and one's own language.
  23. Take responsibility for one's own learning after receiving general instructions.
  24. Take sex- or gender-based inequalities into consideration when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
  25. Think in an integrated manner and approach problems from different perspectives.
  26. Understand the language and proposals of other specialists.
  27. Use ICT for communication, information searching, data processing and calculations.
  28. Use specialist bibliography in biology.

Content

 

The program to be followed will be as follows, unless the requirements enforced  by the health authorities denand a prioritization or reduction of these contents.


PROGRAM THEORY
1-Introduction to Animal Physiology:
- Brief history of animal physiology.
- Basic principles of physiology. Internal environment and homeostasis. Feedback mechanisms (feedback).
Compartments liquid composition. Transport through the membrane. Communication intercellular.
 
2. Excitability and excitable cells:
- Concept and excitability excitable cells.
- The nervous system: neurons and glia
- Electrical activity in neurons: ion channels. Ionic basis of resting membrane potential and action potentials. Nerve conduction.
- Synapse. Basics of Neurochemistry. Neurotransmission.
- Synaptic integration.
 
3. Nervous System
- Anatomical organization of the nervous system. Development of the nervous system
- Protective Structures of the nervous system: bone structure. Meninges. Cerebrospinal fluid.
BHE.
- Structural central nervous system: cerebral hemispheres: histological structure of the cerebral cortex.
Functional organization of the cortex. Basal ganglia. Hippocampus. Amygdala. 
- Functional organization of structures diencephalic, mesencephalic and brainstem.
- Spinal cord
 
4. Sensory Physiology:
- Sensory receptors. Concept. Type. Transduction mechanisms.
- Somatosensory receptors. Touch and pressure. Thermoreceptors. Nociception. Pathways processing somatosensory information.
- Special Senses. Chemoreception: smell and taste.
- Photoreception: the human eye
- Hearing and equilibrium: human ear.
 
5. The autonomic nervous system
- Sympathetic and parasympathetic
 
6. Somatic motor system
- Organization cord. Muscle organs and spinal reflexes.
- Organization supramedular. The role of the cerebral cortex, cerebellum and basal ganglia
 
7. Activation SNC:
- Reticular system. Wakefulness and sleep. Electroencephalogram.
 
8. Endocrine system
- Hormones. Mechanisms of action. Regulatory systems.
- The pituitary: Neurohypophysis. Neurohypophysis hormones. Adenohypophysis. Adenohypophysis hormones. Control hypothalamic pituitary function
- Adrenal Glands: adrenocortical tissue: Glucocorticoids. Mineralocorticoid. Chromaffin tissue: Catecholamines
- The thyroid gland. Synthesis and function of thyroid hormones.
- Pancreatic hormones. Insulin and glucagon.
- The metabolism of calcium and phosphorus. Parathyroid hormone, vitamin D and calcitonin
 
9. Muscle Physiology
-Type of muscle tissues: anatomical and functional characteristics.
- Striated skeletal muscle
- Cardiac muscle
- Visceral smooth muscle
 
10. Circulatory System:
- Elements of blood forms. Hemostasis.
- Concepts of hemodynamics. Functional organization of the circulatory system.
- Functional structure of the heart, electrical and mechanical events during the cardiac cycle. Electrocardiogram.
- Arterial, venous. Blood pressure. Capillary exchange.
- Control of the cardiovascular system.
- Lymphatic System
 
11. Respiratory Physiology:
- Functional anatomy of the respiratory system. The lungs of mammals. Functional structure. Exchange
gases.
- Regulation of respiration in mammals.
 
12. Renal Physiology:
- The mammalian kidney. Functional anatomy. Processes involved in the formation of urine. Formation of urine concentrated and diluted. Regulation of renal function.
 
13. Digestive:
- Anatomy and function of the digestive system in mammals. Gastrointestinal regulatory systems: enteric nervous system.
- Mouth and esophagus: saliva and swallowing
- Stomach
- Small intestine: Pancreatic Secretion. Bile secretion. Chemical digestion. Absorption. Entero-hepatic circulation
- Large intestine: digestion mechanical and chemical. Absorption. Formation of feces. Defecation
 
14. Control of body temperature
 
15. Reproduction: 
- Testicular function. Control of male reproductive functions
- The ovarian function. The endometrial and ovarian cycle. Player control in the female.

Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Theoretical lectures 39 1.56 1, 24, 27, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 8, 26, 11, 10, 20, 14, 15, 13, 12, 16, 18, 17, 22, 25, 21, 4, 19, 23, 2, 28
seminars and problems 9 0.36 1, 24, 27, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 8, 26, 11, 10, 20, 14, 15, 13, 12, 16, 18, 17, 22, 25, 21, 4, 19, 23, 2, 28
Type: Supervised      
problems resolution 2 0.08 3, 23, 28
seminars preparation 6 0.24 1, 24, 27, 3, 26, 20, 22, 25, 4, 19, 23, 2
Type: Autonomous      
problem resolution 10 0.4 21, 4, 28
study 60 2.4 5, 6, 7, 9, 8, 11, 10, 14, 15, 13, 12, 16, 18, 17, 22, 21, 4, 28
work preparation 10 0.4 1, 24, 27, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 8, 26, 11, 10, 20, 14, 15, 13, 12, 16, 18, 17, 22, 25, 21, 4, 19, 23, 2, 28

Methodology

Theoretical lectures:

Traditional lectures on the contents of the theoretical program imparted by the professor with the support of images obtained mainly from the bibliography that is recommended to the student.

Seminars:

The student works in small groups.

1.-SEMINARS OF CASES AND PROBLEMS (3 hours): discussion and resolution of practical cases and problems

2.-SEMINARS OF THEMES (3 + 3 hours): Students prepare a topic chosen by them, from the list of topics proposed by the teacher.  The students will present a written summary (maximum 2 sheets) and at the end, an oral presentation (maximum 15 minutes).

All the students of the group must participate in the written and oral presentation.

 

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Cases, problems and work: written / oral 25% 6 0.24 1, 24, 27, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 8, 26, 11, 10, 20, 14, 15, 13, 12, 16, 18, 17, 22, 25, 21, 4, 19, 23, 2, 28
Written exam of theoretical knowledge 75% 8 0.32 1, 24, 27, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 8, 26, 11, 10, 20, 14, 15, 13, 12, 16, 18, 17, 22, 25, 21, 4, 19, 23, 2, 28

Evaluation

According to current regulations, the continuous evaluation process must include a minimum of three evaluation activities, of two different types, distributed throughout the course, none of which can represent more than 50% of the final grade.

In this subject, the assessment includes 5 assessment activities: three theoretical and two seminars and 3 typologies: written tests, work assignments and oral defense of the work. Below we will detail this evaluation process.

 

1.- Evaluation of the theory: 75% of the final grade

The theoretical knowledge will be evaluated by means of three partial exams. The value of each partial will be proportional to the amount of matter evaluated.

1.1.- Theoretical exams: partial: Will be multiple-choice examination, of 4 possible answers, a single correct answer.

To pass by partial the minimum mark of each partial will have to be ≥ of 4.3 and the final grade of theory after making the half between the three partials (proportional according to the subject) will have to be ≥ 5. Otherwise, there will be to go to recovery of the suspended partials. If  partials exceed 4.3 but do not reach 5 score, the student can choose the/those  partial  to recover.

1.2.- Theoretical test: Recovery: To participate in the recovery, the students must have been previously evaluated in a set of activities whose weight equals to a minimum of two thirds of the total qualification of the student. Therefore, students will obtain the "Non-gravable" qualification when the assessment activities carried out have a weighting of less than 67% in the final grade.

 

There is a recovery test for each partial suspended. The recovery exam, consists of 2-4 short questions to be developed and 10-14 true or false and reason the answer.

 1.3.- Theoretical test: To improve the final grade: There is the possibility of a special exam to improve the final grade. The exam is of all theoretical course (you cannot exam of only one of the two partial) the same day of the recovery.

 

2.- Evaluation of the seminars: 25% of the final grade (problems 10% - subjects 15%)

In the seminars students work in groups (4-5) that are organized at the beginning of the course.

2.1.-Case and problem seminars. They will be two: one half-semester and the other at the end. Written tests

2.2.- Seminars of subjects: (3 + 3)

A: delivery of written report: summary of a chosen subject (5%)

B: Oral defense of the work (5%)

C: Written exam on all seminars presented in the current course (5%) with multiple-choice examination (one question per seminar)

The seminars will not be recoverable

 

3. Single evaluation: consists of a THEORY   Exam. Seminars are valued in the same way as continuous evaluation.

 

Evaluation of the theory: a single test in which the contents of the entire theory program of the subject will be evaluated. The test will consist of multiple-choice questions (80%), and a topic question to be developed (20%). The grade obtained in this synthesis test will represent 75% of the final grade of the subject.

 

 


Bibliography

Bibliografia de Fisiologia

 .- Guyton y Hall. Repaso de fisiología médica; 2021             

.- Koeppen Bruce M. Berne y Levy. Fisiologia; 2018

.- Hall, John. Guyton & Hall, Tratado de Fisiologia médica; 2021

.- Tortora, G.J. Principios de anatomia y fisiologia; 2018

-  FOX, S.I.  Fisiología Humana. McGraw-Hill Interamericana 2021

-  GANONG, W.F. Fisiología médica. 22a ed.  El Manual Moderno.. 2006

- MARTIN CUENCA E, Fundamentos de Fisiologia  Thomson 2006

- MOYES, C.D SCHULTE, P.M. Principios de Fisiología Animal. Pearson 2007

- POCOCK,G.; RICHARDS C.D. Fisiología humana. Masson 2001.

- VANDER, SHERMAN, LUCIANO. Fisiología Humana. McGraw-Hill 1999

 

Fisiologia Animal i comparada

- HILL, R.W., CAVANAUGH D.J., ANDERSON M. Animal Physiology.  NY:OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS. 2022

 

 Versions electròniques de llibres de Fisiologia:

Autor  Jesús A. Fernández-Tresguerres ... [et al.]

Títol -    Fisiología humana [Recurs electrònic]

Edició 4a ed

Publicació -    México, [etc.] : McGraw-Hill Interamericana, cop. 2014

https://bibcercador.uab.cat/permalink/34CSUC_UAB/cugbhl/alma991010526756806709

 

 Autor    Silverthorn, Dee Unglaub, 1948-

Títol    Fisiología humana [Recurs electrònic] : un enfoque integrado / Dee Unglaub Silverthorn, con colaboración de Bruce R. Johnson y William C. Ober

Edició    6a ed.

Publicació/producció    Buenos Aires [etc.] : Médica Panamericana, cop. 2014

https://bibcercador.uab.cat/permalink/34CSUC_UAB/cugbhl/alma991005455529706709


Software

No software is used 


Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 321 Catalan second semester afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 321 Catalan second semester afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 322 Catalan second semester afternoon
(TE) Theory 32 Catalan second semester afternoon