Physiology Course

Lesson 1 • Cell Structure and Function

Reviews organelle roles and membrane dynamics essential for understanding tissue physiology. Links subcellular structures to macroscopic organ functions.

Lesson 2 • Levels of Biological Organisation

Maps the hierarchy from atoms to organ systems, grounding all subsequent study. Connects structural complexity to functional specialisation across body systems.

Lesson 3 • Homeostasis and Feedback Control

Defines homeostasis and explains negative and positive feedback loops. Provides the regulatory framework used throughout every subsequent chapter.

Lesson 4 • Membrane Transport Mechanisms

Distinguishes passive, facilitated, and active transport across biological membranes. Establishes ion and solute movement principles critical for nerve and muscle chapters.

Lesson 1 • Synaptic Transmission

Covers neurotransmitter release, receptor binding, and postsynaptic potentials. Connects chemical signalling to integration of excitatory and inhibitory inputs.

Lesson 2 • Sensory Receptor Physiology

Describes transduction of stimuli into receptor potentials and sensory coding principles. Links peripheral receptor types to central processing pathways.

Lesson 3 • Autonomic Nervous System Function

Contrasts sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions in regulating visceral organs. Provides the neural control framework for cardiovascular and digestive chapters.

Lesson 4 • Resting Membrane Potential

Explains ion distribution and electrochemical gradients that establish the resting potential. Builds directly on membrane transport concepts from Chapter 1.

Lesson 1 • Skeletal Muscle Microstructure

Identifies sarcomere components and the sliding filament arrangement underlying contraction. Connects ultrastructure to mechanical output discussed in later sections.

Lesson 2 • Cross-Bridge Cycle and Force Production

Details ATP-dependent cross-bridge steps and the length-tension relationship. Explains how sarcomere length optimises force generation.

Lesson 3 • Muscle Fatigue and Metabolism

Analyses ATP sources and metabolic pathways sustaining contraction at varying intensities. Identifies cellular mechanisms of fatigue relevant to exercise physiology.

Lesson 4 • Motor Units and Recruitment

Defines motor units and explains size-principle recruitment for graded force control. Links motor neuron properties to muscle fibre type characteristics.

Lesson 1 • Cardiac Electrical Activity

Describes pacemaker potentials, conduction pathways, and ECG waveform origins. Builds on action potential concepts from Chapter 2 applied to cardiac muscle.

Lesson 2 • Cardiac Cycle and Pump Mechanics

Traces pressure-volume events through systole and diastole using Wiggers diagrams. Quantifies stroke volume, cardiac output, and ejection fraction.

Lesson 3 • Regulation of Cardiac Output

Applies Frank-Starling law and autonomic modulation to explain output adjustments. Connects neural and hormonal controls to cardiac performance.

Lesson 4 • Vascular Physiology and Haemodynamics

Applies Poiseuille's law and Laplace's law to blood flow and vessel wall tension. Explains arterial compliance, venous capacitance, and capillary exchange.

Lesson 1 • Control of Ventilation

Identifies brainstem respiratory centres and chemoreceptor inputs regulating breathing rate and depth. Links ventilatory control to acid-base balance covered in Chapter 7.

Lesson 2 • Lung Volumes and Ventilation

Defines static lung volumes and calculates alveolar ventilation corrected for dead space. Provides measurement tools used in clinical respiratory assessment.

Lesson 3 • Pulmonary Gas Exchange

Applies Fick's law to O2 and CO2 diffusion across the alveolar-capillary membrane. Analyses ventilation-perfusion matching and its effect on arterial gas tensions.

Lesson 4 • Mechanics of Breathing

Explains pressure gradients, lung compliance, and airway resistance governing airflow. Connects chest wall and diaphragm mechanics to tidal volume generation.

Lesson 1 • Hormonal Control of Volume and Osmolarity

Integrates renin-angiotensin-aldosterone, ADH, and natriuretic peptides in volume regulation. Connects renal hormonal responses to cardiovascular reflex control from Chapter 4.

Lesson 2 • Glomerular Filtration

Quantifies GFR using Starling forces across the glomerular capillary and Bowman's capsule. Introduces filtration fraction and autoregulation of renal blood flow.

Lesson 3 • Urine Concentration and Dilution

Explains the medullary osmotic gradient and ADH-regulated water permeability in the collecting duct. Predicts urine osmolarity under hydration and dehydration states.

Lesson 4 • Tubular Reabsorption Mechanisms

Details sodium-coupled and independent reabsorption along proximal tubule, loop, and distal segments. Connects transport maximum concepts to glucosuria and other threshold phenomena.

Lesson 1 • Respiratory Regulation of pH

Explains how changes in alveolar ventilation alter PaCO2 and blood pH within minutes. Connects ventilatory control from Chapter 5 to acid-base compensation.

Lesson 2 • Classifying Acid-Base Disorders

Provides a systematic approach to identifying primary disorders and expected compensations from blood gas data. Distinguishes metabolic from respiratory origins using pH, PaCO2, and HCO3.

Lesson 3 • Clinical Acid-Base Case Analysis

Applies the classification framework to interpret complex clinical scenarios with multiple disturbances. Reinforces integration of renal and respiratory physiology in real-world contexts.

Lesson 4 • Renal Regulation of pH

Details bicarbonate reabsorption, titratable acid excretion, and ammonium production by the kidney. Integrates tubular secretion mechanisms from Chapter 6.

Lesson 1 • Principles of Endocrine Signalling

Classifies hormones by chemical nature and receptor location, linking structure to mechanism of action. Establishes feedback loop analysis applied to all subsequent endocrine axes.

Lesson 2 • Thyroid and Adrenal Physiology

Details synthesis, secretion, and metabolic effects of thyroid hormones and adrenal cortex steroids. Analyses HPA axis activation during stress and its systemic consequences.

Lesson 3 • Glucose Homeostasis and Pancreatic Hormones

Explains insulin and glucagon secretion, target-tissue actions, and counter-regulatory responses. Connects glucose regulation to metabolic physiology and energy balance.

Lesson 4 • Integrated Stress and Exercise Responses

Synthesises cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and endocrine adaptations during exercise and acute stress. Demonstrates multi-system integration as the capstone of the core curriculum.