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Physiology is the science of life. It is the branch of biology that aims to understand the mechanisms of living things, from the basis of cell function at the ionic and molecular level to the integrated behaviour of the whole body and the influence of the external environment.
- Women in Physiology
The very first volume of The Journal of Physiology (1878/9)...
- Foundation of The Society
On Friday 31st March, 19 men met at the house of John Burdon...
- Women in Physiology
Dec 7, 2023 · Physiology is the study of how the human body works. It describes the chemistry and physics behind basic body functions, from how molecules behave in cells to how systems of organs...
- Overview
- What is physiology?
- History
- Biological systems
- Branches
- Physiology or anatomy?
Physiology is the study of normal function within living creatures. It is a sub-section of biology, covering a range of topics that include organs, anatomy, and biological compounds, among others.
From ancient theories to molecular laboratory techniques, physiological research has shaped our understanding of the components of our body, how they communicate, and how they keep us alive.
Merrian-Webster defines physiology as:
“[A] branch of biology that deals with the functions and activities of life or of living matter (such as organs, tissues, or cells) and of the physical and chemical phenomena involved.”
•Physiology can be considered a study of the functions and processes that create life.
•The study of physiology can be traced back to at least 420 BC.
The study of physiology is, in a sense, the study of life. It asks questions about the internal workings of organisms and how they interact with the world around them.
Physiology tests how organs and systems within the body work, how they communicate, and how they combine their efforts to make conditions favorable for survival.
Human physiology, specifically, is often separated into subcategories; these topics cover a vast amount of information.
Researchers in the field can focus on anything from microscopic organelles in cell physiology up to more wide-ranging topics, such as ecophysiology, which looks at whole organisms and how they adapt to environments.
The most relevant arm of physiological research to Medical News Today is applied human physiology; this field investigates biological systems at the level of the cell, organ, system, anatomy, organism, and everywhere in between.
In this article, we will visit some of the subsections of physiology, developing a brief overview of this huge subject. Firstly, we will run through a short history of physiology.
The study of physiology traces its roots back to ancient India and Egypt.
As a medical discipline, it goes back at least as far as the time of Hippocrates, the famous “father of medicine” – around 420 BC.
Hippocrates coined the theory of the four humors, stating that the body contains four distinct bodily fluids: black bile, phlegm, blood, and yellow bile. Any disturbance in their ratios, as the theory goes, causes ill health.
Claudius Galenus (c.130-200 AD), also known as Galen, modified Hippocrates’ theory and was the first to use experimentation to derive information about the systems of the body. He is widely referred to as the founder of experimental physiology.
It was Jean Fernel (1497-1558), a French physician, who first introduced the term “physiology,” from Ancient Greek, meaning “study of nature, origins.”
Fernel was also the first to describe the spinal canal (the space in the spine where the spinal cord passes through). He has a crater on the moon named after him for his efforts – it is called Fernelius.
The major systems covered in the study of human physiology are as follows:
•Circulatory system – including the heart, the blood vessels, properties of the blood, and how circulation works in sickness and health.
•Digestive/excretory system – charting the movement of solids from the mouth to the anus; this includes study of the spleen, liver, and pancreas, the conversion of food into fuel and its final exit from the body.
•Endocrine system – the study of endocrine hormones that carry signals throughout the organism, helping it to respond in concert. The principal endocrine glands – the pituitary, thyroid, adrenals, pancreas, parathyroids, and gonads – are a major focus, but nearly all organs release endocrine hormones.
•Immune system – the body’s natural defense system is comprised of white blood cells, the thymus, and lymph systems. A complex array of receptors and molecules combine to protect the host from attacks by pathogens. Molecules such as antibodies and cytokines feature heavily.
•Integumentary system – the skin, hair, nails, sweat glands, and sebaceous glands (secreting an oily or waxy substance).
There are a great number of disciplines that use the word physiology in their title. Below are some examples:
•Cell physiology – studying the way cells work and interact; cell physiology mostly concentrates on membrane transport and neuron transmission.
•Systems physiology – this focuses on the computational and mathematical modeling of complex biological systems. It tries to describe the way individual cells or components of a system converge to respond as a whole. They often investigate metabolic networks and cell signaling.
•Evolutionary physiology – studying the way systems, or parts of systems, have adapted and changed over multiple generations. Research topics cover a lot of ground including the role of behavior in evolution, sexual selection, and physiological changes in relation to geographic variation.
•Defense physiology – changes that occur as a reaction to a potential threat, such as preparation for the fight-or-flight response.
•Exercise physiology – as the name suggests, this is the study of the physiology of physical exercise. This includes research into bioenergetics, biochemistry, cardiopulmonary function, biomechanics, hematology, skeletal muscle physiology, neuroendocrine function, and nervous system function.
Anatomy is closely related to physiology. Anatomy refers to the study of the structure of body parts, but physiology focuses on how these parts work and relate to each other.
6 days ago · physiology, study of the functioning of living organisms, animal or plant, and of the functioning of their constituent tissues or cells. The word physiology was first used by the Greeks around 600 bce to describe a philosophical inquiry into the nature of things.
May 15, 2017 · Physiology is the study of all the physical and chemical processes that take place in organisms in order for them to perform all the functions and activities associated with living.
Physiology is the study of how the human body works both when you’re healthy and when you’re not. When you’re sick or injured, normal physiology is disrupted.
People also ask
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Sep 8, 2016 · Physiological research has led to breakthroughs in our understanding of how we move, reproduce, gain and lose weight, live, thrive, die and much more. Because of this, a strong grasp of physiology is imperative for doctors and other health care providers who see patients and treat disease.
