The general objective of the course is to provide knowledge on the functions of the body systems, their functioning mechanisms, their functional integration for their effective performance and the maintenance of homeostasis in physiological conditions, forming the necessary framework for studying and understanding semeiotics and pathophysiology.
At the end of the course, in accordance with the Dublin Descriptors, in order to pass the exam, the student must demonstrate:
Knowledge and understanding - Knowing and having understood the functioning mechanisms of the organs and the basic physiological processes connected to the state of health, the main processes of dynamic integration and homeostatic control of the body systems in physiological conditions and the possible effects of their alterations.
Applied knowledge and understanding - Knowing how to apply knowledge by describing the multisystem mechanisms of nutrient supply, oxygen supply and transport, carbon dioxide production and elimination, energy production, maintenance of body water homeostasis, electrolytes and acid-base balance.
Making judgments - Having developed the ability to predict the body's responses to possible changes in the functioning of the organs and the functional integration between the different systems in physiological conditions.
Communication skills - Knowing how to correctly and appropriately use the technical-professional language to clearly and unambiguously present the knowledge acquired and the reasoning developed.
Ability to learn - Have been able to integrate the information provided by the teachers by independently drawing on authoritative information sources (e.g. textbooks), as well as being able to self-assess one's level of preparation and one's ability to express a organized thinking before taking the profit exam.

Fundamental notions of physics and biochemistry (in particular: structure of hemoglobin; mechanisms of cellular energy production; buffer systems).
Contents of Anatomy of tissues and organs preliminarily provided

1. Membrane transport
2. Electrical membrane properties and membrane excitability
3. Communications between cells
4. Generality on sensory systems.
5. Muscular system.
6. Respiratory system: ventilation and oxygenation
7. Circulatory system: tissues perfusion.
8. Renal system: nephron functions and urine production.
9. Digestive system: nutrients digestion and absorption.
10. Interactions between systems.

Fisiologia umana. Un approccio integrato, Pearson ed, 2020 (available at Medicine library, also as eBook)

MEMBRANE TRANSPORT
Membrane permeability and passive and active membrane transport mechanisms. Diffusion, mediated transport, pumps, voltage-gated and ligand-gated ion channels.

ELECTRICAL MEMBRANE PROPERTIES AND MEMBRANE EXCITABILITY
Resting membrane potential, equivalent circuit, equilibrium potential, Graded potentials and action potentials.

COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN CELLS.
Chemical and electrical synapses: structure and function. Quantal neurotransmitter release. Ionotropic and metabotropic receptors. Cholinergic, glutamatergic, GABAergic receptors. Generality on adrenergic, dopaminergic, serotonergic synapses. Synaptic plasticity.

GENERALITY ON SENSORY SYSTEMS.
Transduction and elaboration of somatosensory system.

MUSCULAR SYSTEM.
Structure of muscle fiber, contractile proteins. Mechanisms of excitation-contraction coupling. Smooth and striatum muscle. Muscle mechanism.

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM: VENTILATION AND OXYGENATION
Respiratory cycle, lung volumes and capacities, intrapulmonary and intrapleural pressure. Alveolar ventilation and its determinants. Chemical and neurological regulation of breathing: the respiratory drive. Work of breathing. Alveolar-capillary gas exchange and blood arterialization. Ventilation-perfusion-diffusion relationship. Arterial oxygen content. Hemoglobin dissociation curve. Transport and elimination of carbon dioxide.

CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM AND TISSUE PERFUSION.
Cardiac cycle: electrical events (autorhythmicity and impulse propagation), mechanical-hydrodynamic events (systole, diastole and valvular activity) and their regulatory mechanisms; basic principles of electrocardiography. Principles of haemodynamics: cardiac output and its determinants (stroke volume, heart rate, peripheral resistance and effective circulating volume); intrinsic myocardial contractility, preload, afterload, Starling's law. Distribution and flow of circulating volume, stressed and unstressed volume. Determinants and neurohormonal regulation of blood pressure. Blood oxygen transport, capillary exchanges and tissue oxygen supply: impact on cellular oxidative metabolism and energy production).

RENAL SYSTEM.
Glomerular ultrafiltration, mechanisms of reabsorption and tubular secretion of water and salts, urine formation. Urine concentration mechanisms.

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM.
Gastrointestinal motility. Gastrointestinal secretion. Absorption. Digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids. Water absorption. Nervous and hormonal control of gastrointestinal functions.

THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE SYSTEMS.
The concept of “cardio-pulmonary unit”. Role of the pulmonary and renal systems in the control of acid-base balance. The body's water compartments and their regulation: the main determinants of plasma osmolarity, effective circulating volume and fluid balance.

Frontal lectures supported by video and presentations. Training for exam problems, discussion of emblematic situations.

The course will be chronologically scheduled at the end of the Anatomy course. Teaching material will be uploaded to the Moodle platform.

The possibility to carry out the Physiology exam is subject to the preliminary passing of the Human Anatomy exam.
The assessment will take place through an individual written exam aimed at ascertaining the achievement of the expected results, as defined with the Dublin descriptors. The test will include open-ended and multiple choice (MCQ) questions. Each correct answer to the MCQs will result in the awarding of 1 point.
The open-ended questions will be evaluated as follows: 3 points for answers from which emerge in-depth and systematic knowledge of the contents, mastery of the scientific language, reasoning skills and evidence of individual study; 2 points for answers which show overall adequate knowledge of the contents, good reasoning skills and appropriate use of scientific language; 1 point for answers showing partial and/or superficial knowledge of the contents, reduced critical ability and approximate use of scientific language; 0 points for answers not provided or from which substantial gaps emerge in the contents and in the use of scientific language.
The vote will be assigned out of thirty, based on the sum of the points obtained in the open questions and MCQs, with a minimum threshold of 18/30 for passing the test. The attribution of “laude” will be considered in case of achievement of 30 points and evidence of a particular quality in the answers to the open questions.
The test will be administered on the Moodle platform and will therefore take place in one of the University's computer rooms. For this reason, the candidates could be divided into several groups based on their number and the computer workstations available.

The contents explore topics related to the objectives of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.