General Physiology

As in the other two parts of Physiology (Medical physiology and Integrated physiology, to be held in the first and the second semesters of the second year), the student will learn the scientific bases of pathophysiology and pharmacology. To achieve this purpose, an understanding about homeostatic mechanisms of the human body must be acquired.

Block I
- Body compartments and transport.
- Capillary exchange of substances.
Block II
-Principles of communication and cell signaling.
Block III
- general physiology of excitable cells.
- Action Potential on nerve
- Ion channels.
- The neuron: chemical and electrical synapses
- Sensory Receptors (sensitive).
- Muscle proprioceptors.
- Autonomic nervous system.
- CSF, BBB, Glia.
Block IV
- Physiology of the blood.
- Rheology and hemodynamics.
Block V
- Skeletal muscle.
- Smooth Muscle.
- Heart muscle.

Basic bibliography:
Fisiología Médica 3ª Ed. Walter F. Boron, Emile L. Boulpaep. Elsevier, 2017.
Fisiología. Berne y Levy. Sexta edición. Elsevier-Mosby. 2009.
Complementary bibliography:
Fisiología Humana. Stuart Ira Fox, McGraw Hill-Interamericana, 2008.
Tratado de Fisiología Médica. Arthur C. Guyton, John E. Hall. Elsevier-Saunder, 2011.
Principles of Neuroscience, 5th Edition. (eds. E.R.Kandel, J.H.Schwartz, T.M. Jessell). McGraw-Hill. 2012.
For all books in Spanish, the use of the original English versions is welcome.

At the end of the course, the students will:
• Understand and recognize the normal structure and function of the human body, at molecular, cellular, tissue, organ and system levels, in the various stages of life, and for both sexes.
• Have acquired the basic formation skills for biomedical research.

Specifically, the students will:
• Understand the concept of homeostasis.
• Describe the laws that rule the transfer of matter between body compartments.
• Describe the basic principles of cell communication.
• Understand the physical and biological bases of the functon of the nervous system.
• Know blood physiology and the principles that rule its flow in blood vessels.

- Teaching lectures: 44 hours.
- Interactive Teaching.
o Seminars: 8 hours.
o Practical sessions: 6 hours.
- Office hours: 3 hours
English can be used for some contents.
For practical lessons, Physiology lab simulations can be used. Students will have all the material needed for them in campus virtual platform.
Assignment to a different group of practical lessons can be modified for any given student if there is an interchange with another student. This has to be notified to the subject coordinator before the session.

Final grade will depend on continuous assessment (20%), and a final test (80%) .
- For continuous assessment, active participation in seminars, works made in class or autonomously, or exams, both on-site or online, can be considered. Mere presence in classes will not suffice.
- Final exam will be made on premises. Practical questions will only be valid in the practical session has been done.

In cases of fraudulent performance of exercises or tests, the provisions of the “Normativa de avaliación do rendemento académico dos estudantes e de revisión de cualificacións” will apply.

Lectures: 44 hours.
Seminars: 8 hours.
Laboratory: 6 hours.
Tutorships: 3 hours.
Final Test: 1 hour.
Individual work: 92 hours.

Students should work on textbooks (at least those listed above) and actively participate in both the lectures and the interactive, so as to understand any text of physiology. They will also prepare lectures using the resources available in the online applications.

Prof. Juan Bautista Zalvide Torrente will act as coordinator during the 2023-2024 academic year. To contact him for any incident, the email (juan.zalvide@usc.es) will preferably be used. Correspondence between students and teachers will be through the email addresses provided by the USC server for teachers and students (@usc or @rai.usc)
A virtual classroom will be opened as a means of communication between teachers and students throughout the course.