This chapter provides a basic understanding
of themes in endocrine physiology.
Through this chapter you should develop a global overview of
endocrinology. The themes presented in this chapter are:
> What is a hormone?
What distinguishes a hormone from another chemical?
> What
are the three categories of hormones (peptide, steroid, amine) and how do they
compare with regard to: synthesis,
storage/release, transport in blood, location of receptors, mechanism of
cellular response?
> Control of hormone release, control pathways, endocrine and
neuroendocrine reflexes
> Compare the anterior and posterior pituitary.
> How do hormones interact with each other?
> Classification of endocrine pathologies according to level
of hormone secretion and the origin of the pathology.
> How can the principle of negative feedback be applied to
diagnosing endocrine pathologies? Remember the Case History.
This is yet another chapter detailing a division of
the nervous system. Here are some areas that are important to know:
> Compare sympathetic and parasympathetic neurons:
Pre-ganglionic versus
post-ganglionic neurons
Neurotransmitters secreted and
receptor types
> Compare neurotransmitter release in autonomic neurons vs.
somatic motor neurons
> Review agonists and antagonists
> Highlight how the autonomic nervous system controls
homeostasis
> Know the basics about somatic motor neurons, especially how
they compare to the autonomic neurons
This chapter focuses mainly on the
physiology of skeletal and smooth muscles, but also introduces cardiac muscle
(discussed further in Chapter 14). After this chapter, you should be familiar
with:
> The general structure of skeletal, smooth, and cardiac
muscles
> The organization of a skeletal muscle fiber and sarcomere
> The proteins involved with contraction and the molecular
events of a muscle contraction
> Excitation-contraction coupling
> Classification of muscle fibers
> How tension is developed and the factors that influence
tension
> The basics of body mechanics
> How the organization of smooth muscle is different from that
of skeletal muscle
> The
molecular events of a smooth muscle contraction and the factors that can affect
smooth muscle contraction
This chapter provides perfect
opportunity to review the material presented in the previous chapters and
approach body movement in an integrated fashion, you should understand:
> Nervous and autonomic reflexes
> Skeletal muscle contraction
> Factors affecting action potential conduction
> Chemical and electrical signaling
> Divisions of the nervous system
> Skeletal muscle reflexes
> Differences in muscle fiber types and motor neuron types
> Receptors that sense changes in muscle length and muscle
stretch
> Myotatic units
> Flexion and crossed extensor reflexes
> Differences between the three types of movement (reflex,
voluntary, rhythmic)
> The control of visceral muscle movement compared with that
of skeletal muscle
This is essentially a concepts
chapter. Here are some key themes:
> How do pressure, volume, resistance, vessel length, and
fluid viscosity relate to fluid flow?
> How are APs generated in cardiac contractile and
autorhythmic cells?
> How does cardiac AP generation differ from AP generation in
other excitable tissues?
> What are the electrical events of the cardiac cycle?
> What are the mechanical events of the cardiac cycle?
> How do pressure and volume change during a cardiac cycle?
> How is heart rate generated? regulated?
> What factors affect stroke volume? cardiac output (CO)?
Here are some of the important ideas
presented in this chapter:
> What are the differences between the different blood
vessels?
> What factors determine blood pressure?
> Where is the primary site of variable resistance in the systemic
circulation?
> What factors affect resistance?
> How is exchange at the capillaries accomplished?
> What are the functions of the lymphatic system?
> What are the components of the baroreceptor reflex?
> What are the risk factors for developing cardiovascular
disease?