Physiology is a basic subject in all health related degrees according to Royal Decree 1393/2007 of October 29 on the management of Official University Studies. In the formation of graduates in Nutrition it is a fundamental matter due to the implication of physiological knowledge in compressing the functioning of the human body and the bases of the disease.

Physiology defines the characteristics of human beings in health and provides a basis for studying the deviations from this towards the disease. In this context, the teaching of Physiology has a general objective to provide the knowledge of body functions and the acquisition of the methodology for the study and development of attitudes toward health maintenance and treatment of the disease.

The contributions of the Physiology course to the acquirement of skills are: 1 / to provide sufficient knowledge to understand and describe the functions of systems of the healthy organism at different levels of organization and integration processes leading to homeostasis. All as a basis for further understanding the pathophysiology and etiology of disease’s mechanisms, therapeutic bases for maintaining a good health status and the prevention of diseases; 2 / to provide appropriate mechanisms to understand and describe the basic methods of functional exploration of the different systems and organs 3 / to facilitate the acquisition of skills needed to perform certain functional explorations and laboratory techniques.

Its main objective is that the students could recognize and know how the structure (histology and anatomy) and function (physiology) of the human body works. This knowledge will enable them to understand and interpret the most advanced physiology and the basis of human pathology. In addition the student will also acquire skills that are fundamental terminology to understand cellular pathology and pathology aspects in other courses.

At the instrumental level, students will become familiar with the techniques and equipment used to study the function of the organs and systems of the human body. In addition, to facilitate the achievement of the theoretical and practical objectives, this course will be used as educational resources seminars and physiology laboratory practices.

Key skills to contributing

The physiology will encourage and promote the acquisition of the following skills

• Learn how scientific knowledge is generated
• Learn and use the scientific method
• Develop a capacity for critical reasoning
• Develop the ability to interpret the results in simple experimental designs.
• Use the information to rationally solve problems at any time.
• Acquire skills for bibliographic reference
• Acquire the capacity for synthesis to give clear and concise information obtained about a topic.
• Being able to develop teamwork.
• Acquire skills to learn independently and continuously.
• Learn the basics of the disease and more prevalent human diseases.
• Acquire knowledge of animal biology needed to perform experiments on animals.

Learning objectives

At a knowledge level

• Understand and use physiological terminology
• Demonstrate an understanding of the specific components of the human body at a functional level.
• Understand the physiological knowledge of the different structures of the human body.
• Assimilate the concept of functional unit of the human body and the nature and mechanisms of control and integration systems that make it possible.
• Understanding the different physiological mechanisms that contribute to maintaining the homeostasis of the human body
• Analyze the functioning of the different organs and systems and control mechanisms.
• Integrate the functioning of the body and relate the activity of the different organs and systems.
• Recognize the normal physiological as a starting point for assessing the needs of the human body and the relation of this normality with the disease.
• Know the terminology and basic scientific language related to physiology.

In terms of capabilities and applications

• Understand the basic physiology of the body and know how to integrate this knowledge with morphological knowledge.
• Integrate and apply the concepts learned about the normal structure and physiology of the body to understand and interpret the most advanced human physiology and pathology.

In terms of values ​​and attitudes

• Understanding the need of a basic physiological knowledge for the professional development in the future in the field of health sciences.
• Understand how scientific knowledge is generated, and the use the scientific method.

Competencies segons el Pla de Estudis del Grau de Nutrició Humana i Dietètica.

1 Conèixer l’estructura i funció dels cos humà, des del nivell molecular a l’organisme complet, en les diferents etapes de la vida.

7. Conèixer les bases i fonaments de l’alimentació i la nutrició humana

 

Topic 1. Cellular Physiology

• Principles of cell function
• Homeostasis of body fluids,
• Signal transduction, membrane receptors, second messengers and regulation of gene expression.

Topic 2. Nervous System

• Generation and conduction of action potentials
• Synaptic transmission
• The somatosensory system
• Special senses
• Organization of motor function
• Higher functions of the nervous system
• The autonomic nervous system and central control

Topic 3. Skeletic-Muscular system

• Skeletal muscle physiology
• Smooth muscle
• Bone physiology

Topic 4. Cardiovascular System

• Introduction to circulation
• Elements of cardiac function
• Properties of blood vessels
• Regulation of the heart and vessels
• Integrated control of the cardiovascular system

Topic 5. Respiratory System

• Structure and function of the respiratory system
• Mechanical properties of the lung and torax: static and dynamic
• Ventilation and perfusion ratio ventilation/perfusion
• Transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide
• Breath control
• No respiratory lung functions

Topic 6. Renal System

• Renal function elements
• Water and solute transport along the nephron: tubular function
• Control of osmolarity and volume of body fluid
• Potassium homeostasis, calcium and phosphorus

Topic 7. Body fluids and blood

• Body fluids and plasma
• Erythrocytes and blood groups
• Leukocytes and immunity
• Hemostasis

Topic 8. Digestive System

• Functional anatomy and general principles of regulation in the gastrointestinal tract
• Cephalic, oral and esophageal phase and integrated response to food
• Small intestine phase and the integrated response to food
• Colonic phase and integrated response to food
• Metabolic liver functions.
• Basic principles of nutrition and metabolism
• Satiety peptides

Topic 9. Endocrine System

• Introduction to endocrine system
• Hormonal regulation of energy metabolism
• Hormonal regulation of calcium and phosphorus metabolism
• The hypothalamus and pituitary gland
• The thyroid gland
• The adrenal gland
• Adipose tissue as an endocrine system
• Chronobiology

 

 

Tasks to be undertaken during learning

To achieve the objectives and to help the acquirement of the described skills the following activities are scheduled:

Lectures (CM): these will be conducted with all students. They are intended to give an overview of the thematic content highlighting those aspects that will be useful in their training.

Seminars (Sem): to be made with 1/2 of the students, the assistance is obligatory. The seminars aim students to apply theoretical concepts and to deepen the most important and most complex aspects of the issues.

Laboratory practice (PL) these will be made with 1/2 of students, the assistance is obligatory. They aim to expand students' knowledge acquired in class physiology and the introduction of new topics in physiology that are not given in lecture activities.

 

Fecha	Horas	Tipo	Tema	Profesor
5 febrero	2	Teoría	Homeostasis y comunicación	José Serrano
7 febrero	2	Teoría	Comunicación	José Serrano
12 febrero	2	Teoría	Comunicación / Sistema Nervioso	José Serrano
12-13 febrero	2	Seminario	Mecanismos de transporte y señalización celular	José Serrano
14 febrero	1	Teoría	Sistema Nervioso	José Serrano
19 febrero	2	Teoría	Sistema Nervioso	José Serrano
19-20 Febrero	2	Seminario	Neurofisiología del impulso nervioso	José Serrano
21 febrero	1	Teoría	Sistema Nervioso	José Serrano
24-25 febrero	2	Práctica	Sensibilidad somática	José Serrano
26 febrero	2	Teoría	Sistema Nervioso	José Serrano
26-27 febrero	2	Seminario	Sensibilidad y umbral sentido del gusto	José Serrano
28 febrero	1	Teoría	Fisiología muscular	José Serrano
2-3 marzo	2	Práctica	Equilibrio y control motor	José Serrano
4 marzo	2	Teoría	Fisiología muscular	José Serrano
4-5 marzo	2	Seminario	Fisiología músculo esquelético	José Serrano
6 marzo	1	Teoría	Fisiología muscular	José Serrano
12 marzo	Examen Parcial 1
18 marzo	2	Teoría	Fisiología ósea	José Serrano
18-19 marzo	2	Seminario	Acondicionamiento muscular	José Serrano
20 marzo	1	Teoría	Fisiología cardiovascular	Joan Prat
25 marzo	2	Teoría	Fisiología cardiovascular	Joan Prat
25-26 marzo	2	Seminario	Electrocardiograma y estimación vector principal	Joan Prat
27 marzo	1	Teoría	Fisiología cardiovascular	Joan Prat
30-31 marzo	2	Práctica	Presión arterial	Joan Prat
1 abril	2	Teoría	Fisiología pulmonar	Joan Prat
1-2 abril	2	Seminario	Ventilación pulmonar	Joan Prat
3 abril	1	Teoría	Fisiología pulmonar	Joan Prat
15 abril	2	Teoría	Fisiología renal	Joan Prat
15-16 abril	2	Seminario	Equilibrio ácido-base	Joan Prat
17 abril	1	Teoría	Fisiología renal	Joan Prat
22 abril	2	Teoría	Células sanguíneas e inmunidad	José Serrano
22-23 abril	2	Práctica	Diuresis acuosa y osmótica	José Serrano
24 abril	Examen Parcial 2
6 mayo	2	Teoría	Células sanguíneas e inmunidad	José Serrano
11-12 mayo	2	Seminario	Bioquímica sanguínea	José Serrano
13 mayo	2	Teoría	Células sanguíneas e inmunidad	José Serrano
13-14 mayo	2	Práctica	Grupos sanguíneos	José Serrano
15 mayo	2	Teoría	Fisiología gastrointestinal	José Serrano
20 mayo	2	Teoría	Fisiología gastrointestinal	José Serrano
20-21 mayo	2	Seminario	Fisiología gastrointestinal	José Serrano
22 mayo	1	Teoría	Fisiología gastrointestinal	José Serrano
25-26 mayo	2	Práctica	Digestión enzimática	José Serrano
27 mayo	2	Teoría	Tejido adiposo	José Serrano
27-28 mayo	2	Seminario	Determinación porcentaje de grasa corporal	José Serrano
29 mayo	1	Teoría	Endocrinología	José Serrano
1 junio	2	Seminario	Apetito y saciedad	José Serrano
1-2 junio	2	Práctica	Cronobiología	José Serrano
3 junio	2	Teoría	Endocrinología	José Serrano
3-4 junio	2	Seminario	Estimación metabolismo basal	José Serrano
5 junio	1	Teoría	Endocrinología	José Serrano
15 junio	Examen Parcial 3

⋅

Evaluation
		Type of evaluation
Theory	70%	3 written evalutions.
Laboratory practices	10%	Questionnaires and laboratory reports
Seminars	10%	Literature review, discussion, etc.
Short-test	10%	On-line short test at each topic

On-line resources from the Library of the University of Lleida

http://biblioguies.udl.cat/c.php?g=381764&p=2586597

Other recommended books

• Costanzo LS. Fisiologia. 4ta. Ed. Editorial Elsevier.Barcelona, ??Espanya. 2011.

• Córdova A. Fisiologia Dinàmica. Editorial Masson. Barcelona, ??Espanya. 2003.

• Guyton AC, Hall JE. Tractat de fisiologia mèdica. 12ª. Ed. Editorial Elsevier, Barcelona, ??Espanya 2011.

• Pocock G, Richards CD. Fisiologia Humana. La Base de la Medicina. Editorial Masson, Barcelona, ??Espanya. 2002

• Tortora GJ, Derrickson B. Introducció al cos humà. Fonaments d'Anatomia i Fisiologia. Editorial Mèdica Panamericana, Madrid, Espanya. 2008.

Links of interest

www.freemedicaljournals.com

www.scopus.com

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

www.nutricion.org

www.seennutricion.org

www.nal.usda.gov/fnic

Revistes

Journal of Nutrition

European Journal of Nutrition

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Obesity

Molecular Nutrition and Food Research

Endocrinologia i Nutrició

Food Science and Nutrition

International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition

Journal of Food Science

Journal of Food Protection

Nutrition Reviews