Human Physiology course | Distance Education

Learn How Body Processes Affect Our Ability to Function

There are a range of basic functions that are common to most cells in the body, along with a range of specialist functions performed by specific cells or cell types. In this course, you'll investigate a range of common processes, looking at how important systems are built, how they work, and how they affect the body as a whole.

You'll also discuss how our bodies maintain internal equilibrium and health while exposed to the most variable range of conditions, such as physical, psychological and environmental factors.

A course designed for health therapists and all those working in health care that want or need to develop a deeper understanding of the human body processes and health maintenance.

It is expected students will have some prior knowledge of human biology.

Lesson Structure

There are 9 lessons in this course:

Cellular Physiology
- Membrane transport
- Simple passive transport
- Facilitated passive transport
- Active transport
- Transcription, translation and post transcriptional modification
- Cellular metabolism
- Cellular energy production
- Homeostasis
- Homeostatic balance
- Feedback system
- Body temperature
- Effect of temperature on enzymes
- Adenosine triphosphate
- Glycolysis
Histophysiology
- Physiology of tissue
- Epithelial tissue
- Connective tissue
- Dense connective tissue
- Cartlidge
- Bone tissue
- Bone physiology
- Compact bone
- Spongy bone
- Muscle tissue
- Muscle fibre: filament types
- Nervous tissue
Systems Physiology
- Central and peripheral nervous systems
- Somatic and autonomic nervous systems
- Sensory, motor and integrated systems
- General senses
- The process of sensation
- Special senses
- Autonomic nervous system
- Autonomic reflexes
- Parasympathetic nervous system
- Sympathetic nervous system
Neurophysiology
- Structure of the nervous system
- Parts of a neuron
- Classification of different neurons
- Neuron function
- Action potentials
- Graded potentials
- Synapses: electrical, chemical
- Neurotransmitters
- Neural circuits
- Different functions of the brain
- Homeostatic reflex arc
- Spinal chord and spinal nerves
Endocrinology
- Functions of endocrine system
- Actions of hormones
- Hormone target cells
- Anterior pituitary gland hormones
- Actions of posterior pituitary
- Actions of adrenal gland: cortex and medulla
- Pancreatic hormones
- Thyroid gland
- Parathyroid
- Adrenal glands
- Pancreas
- Hormone receptors
Cardiovascular Physiology
- Heart function
- Cardiac cycle
- Heart muscle cell contraction
- Blood vessels
- Blood: regulation, erythrocyte physiology, leucocytes
- Hemostasis
- Lymphatic system
- Blood flow
- Gas transport
- Arterial alveolar gradient
- Oxygen transport
- Factors affecting oxygen release by haemoglobin
Immunology
- Immune system structure
- Lymphatic organs and tissues
- Types of resistance
- Non specific cellular and chemical defences: phagocytes, natural killer cells
- The inflammatory response
- Specific defence mechanisms
- Humoral immunity
- Antibodies
- Antigens
Respiratory Physiology
- Respiratory epithelium
- The lungs
- Airway anatomy
- Alveoli
- Nasal and oral cavities
- Larynx, trachea, bronchial tree
- Function of respiratory system
- Pulmonary ventilation
- Lung volumes and capacity
Renal Physiology
- Urinary system
- Blood and nerve supply
- Nephrons
- Kidney functions
- Renal processes
- Glomerular filtration
- Electrolyte and Acid base balance
- Tubular reabsorption
- Tubular secretion
- Ureters
- Urinary bladder
- Urethra
- Micturition process

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

Review basic functions occurring in the cells of the human body
Review basic functioning of the tissues within the body such as bone and muscle.
Describe the significant systems and the functions of those systems of the body.
Describe the functional characteristics of the nerve cells and nervous system.
Describe the functioning of hormones and how they control body functions.
Describe the functioning of the heart, blood, and blood vessels in the cardiovascular system.
Describe the significant functions of the body’s defence system and the cells of the immune system.
Describe the significant functions of the respiratory system and the air passages and lungs.
Describe the function of the kidneys and the renal system in the human body.

What You Will Do

Cell Physiology
- Study of the functions of cells
Chemical reactions
- Homeostasis, feedback systems, homeostatic imbalances
- Cellular Metabolism
- Membrane Transport
- Histophysiology - Study of the functions of tissues
Muscle filaments and fibres
- Bone Ossification and Growth
- Varieties of Dense Connective Tissue
- Functions of Epithilial Tissue
- Systems Physiology - Study of the significant systems and functions of organs
Autonomic Nervous System
- Dual Innervation and neurotransmitters
- Actions of the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous System
- Peripheral Nervous System
- General senses and their integrative function
- Study of the sensory modalities - smell, taste, vision, hearing and equilibrium
- Neurophysiology - Study of the functional characteristics of nerve cells
Structure of the Nervous System
- Myelination
- Resting membrane potentions, ion channels, repolarization
- Classification of different neurons
- Grey/White matter
- Reflexes, relex arcs and homeostasis
- Action potentials and synapses
- Functions of the cerebral cortex
- Endocrinology - Study of hormones and how they control body functions
Principle functions of the endocrine system
- Physiology of hormones
- Actions of the Anterior and Posterior Pituitary Glands
- Hormone receptors
- Mechanisms of homeostatic action
- Cardiovascular Physiology - Study of the heart and blood vessels
The Cardiac Cycle
- Heart-Muscle cell contraction
- Hemodynamics of blood - volume, BP, capillary exchange
- The Arterial-Alveolar Gradient
- Cardiac Output
- Oxygen Transport
- Immunology - Study of the body defence mechanisms
Non specific cellular and Chemical Defenses
- Functions of White Blood Cells
- The Inflammatory Response
- The Physiology of Fever
- Specific Defense Mechanisms
- Immunity and Antibodise
- Respiratory Physiology - Study the functions of the air passageways and lungs
Pulmonary Ventilation - pulmonary capacity
- Gas Exchange
- Lung Volumes and Capacity
- The Respiratory Epithelium
- Renal Physiology - Study of the function of the kidneys
Structure and Functions of the kidneys
- Nephrons
- Glomerular Filtration
- Renal control of Electrolytes and Acid Base Balance
- Active and Passive Tubular Reabsorption
- Tubular Secretion
- The process of Micturition

WHAT IS SYSTEMS PHYSIOLOGY?

A group of tissues make up an organ and a group of organs that work in a specific way together make up the organisation of a system.

The Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) includes both cranial and spinal nerves and is divided into a Somatic Nervous System (SNS), Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) and Enteric Nervous System (ENS)

Both the somatic and autonomic nervous systems operate via reflex arches and the somatic nervous system comprises both sensory and motor neurons. Sensory neurons convey input from nerve receptors for the special senses which are vision, hearing, taste, smell and equilibrium. The function of motor neurons is to stimulate skeletal muscle.

Some other significant systems are the digestive, integumentary, endocrine, cardiovascular, respiratory, urinary, reproductive, and immune system as well as the special senses, sensory, motor, and integrative systems. Some of these systems will be covered in later lessons.

Autonomic Nervous System

The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) regulates the activity of smooth muscle, cardiac muscle and some glands help to maintain homeostasis. It is part of the nervous system that maintains internal organs, which include the stomach, liver, kidney, blood vessels, bladder, pupils and eye muscles, heart, digestive glands, sweat and saliva.

The ANS operates without conscious control or sensation, meaning that the response cannot be changed or suppressed and the main input to it is assisted by autonomic sensory neurons. These neurons regulate different activities by either increasing (exciting) or decreasing (inhibiting) ongoing activities (cardiac, smooth muscles and glands).

The main purpose of the ANS is to be related with other systems and in fact, it is also interdependent with them. An example of the ANS in action is in the flight or flight response in the General Adaptation Syndrome. The ANS is made up of the Parasympathetic and Sympathetic divisions which balance activity and tone of certain organs such as genitals, heart and digestive system – both of these divisions receive impulses from both sympathetic and parasympathetic neurons to be able to function adequately.

When the autonomic nervous system receives information about the body from the outside environment and body, it then responds by either stimulating body processes, which is usually processed through the sympathetic division, or inhibiting responses, which is generally done through the parasympathetic division. The neurons of the autonomic nervous system are also based on the type of neurotransmitter they produce: Cholinergic which release acetylcholine (Ach) and Adrenergic which release noradrenalin or adrenalin.

How Can This Course Help You?

A course for health therapists and all those working in health care who want or need to develop a deeper understanding of the human body processes and health maintenance.

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Course Contributors

The following academics were involved in the development and/or updating of this course.

Karen Lee

Nutritional Scientist, Dietician, Teacher and Author.
BSc. Hons. (Biological Sciences), Postgraduate Diploma Nutrition and Dietetics.
Registered dietitian in the UK, with over 15 years working in the NHS. Karen has undertaken a number of research projects and has lectured to undergraduate university students. Has co authored two books on nutrition and several other books in health sciences.

Sarah Jury

Over 15 years working in small business, I.T., education and science. Sarah has a PGCE(Post Compulsory Education), BSc(Hons) (Genetics), DipComp(Open), CertWebApps(Open).
She has designed and created several Web sites for different organisations.

Lyn Quirk

M.Prof.Ed.; Adv.Dip.Compl.Med (Naturopathy); Adv.Dip.Sports Therapy
Over 30 years as Health Club Manager, Fitness Professional, Teacher, Coach and Business manager in health, fitness and leisure industries. As business owner and former department head for TAFE, she brings a wealth of skills and experience to her role as a tutor for ACS.

Tutors

Meet some of the tutors that guide the students through this course.

Jade Sciascia

Former Business Coordinator, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, Secondary School teacher (Biology); Administrator (Recruitment), Senior Supervisor (Youth Welfare). International Business Manager for IARC. Academic officer and writer with ACS for over 10 years, both in Australia and in the UK.

Andrew Williams

Andrew Williams BSc (Hons), PgDip Eng, MSc, CEng MIET, CMgr FCMI

Andrew has extensive experience across the engineering and building services industries, with specialisms in refrigeration and energy management, with professional recognition as both a Chartered Engineer and Chartered Manager.

This experience includes working in consulting and leadership roles right through to being hands on to deliver projects and outcomes for large scale organisations and within startup and scale up environments.

He has adapted his experience to integrate with new technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) to allow for a data driven perspective to be applied to problem solving and is actively using Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence to solve real world problems.

Julia Mayo-Ramsay

Dr Julia Mayo-Ramsay is a practicing environmental and agricultural lawyer. She holds a PhD in International Environmental Law, LLM, BLJS, GDLP, LLM (Environmental Law) and a Master of Applied Science (Agriculture).
Julia started out in agriculture working on various dairy farms in the 1980s before working as dairy manager / tutor at Hawkesbury Agricultural College Richmond NSW. Julia then went on to work at Riverina Artificial Breeders at Tabletop (Albury) NSW as an embryo transfer technician assisting vets with artificial breeding and embryo transfer in cattle, sheep and deer. This was followed by two years as a herd manager for a very large commercial dairy herd milking 3,000 cows over three dairies on the outskirts of Sydney before heading overseas. In 1994 Julia accepted a position in NE Thailand at the Sakhon Nakhon Institute of Technology (now a University) training farmers and students in cattle breeding and dairy farm management. On returning to Australia in late 1996 Julia completed a Master of Applied Science in Agriculture at Hawkesbury Agricultural College (UWS) as well as law degrees and maritime studies. Julia now works as a Lawyer in the area of environmental and rural law.
Currently Julia teaches a variety of maritime subjects for Marine Rescue NSW.
As well as teaching Julia is working on a number of environmental research projects.

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In my role within a large Aged Care Facility a great deal of my employment is spent in the area of Turf management and garden care/refurbishment. With ACS I was able to study at my own pace allowing me to put into practise and thoroughly research the subject matter broadening my knowledge and study experience further. I enjoyed the way in which the subject matter was presented as it allowed you to study each subject further, allowing for greater depth, clarity and knowledge.
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