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The course provides an overview of the basic principles of animal physiology, with a primary focus on human physiology. The course is structured according to the main physiological systems and offers a comprehensive understanding of the functions of the nervous,
endocrine, muscular, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, excretory, and reproductive systems, with a focus on the mechanisms that regulate physiological functions. Attention is also given to how physiological functions are integrated at the level of the whole organism and how they allow the individual to respond to environmental changes. The course is suitable for students who wish to understand how an organism's basic life functions are maintained. Last update: Horníková Daniela, RNDr., Ph.D. (12.05.2025)
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1. W.F. Boron, E.L. Boulpaep: Medical Physiology. Elsevier, 2017 2. W.F. Ganong: Ganong's Review of Medical Physiology, 26th Edition. McGraw Hill / Medical, 2019 3. L.Sherwood, H. Klandorf, P.H. Yancey: Animal Physiology. From Genes to Organisms. Thomson, Brooks, Cole, 2005 4. S. Silbernagl, A. Despopoulos: Color Atlas of Physiology, 7th Edition. Thieme, 2015
Last update: Horníková Daniela, RNDr., Ph.D. (12.05.2025)
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The course concludes with a final written test. Last update: Horníková Daniela, RNDr., Ph.D. (12.05.2025)
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1. Animal physiology - definition, history. Organization on the level of cells, tissues, and organs. Homeostasis. Principles of regulation. Acclimation and adaptation. 2. Cellular and neuronal communication. Biological membranes, membrane transport. Membrane potential. Receptors, ion channels, neurons and synapses. 3. Central and peripheral nervous systems in vertebrates. Functional anatomy of the brain. Neural circuits and connectivity. Neural functions, learning and behavior. Blood-brain barrier. Autonomic nervous system. 4. Physiology of the sensory system. General and special senses, including touch, pain, temperature, proprioception, vision, hearing, taste and smell. 5. Muscles and movement. Skeletal and smooth muscles, mechanics and energetics of muscle contraction, regulation of motoric activity. 6. Circulation. Evolution, circulation fluids - blood, lymph, hemolymph. Arteries and veins, microcirculation, heart. Control of blood pressure and cardiac output. 7. Respiration and transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide in terrestrial and aquatic animals. Mechanics of respiration, ventilation and perfusion of lungs and gills, gas exchange in respiratory organs and tissues, blood pigments, tissue respiration and regulation. 8. Osmotic homeostasis. Excretion. Urine - glomerular filtration and tubular processes. Osmoregulation in environments differing by osmotic pressure. 9. Nutrition and digestion. Food intake and absorption. Gastrointestinal secretion. Neurohumoral regulation of gastrointestinal function. Specificities of carnivores vs. herbivores. Ruminants. 10. Energy metabolism. Regulation of body temperature. Energy storage. Fasting and starvation. Food intake regulation. 11. Endocrine system and hormones. Organization of endocrine regulation, endocrine regulation of growth, thyroid gland, adrenal glands, endocrine pancreas, parathyroid glands and regulation of calcium homeostasis. 12. Reproduction. The male and female reproductive systems, their development and hormone regulation. The placenta in vertebrates and the mammary glands in mammals. Last update: Horníková Daniela, RNDr., Ph.D. (12.05.2025)
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After completing the individual lessons, the student is able to: 1. Describe individual cellular organelles and their functions; deduce, based on general knowledge of organelle function, how they interact and contribute to fundamental physiological processes such as hormone production and secretion, nutrient absorption, muscle movement, etc.; classify tissue types according to their basic characteristics. 2. Characterize the structure and function of biological membranes; explain the basic principles of membrane transport and distinguish its individual types; describe the origin and significance of the membrane potential; clarify the function of receptors and ion channels in cellular communication; characterize the structure and function of neurons; explain the mechanisms of information transfer at synapses and distinguish the basic types of synaptic transmission. 3. Describe the basic organization of the central and peripheral nervous systems of vertebrates; characterize the functional anatomy of the brain and its main parts; explain the principles of neuronal circuit organization and connectivity; clarify the relationship between neuronal activity, learning, and behavior; explain the significance and function of the blood–brain barrier; characterize the autonomic nervous system, its individual divisions, and their physiological effects. 4. Characterize the physiology of sensory systems; distinguish between general and special senses and describe their basic principles; explain the mechanisms of sensory information generation and transmission; describe the physiology of touch, pain, temperature sensation, and proprioception; clarify the principles of function of the visual, auditory, gustatory, and olfactory systems and their importance for perception of the environment. 5. Characterize and identify the three basic muscle types (skeletal, smooth, and cardiac); describe the mechanism of information transfer at the neuromuscular junction; discuss the principles of muscle contraction and mechanics; distinguish individual subtypes of skeletal muscle and describe their characteristics. 6. Discuss the evolution of the circulatory system; describe the individual components of blood and plasma, and explain the principles of gas transport in the circulatory system; describe the mechanism of hemostasis and blood clotting; discuss the evolution of the heart and describe the principles of cardiac function; explain the functions of vasoconstriction and vasodilation and the transfer of metabolites between capillaries and target tissues. 7. Discuss the basic principles of diffusion and gas solubility; describe the evolution of respiratory organs; explain the mechanics of pulmonary respiration and describe lung volumes; explain the principles of respiratory regulation. 8. Describe the structure of the mammalian kidney and nephron; explain the basic mechanisms enabling excretory function (ultrafiltration, osmoregulation/osmoconcentration, tubular secretion, and reabsorption); discuss the mechanisms by which terrestrial and marine organisms cope with water loss. 9. Describe the basics of endocrine regulation and hormone classification; discuss regulation of body growth; describe the function of thyroid and adrenal hormones; compare the mechanisms of action of pancreatic endocrine hormones on the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and amino acids; discuss calcium regulation in the body and bones. 10. Describe the anatomy and explain the function of individual organs of the digestive system; explain the mechanisms regulating motility and secretion in the gastrointestinal tract; discuss the demands that different types of diet place on the digestive tract. 11. Competently discuss the ways in which organisms can regulate body temperature; deduce the course of respiratory quotient values over the course of a day depending on the timing and composition of food intake; consider arguments for and against the use of specific classes of anti-obesity drugs in the treatment of metabolic syndrome. 12. Characterize reproduction in vertebrates; describe the structure and function of the male and female reproductive systems; explain their development and hormonal regulation; clarify the structure and function of the placenta in vertebrates and its importance for embryonic development; characterize the structure and function of the mammary gland in mammals and its hormonal regulation. XX. Is able to navigate a scientific article focused on physiology, interpret figures from a scientific publication, and derive basic conclusions from it.
Last update: Horníková Daniela, RNDr., Ph.D. (28.01.2026)
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