Physiology
(Biology 390)
College of the Holy Cross
Department of Biology

Materials and Schedule
 Fall 2018

Dr. Ken Prestwich

 
A graphical representation of the Frank-Starling Law of the heart: an example of a mechanism intrinsic to the organ. In this case, it shows that up to a limit (the top of the graph), the heart will respond to increased venous return by pumping more forcefully and thereby increasing the stroke volume (volume of blood pumped per beat).

Below are the course materials for the completed fall 2018 semester.
Physiology may be offered in the fall of 2019 but most likely will next be offered in the fall semester 2020.
Website Contents
Course Information Sheet

Exam Schedule
Exam #2 Final exam
Date Class
#		 Topics and Activities
    Part 1: Introduction to the course and the approaches we will use to gain a facility with physiology
Wed. Aug. 29 1


Introduction to the methods and aims of this course. Physiological regulation.

Class Readings -- introduction and control systems

Class ppt: Regulation
    Part 2. Bioenergetics
Fri. Aug. 31
 2

Regulation, continued. Same notes and ppt.
A biologist's overview of energy.

Class Readings: A. Bioenergetics -- energy and thermodynamics

Class ppt: Bioenergetics primer

Mon. Sept. 3

 3

Finish biologist overview of energy.

Class Readings: Metabolism overview and Aerobic metabolism and RQ

Class ppt: Metabolism overview & will begin RQ & Aerobic Metabolism Overview

Lab #1: Over-view and modeling physiological regulation.

General Reference Materials for Labs

Wed. Sept. 5

 4

Cellular energy metabolism as an example. A review of what you should remember from Biology 161.
Begin aerobic and anaerobic metabolism in animals. Calculations of metabolic power.

Class Readings: same as previous class

Class ppt. same as previous

Fri. Sept. 7 5

Metabolism continued. .

Class Readings:same as previous plus
Anaerobic metabolism

Class ppt. same as previous

Problems to bring to class for Monday

More metabolism problems
    Part 3. Bioelectrical communication, computation and sensation.
Mon. Sept. 10 6

Finish up metabolism -- The RQ concept
Biological process and information. Electricity overview/review. Probably begin resting potentials. (materials listed for Monday)

Class Readings: Electricity review/overview for phys students & Signal theory

Class ppt: signal theory


Lab #2: (a) Using the R statistical packages to analyze a data set.

Glucose lab problem --please bring answer to the last two question to lab (group work)

  • Plasma glucose data (once reformatted this will also be available here for reference purposes and in lab)
Wed. Sept. 12 7

Electricity review.

Class Readings -- continue on general theory of biological information processing and transfer; quick overview of electricity (or more as needed)

Class ppt: Electricity overview ppt

MOVED FROM PREVIOUS CLASS: Electricity podcast files are on Moodle (press to go) -- podcasts include
Fri. Sept. 14 8

Finish electricity review.
Bioelectricity 1: The nature of the resting potential. Membranes, proteins, ions and the Gibbs-Donnan Equilibrium.

Class ppt

Problems:
RMP problems and RMP solutions


Mon. Sept. 17 9

Resting potentials and electrical models of cells.

same as previous class

Lab #3: Metabolism in humans!:

More fun and review with R and the glucose data set! -- finish analysis of one loading experiment
Wed. Sept. 19 10

Bioelectricity 2: Action potentials and the voltage clamp. Reconstructing the membrane events of an action potential.

Class Readings -- Action potentials and the Voltage Clamp

 Class ppt

Problems: Voltage Clamp and Conductance: Problems and Solutions

General study questions
Fri. Sept. 21 11

Continued.

same as previous class
Mon. Sept. 24 12

We'll finally finish the voltage clamp and then move onto the next difficult topic traveling potentials. More RC circuits!

Bioelectricity 4: Traveling potentials

Class Readings -- propagation of signals within excitable cells

Class ppt

Lab #4: Compound extracellular potentials. EEG. Neuron simulation.

Lab handout with lab report questions

 
Wed. Sept. 26 13

Traveling potentials.

Class Readings --same as last class

Class ppt (same as last class)
   

Exam #1 -- Self-scheduled, Thursday or Friday, 7AM through 530MP (finish time,) both days. 2:15 hour time limit. Coverage -- all material through voltage clamp and events of APs.
Fri. Sept. 28 14

The receptors, part 1.

Class Readings:

Class ppt
    Part 4. Contraction and Movement.
Mon. Oct. 1 15

Finish receptors and a brief overview of computation and the autonomic nervous system.

Class Readings -- Skeletal muscle morphology and general overview

Class ppt

Lab #5: Skeletal muscles

Extracellular recordings, waves and decomposition of waves using Fourier transformations-- please read before lab

 
Wed. Oct. 3 16

1. Skeletal muscles: functional and structural overview.

Class Readings: Crossbridge cycle

 Class ppt (same as last class)
Fri. Oct. 5 17

Muscles 2: Skeletal muscles: the crossbridge cycle and EC coupling.

Class Readings --same as last class

Class ppt (same as last class)
Oct. 8 - 12   Fall Break -- No Classes or Labs
Mon. Oct. 15 18

Fiber and whole muscle function and biophysics.

Class Readings: Muscle biophysics

 Class ppt

Lab #6: More electrophys -- deconstructing emgs. The EKG and EEG.

Biopac EKG1 and EKG 2 -- in lab and on Moodle, if desired.

 
Wed. Oct . 17 19

continued.

Class Readings: fiber types, motor units and integrated muscle function

Class ppt

Study Questions and Problems

Muscle Function Questions

Muscle Function Problems and Answers to Muscle Function Problems
Fri. Oct. 19 20

Smooth muscles.

Class Readings-- smooth muscle

Class ppt


   

Part 5. Exchange and transport systems
A. The circulation

Mon. Oct. 22 21

First -- finish smooth muscles.

Circulation 1-- overview of function and design. The intrinsic coordination system of the vertebrate heart.

Class Readings -- overview of circulation

Class readings -- cardiac electrophysiology

Class ppt

Lab #7: EKG and Heart Sounds -- materials in lab

 
Wed. Oct. 24 22

Circulation 2: Continued cardiac electrophysiology. Begin cardiac mechanics.

Class Readings: finish previous + Cardiac Mechanics (CO, SV & Cardiac cycle work)

same as previous + cardiac mechanics ppt

Class discussion problem -- conduction velocity and dV/dt

Circulation review questions (try after class on Wed.)
Fri. Oct. 26 23

Circulation 3: Continued -- the mechanical operation of a typical mammalian heart.

Class Readings -- Same as above + Control of cardiac output

Class ppt (same as last class) and likely begin vascular system
Mon. Oct. 29 24

Circulation 4: Vessel characteristics and function in mammals and other animals using closed circulations.

Class Readings Vasculature and Intro Fluid Dynamics

Class ppt. (vascular system)

Lab Period:
"Pre-make-up" for missed class this coming Friday: Vascular system continued. The formation of interstitial fluid. Hydraulic filtering in the arterial system. Blood pressure and the effects of filling, resistance and capacitance on blood pressure.

Class Reading Arteries and cardiac work & Formation of extracellular fluid and lymph

Class ppt. same as previous class
Quick time movies and Nature papers dealing with control of circulation by pericytes in the brain -- on Moodle

After a break, we will work on R and I will answer questions you have about the previous four week's material.
Wed. 31 25

More on the circulation. Peripheral resistance, blood pressures, arterial capacitance and hydraulic filters.

Class Readings -- Same as above

Class ppt (same as last class)

Circulation Problems and Study Questions (in addition to what is in the text handouts)
Fri. Nov. 2 26

Class cancelled (we made up the time on Monday)
Mon. Nov. 5 27

Circulation 5: Cardiac output and its regulation in mammals

 

Class PPT: Integrated regulation of the circulation

Exam #2 -- During lab period, Coverage --traveling potentials through cardiac work diagram. ~2:15 HOUR TIME LIMIT
   

Part 5. Exchange and transport systems
B. Excretory system.

Wed. Nov. 7 28

Excretion, part 1. The structure of the vertebrate kidney. Filtrate, tubular fluid and urine. An introduction to the clearance concept.

Class Readings: Operation of kidney & the clearance concept, introduced

Class ppt
Fri. Nov. 9 29

Part 2. Clearance continued. Water balance.

Class Readings -- Clearance and water balance

Class ppt
Brief supplement on the measurement of volumes in the body

Problems
Set #1
Set #2
Set #3


Solutions
Whatever you do, be sure to try the problems first!!
Set #1
Set #2
Set #3
   

Part 5. Exchange and transport systems
C. Blood gas transport.

Mon. Nov. 12 30


Finish the last bit on water balance.
NEW UNIT: The transport of gases in watery solutions.

Class Readings: blood gas

Class ppt

Lab #9: EKG interpretation -- notes are at the lab's moodle page.
Wed. Nov. 14 31


2. Transport of O2, continued.
CO2 transport.

Class Readings -- same as previous class

Class ppt. s -- same as previous class

Oxygen transport problems

Oxygen transport problems -- SOLUTIONS
   

Part 5. Exchange and transport systems
D. Respiratory exchange
Fri. Nov. 16 32



Finish CO2 transport.
Characteristics and types of gas exchange structures with special emphasis on mammalian lungs.

Class Readings

Class ppt.-- Gas equations and simple diffusion model
Mon. Nov. 19 33

2. Static mechanics of the mammalian respiratory system including Law of Laplace as related to alveoli.

Class Readings

Class ppt. -- respiratory system mechanics

Of interest -- short obituary of Dr. Mary Ellen Avery whose work largely conquered infantile respiratory distress syndrome (NY Times)

Lab #10 -- respiratory volumes and capacities and minute volume exercise
Nov. 21 - 23   Thanksgiving Break (starts Wednesday-- no class)


Let us be thankful for our families, friends and the human family and our good Earth!
(click image for information related to the image)
Mon. Nov. 26 34

3. Breathing and the dynamic mechanics of mammalian respiration. Elastic systems in respiration.

Class Readings -- elastic systems of integrated mammalian breathing system

Class ppt. -- same as previous class

Lab #11: Respiration and circulation.
Wed. Nov. 28 35

4. Dynamics of breathing.

Class Readings -- dynamics of breathing

Class ppt. -- same as previous class

Fri. Nov. 30

 36


Finish dynamics of breathing with work loops.
5. Acid base balance and breathing.

REVIEW SESSION 4:00 - 5:30 PM IN CLASSROOM

Class Readings -- respiration and acid-base balance; regulation of respiration in mammals

Class ppt

Acid-base problems

Solutions to Acid-base problems
Mon. Dec. 3
 37

1. Finish acid-base regulation. Alveolar gas exchange.

Class Readings -- alveolar gas exchange

Class ppt

Gas Exchange Problems

SOLUTIONS to Gas Exchange Problems

Exam #3--During lab period.
Coverage begins with Wiggers diagram (just after cardiac work function) and cardiac regulation and goes through statics and elastic systems (first part of (Wed lecture #35 in part)
2:15 HOUR TIME LIMIT.
Wed. Dec. 5 38


Alveolar gas exchange.
   

Part 6. Integrative physiology -- thermoregulation
Fri. Dec. 7
(Last Day of Class)		 39

Thermoregulation.

Class PPT: Temperature regulations
Temperature regulation problems Temperature regulation solutions
Sat. Dec 8 thru
Mon. Dec. 11		  

Study Days

REVIEW SESSION: MONDAY DEC. 10 1230 - 2 PM IN ON 101
TUE. Dec. 11   Final Exam -- 160 points -- TUESDAY DEC. 11 @ 8 AM