Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. It is a subcategory of
biology. In physiology, the
scientific method is applied to determine how organisms, organ systems,
organs,
cells and biomolecules carry out the chemical or physical function that they have in a living system. The word
is from ,
physis, "nature, origin"; and ,
, "study of".
Human physiology
Human physiology is the science of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of humans in good health, their organs, and the cells of which they are composed. The principal level of focus of physiology is at the level of organs and systems within systems. Much of the foundation of knowledge in human physiology was provided by animal experimentation. Physiology is closely related to anatomy; anatomy is the study of form, and physiology is the study of function. Due to the frequent connection between form and function physiology and anatomy are intrinsically linked and are studied in tandem as part of a medical curriculum.
History
Human physiology dates back to at least 420 B.C. and the time of
Hippocrates, the father of medicine. The critical thinking of
Aristotle and his emphasis on the relationship between structure and function marked the beginning of physiology in
Ancient Greece, while Claudius Galenus (c. 126-199 A.D.), known as
Galen, was the first to use experiments to probe the function of the body. Galen was the founder of experimental physiology. The ancient Indian books of
Ayurveda, the
Sushruta Samhita and
Charaka Samhita, also had descriptions on human anatomy and physiology. The medical world moved on from
Galenism only with the appearance of
Andreas Vesalius and
William Harvey.
During the Middle Ages, the ancient Greek and Indian medical traditions were further developed by Muslim physicians, most notably Avicenna (980-1037), who introduced experimentation and quantification into the study of physiology in The Canon of Medicine. Many of the ancient physiological doctrines were eventually discredited by Ibn al-Nafis (1213–1288), who was the first physician to correctly describe the anatomy of the heart, the coronary circulation, the structure of the lungs, and the pulmonary circulation, for which he is considered the father of circulatory physiology. He was also the first to describe the relationship between the lungs and the aeration of the blood, the cause of pulsation, and an early concept of capillary circulation.
Following from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance brought an increase of physiological research in the Western world that triggered the modern study of anatomy and physiology. Andreas Vesalius was an author of one of the most influential books on human anatomy, De humani corporis fabrica. Vesalius is often referred to as the founder of modern human anatomy. Anatomist William Harvey described the circulatory system in the 17th century, demonstrating the fruitful combination of close observations and careful experiments to learn about the functions of the body, which was fundamental to the development of experimental physiology. Herman Boerhaave is sometimes referred to as a father of physiology due to his exemplary teaching in Leiden and textbook Institutiones medicae (1708).
In the 18th century, important works in this field were by Pierre Cabanis, a french doctor and physiologist.
In the 19th century, physiological knowledge began to accumulate at a rapid rate, particularly with the 1838 appearance of the Cell theory of Matthias Schleiden and Theodor Schwann. It radically stated that organisms are made up of units called cells. Claude Bernard's (1813–1878) further discoveries ultimately led to his concept of milieu interieur (internal environment), which would later be taken up and championed as "homeostasis" by American physiologist Walter Cannon (1871–1945).
In the 20th century, biologists also became interested in how organisms other than human beings function, eventually spawning the fields of comparative physiology and ecophysiology. Major figures in these fields include Knut Schmidt-Nielsen and George Bartholomew. Most recently, evolutionary physiology has become a distinct subdiscipline.
The biological basis of the study of physiology, integration refers to the overlap of many functions of the systems of the human body, as well as its accompanied form. It is achieved through communication which occurs in a variety of ways, both electrical and chemical.
In terms of the human body, the endocrine and nervous systems play major roles in the reception and transmission of signals which integrate function. Homeostasis is a major aspect with regards to the interactions within an organism, humans included..
Schools
There is an abundance of different universities that allow students to major in physiology. It is considered one of the fastest growing majors for undergraduate students.
Honors and awards
The highest honor awarded in physiology is the
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, awarded since 1901 by the
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
See also
Anatomy
Biophysical Society
Comparative physiology
Defense Physiology
Ecophysiology
Evolutionary physiology
Human physiology
Physio Wiki
Physiome
The Physiological Society
Somatopsychic
Applied Physiology
American Physiological Society
List of Russian physiologists
References
External links
Developmental physiology
physiologyINFO.org, a public information website sponsored by The American Physiological Society
Physiwiki
Category:Physiology
Category:Subjects taught in medical school
