Physiology Defined
@A study of physiology deals with how body parts function: the structure of a part determines its function. Physiology is the study of how body structures function.
@Subdivisions of physiology include cell physiology, systems physiology, pathophysiology, exercise physiology, neurophysiology, endocrinology, cardiovascular physiology, immunophysiology, respiratory physiology, renal physiology, and reproductive physiology.
Levels of Organization
@The chemical level includes atoms, the smallest units of matter that participate in chemical reactions, and
molecules, two or more atoms joined together.
@Cells are the basic structural and functional units of an organism.
@ Tissues consist of groups of similarly specialized cells and the substances surrounding them that usually
arise from a common ancestor and perform certain special functions.
@ Organs are structures of definite form that are composed of two or more different tissues and have
specific functions.
@ Systems consist of related organs that have a common function.
@ The human organism is a collection of structurally and functionally integrated systems; any living individual.
@ The systems of the human body are the integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine,
cardiovascular, lymphatic, respiratory, urinary, and reproductive.
Palpation Techniques
@Three noninvasive techniques of palpation, auscultation, and percussion are used to assess certain aspects
of body structure and function.
@ In palpation the examiner feels body surfaces with the hands; an example would be pulse and heart rate
determination.
@ In auscultation, the examiner listens to body sounds to evaluate the functioning of certain organs, as in
listening to the lungs or heart.
@ In percussion, the examiner taps on the body surface with the fingertips and listens to the resulting echo
