BB511: Zoophysiology (10 ECTS)

STADS: 04012201

Level
Bachelor course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the spring semester.

Teacher responsible
Email: ams@biology.sdu.dk

Timetable
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Prerequisites:
None

Academic preconditions:
The first year of the biology study is assumed knowned

Course introduction
The aim of the course is to give a general introduction to basic physiological concepts and mechanisms in animals, in particular vertebrates. The course covers physiological mechanisms from the level of the cell to whole organisms, focusing on physiological adaptations to different constraints imposed on animals from habitat, food source and behavior

Expected learning outcome
After completing the course the student is expected to be able to:

• Describe and explain basic zoophysiological mechanisms in vertebrates.
• Describe the structure and explain the function in transport across cell membranes.
• Identify the most important ions and membrane structures involved in creating electro-chemical equilibrium across a cell membrane and explain the generation of a stable electic potential difference across nerve- and muscle membranes.
• Identify the most important ions and membrane structures and explain the generation and conduction of action potentials across and along nerve- and muscle membranes.
• Describe the structure and explain the function of synapses.
• Describe the most important sensory modalities and explain how sensory input is coded in the nervous system.
• Describe structure and function of muscles.
• Describe the most important glands and hormones and explain their function in maintaining animal's homeostasis.
• Explain how the endocrine system communicates and interacts with the nervous system to maintain homeostasis.
• Describe the functional anatomy of the cardiovascular system in different vertebrate phyla. Explain the relationship between physical activity and regulation of the cardiovascular system.
• Describe the functional anatomy of respiratory systems in different vertebrate phyla. Explain regulation of breathing at rest and during exercise; explain the significance for acid-base regulation and the interrelationship between respiration and circulation
• Explain the osmoregulatory and acid-base regulatory principles, strategies and mechanisms in aquatic and terrestrial vertebrate phyla. Describe the detailed functional anatomy of the mammalian kidney.
• Describe how body temperature is regulated and which strategies and mechanisms are used in different animal phyla. Explain the principle of thermostatic control in animals.
• Describe and explain how integration of physiological mechanisms function to enable animals to adapt to the constraints of their habitat and behavior.
• Perform and explain quantitative and qualitative zoophysiological experiments.

Subject overview
The course covers the following subjects

1. Cell membranes, ion channels and the role of other carriers for transport over the cell membrane.
2. Structure and function of the nervous system. Actions potentials and synapses. The somatic and autonomic nervous system.
3. Sense organs. Transduction and coding of stimuli in sensory organs. The function of specific sensory organs.
4. Muscles with emphasis on striated muscles (skelatal, heart). Micro- and macroscopic structure of muscles. Muscle function: contraction and biomechanics.
5. Glands and hormones: structur of the endocrine system and physiological role of hormones for cellular function, growth and metabolism. Structure and function of male and female reproductory system and hormones.
6. Behavior: integration between nervous system, sensory organs and output organs (muscles, glands) to adapt the animal's behavior to the situation and conditions.
7. The functional anatomy of the cardiovascular system in different vertebrate phyla. Relationship between physical activity and regulation of the cardiovascular system. Significance of blood and circulation for transport of nutrients, gasses, waste products, hormones and maintenance of body temperature.
8. The functional anatomy of respiratory systems in different vertebrate phyla. Regulation of breathing at rest and during exercise; significance for acid-base regulation and the interrelationship between respiration and circulation
9. Osmoregulatory and acid-base regulatory principles, strategies and mechanisms in aquatic and terrestrial vertebrate phyla. Detailed functional anatomy of the vertebrate kidney.
10. Regulation of body temperature. Strategies and mechanisms involved in different vertebrate phyla. The principle of thermostatic control in animals. Function of the human kidney, the frog heart, blood, the respiratory system, muscles, nerves, sense organs and general electrophysiology will be illustrated throug laboratory practicals.
11. Zoophysiologies science history and philosophy of science

Literature
There isn't any litterature for the course at the moment.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam
Approval of exercise reports by the teacher.

Assessment and marking:

1. 4-hour written exam. Graded according to the 7-scale. External censorship. (04012202)

Reexamination in the same exam period or immediately thereafter

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.
Intro phase: 44 hours
Skills training phase: 47 hours, hereof:
 - Tutorials: 27 hours
 - Laboratory exercises: 20 hours

Educational activities Study phase: 10 hours

Language
This course is taught in Danish.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.