- Functions of the cell as an integrated system, homeostasis. Exchanges across plamamembranes. Diffusion and Fick's law. Donnan equilibrium. Osmosis and Vant'off law. Primary transport systems, sodium-potassium ATPase, SERCA and PMCA calcium pumps. Secondary transport. Transport of glucose and amino acids. The water channels: aquaporins. Cell volume regulation.
- Electrophysiology. The reversal potential of Na+, K+, Ca2+ and Cl-. Nernst and GHK equations. The potential across the plasma membrane. Genesis of the resting potential and the role of the electrogenic pump. Electrophysiological recordings.
- Ion channels. Selectivity filter. Gates of activation and inactivation. Ionotropic receptors and signal transduction. Ligand-operated channels, voltage operated-channels, stretch-activated channels. Properties and regulation of sodium, chloride, calcium, potassium ion channels. Cyclic nucleotides activated-channels.
- Communication by chemical messages. Functions of the plasmamembrane receptors and signal transduction. Metabotropic receptors. Monomeric and trimeric G proteins. Adenylate cyclase and guanylate cyclase. Phospholipase C. Second messengers cAMP, inositol triphosphate, diacylglycerol. Activation of protein kinase A, C and G. Tyrosinkinase receptors. MAP kinase. Acetylcholine receptors. Role of neurotransmitters and neuropeptides in cellular functions.
- Homeostasis of intracellular calcium. Calcium stores in the cell. Changes in the intracellular calcium concentration and associated signals.
- Communication by electrical messages. Depolarization. Hyperpolarization. Conduction of the electrotonic potential. Conduction in myelinated and unmyelinated axons. Action potentials. Threshold. Accommodation. Frequency modulation of action potentials.
- Synaptic transmission and its mechanisms of regulation. Synaptic vesicle recycling. Neurotransmitters, examples. Accumulation, release, re-uptake of neurotransmitters
- Functions of the Autonomic Nervous System
- Sensory receptors and sensory messages
- Skeletal Muscle. Structure-function relationship, sarcomere and its proteins, thick and thin filaments, regulatory proteins. Neuromuscular junction. Excitation-contraction coupling. Role of intracellular calcium during contraction. The sliding filament theory. Chemo-mechanical cycle. Relationship between tension and length of sarcomere and fiber. Tetanic contraction. Concentric and eccentric contractions. Classification of the fibers. The energetic cost of movement. The maximum isometric tension; the force-length and force-velocity relationship, power output. Elastic component of the contraction. Muscle fatigue.
- Spinal reflexes
- Smooth muscle, mechanical properties, force-length and force-velocity relationship, excitation-contraction coupling, regulation of contractile proteins.
- Cardiac muscle. Properties of the heart. Force-length and force-velocity relationship. Frank-Starling’s law. Electrophysiology of cardiac myocytes, the action potential of cardiac fibers, sinoatrial and atrioventricular nodes. Electro-mechanical coupling .
- Cardiovascular functions, the contraction of the heart, cardiac electrophysiology. Blood pressure.
- Respiratory system, gas exchange, transport and distribution of respiratory gas, the control of respiration.
- Renal functions: ultrafiltration, tubular functions, osmoregulation and excretion. Countercurrent exchange. Regulation of glomerular flow. Hormonal regulation.
