INTRODUCTION TO PHYSIOLOGY AND HOMEOSTASIS: Description of physiological mechanism. Structure-Function relationships of the body. Levels of organization in the body. Concept of Homeostasis. Homeostatic Control Systems.
CELL PHYSIOLOGY AND PLASMA MEMBRANE: Membrane transport of ions and molecules. Membrane potential and action potentials. Synapses and neuronal integration. Intercellular communication and signal transduction. Neurotransmitters.
MUSCLE PHYSIOLOGY: Motor unit, neuromuscular junctions. Excitation and contraction of skeletal muscle tissue. Skeletal muscle contraction and mechanics. Physiology of skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscle.
PHYSIOLOGY OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM: Functional organization of central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. The peripheral nervous system: afferent and efferent divisions. Role of glia cells. Autonomic nervous system. Integrative functions of nervous system.
CARDIAC PHYSIOLOGY: Anatomy and electrical activity of the heart. Mechanical events of the cardiac cycle. Cardiac output and its control. General principles of hemodynamics. Blood vessels and blood pressure. Blood and hemostasis.
PHYSIOLOGY OF ENDOCRINE SYSTEM AND REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM: General principles of endocrinology. Principles of general functioning of hormones. Central and peripheral endocrine glands and their hormones. Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis. Control of calcium and phosphate metabolism. Physiology of male and female reproductive system.
PHYSIOLOGY OF RESPIRATORY SYSTEM: Respiratory anatomy and mechanic. Gas exchange and transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Control of respiration.
PHYSIOLOGY OF URINARY SYSTEM: Elements of renal function: kidney and nephron. Glomerular filtration. Tubular reabsorption and tubular secretion. Urinary tract. Ureter, bladder and urethra. Urine excretion and plasma clearance.
PHYSIOLOGY OF DIGESTIVE SYSTEM: Digestive tract and accessory digestive organs. General aspects of digestion. Secretory function of digestive system. Motility of digestive tract. Nutrient digestion and absorption

• Martini Nath: Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology (EdiSeS)
• Gerard J. Tortora Bryan Derrickson: Principles of Anatomy and Physiology (Ambrosiana)

Students are strongly encouraged to use a Human Anatomy Atlas

LOCOMOTOR SYSTEM Skeleton: skull, vertebral column and main bones of the trunk, superior limb, inferior limb, pectoral and girdle and pelvis. Joints structure and classification, movements. Joints: Temporo-mandibular joint, shoulder joint, intervertebral joints, sterno-clavicular joint, elbow joint, radioulnar joints, wrist and hand joints. Hip joint, joint of the knee, ankle. Skeletal Muscular System: masticatory muscles (masseter, temporal, pterygoid). Motor muscles of the humerus (rotator cuff muscles, deltoid, teres major, pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, brachial, coracobrachial), flexor and extensor muscles of the elbow (biceps brachialis, brachioradialis, triceps brachialis, anconus). Respiratory muscles (diaphragm, intercostal muscles, sternocleidomastoid, serratus posterior and anterior muscles, pectoralis minor, scalene, quadratus lumborum, external / internal oblique muscle, transversus abdominus, rectus of the abdomen).
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM Heart, thoracic aorta, aortic arch, abdominal aorta. The Willi’s polygon. Coronary circulation. Main arteries of superior and inferior limbs. Venous system. Superior vena cava, inferior vena cava and their main branches in the thorax and abdomen. Main veins of the superior and inferior limbs. Portal circulation. Foetal circulation. Generalities on the lymphatic system.
SPLANCHNOLOGY Systemic and microscopy anatomy of digestive, respiratory, urinary, reproductive and endocrine Systems.
NEUROANATOMY Spinal cord: segmental and internal organization: gray matter, ascending and discending tracts. Spinals nerves, plexuses and reflex arcs. Brainstem (Medulla oblungata, Pons, Mesencephalon): internal and external structure. Cranial nerves: nuclei and innervation. Diencephalon (Thalamus, Hypothalamus, Epithalamus): internal and external structure. Thalamic nuclei. Telencephanlon: internal and external structure. Anatomical and functional organization of cerebral cortex. Allocortex. Basal Ganglia. Cerebellum: internal and external structure. Ventricular system. Meninges. Brain blood vessels and dural sinuses. Sensory system: spinothalamic, tacts, fasciculus gracilis and fasciculus cuneatus tracts, spinocerebellar tracts. Pain conduction. Visual, auditory, gustatory, olfactor and limbic system. Motor system: pyramidal and extrapyramidal tracts. Motor nuclei. Autonomic nervous system: sympathetic and parasympathetic system. Enteric nervous system.
General principles of integumentary system.

• Martini Nath: Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology (EdiSeS)
• Gerard J. Tortora Bryan Derrickson: Principles of Anatomy and Physiology (Ambrosiana)

Students are strongly encouraged to use a Human Anatomy Atlas

PREPARATION OF TISSUES FOR HISTOLOGICAL ANALYSIS. Microscopy, preservation of biological structures, stainings.
EPITHELIAL TISSUE. General characteristics of epithelia, junctions, polarity of epithelial cells, surface specializations, basal lamina, classification of epithelia, endothelium, absorbent epithelium, pseudostratified epithelium, transitional epithelium, epidermis, glandular epithelia (exocrine and endocrine glands).
CONNECTIVE TISSUE. Histological organization: extracellular matrix (macromolecules of the ground substance, collagen and elastic fibers) and connective cells (fibroblasts, adipocytes, macrophages, plasma cells and mast cells). The different types of connective proper: loose and dense (irregular and regular). The white and brown adipose tissue. Supportive connective tissues: cartilage (cells and extracellular matrix, hyaline, elastic and fibrous cartilage, growth and repair) and bone (cells and extracellular matrix, compact and spongy bone, osteogenesis, growth and repair). Blood: plasma and serum, cells (red blood cells, neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes and lymphocytes), platelets, hematopoiesis. Outline of the lymphatic system.
MUSCLE TISSUE. Skeletal muscle: organization of muscle fibers, myofibrils and myofilaments, sarcomere, sarcoplasmic reticulum, neuromuscular junction, contraction mechanism, regeneration. Cardiac muscle: structure of cardiomyocytes (intercalated discs, sarcoplasmic reticulum, myofilaments), Purkinje fibers, regeneration. Smooth muscle: structure of smooth muscle cells, contractile apparatus, regeneration.
NERVOUS TISSUE. The neuron. Myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibers. General structure of the nerves. Synapses. Glial cells.

• William Bloom, Don W. Fawcett, “Elementi di istologia”, II edizione a cura di V. Cimini, CIC Edizioni Internazionali
• Adamo, Bernardini, Filippini, “Elementi di istologia e cenni di embriologia“, Edizione 2019, Editore Piccin