06705 - Human and Stomatognathic Apparatus Physiology

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students should be able to understand the vital functions of the human body, and the mechanisms underlying their regulation. More specifically students will: - know the electrophysiological and functional mechanisms of communication systems in biological membranes and the functions of individual cells; - know the mechanisms underlying the nervous, cardiovascular, and digestive functions; - know the mechanisms of vegetative functions; know the mechanisms underlying the sensory and motor functions of the stomatognathic system; - owns the basis for the interpretation of the physio-pathological processes that affect the stomatognathic system.

Course contents

Transcellular and paracellular exchange processes: Fluid compartments of the body. Ionic composition of the intracellular and extracellular fluids. Selective permeability of the cell membrane. Transport of water and solutes across the cell membrane. Passive transport: simple diffusion and Fick's law; osmosis, facilitated diffusion. Primary active transport: ATP-driven pumps. Secondary active transport: symporters; antiporters.

Resting membrane potential and action potential: Electrochemical equilibrium and Nernst equation. Membrane potential and Goldman equation. Voltage-dependent channels and excitability in cells of the nervous system, skeletal muscle, smooth muscle and heart. Genesis of the action potential: threshold membrane potential and self-regenerating mechanisms. Ionic conductances in the various phases of the action potential. Cycle of membrane excitability: refractory periods. Propagation of the action potential.

Synaptic transmission: Electrical synapses. Chemical synapses: synthesis, release and inactivation of neurotransmitters. Classification of neurotransmitters. Membrane receptors. Effects of binding of neurotransmitters to ionotropic and metabotropic receptors: excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials. Spatial and temporal summation of postsynaptic potentials.

Sensory receptors: Classification of sensory receptors. Adequate stimulus and stimulation threshold. Signal transduction: generator potential and action potential propagation in nerve fibers. Encoding the intensity of sensory stimulation. Adaptation in sensory receptors. Receptive field of sensory receptors.

Skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscle: Skeletal muscle: Synaptic transmision at the neuromuscular junction. Activation of the contractile mechanism; excitation-contraction coupling; innervation of fibers; muscle twitch and tetanic contraction; gradation of contractile force; isometric and isotonic contraction; length-tension relationship. Cardiac muscle: activation of the contractile mechanism; excitation-contraction coupling; length-tension relationship. Smooth muscle: classification; activation of the contractile mechanism.

Cardiovascular system: General information on blood and its functions. Heart pump. Intrinsic properties of the heart. Blood flow in the heart chambers. Heart valves. Cardiac conduction system. Action potentials in the common myocardium and specific myocardium. Electrophysiological bases of the electrocardiogram

Phases of the cardiac cycle. Values of aortic pressure, left ventricular pressure, left ventricular volume during the cardiac cycle. Definitions of end-systolic, end-diastolic volume, systolic volume.

Functional organization of the vascular system: Definitions of systolic, diastolic and differential blood pressure. Contribution of arterial elasticity and arteriolar resistance to differential pressure. Principles of blood pressure measurement with the Riva-Rocci technique. Definition and reference values of cardiac output. Poiseuille's law. Overall resistance of a system of resistors in series and parallel. Contribution of different vascular segments to total peripheral resistance. Accumulation of blood in the downright limbs. Functions of the arterioles, venous pressure, exchange of substances through the capillaries

Organization of the nervous system. Central and peripheral nervous system. Autonomic Nervous System: anatomical-functional organization and functions of the parasympathetic nervous system and the orthosympathetic nervous system. Vegetative innervation of the main organs. Actions of the orthosympathetic and parasympathetic.

Somatosensory sensibility of the face and oral cavity. Mechanoreceptive sensibility Receptors and afferent fibers of tactile and kinesthetic sensibility. Organization of the sensory pathways of the mechanoreceptive sensibility of the body. Cortical somatosensory areas. Nociception and thermal sensibility. Receptors and afferent fibers of nociception and thermic sensibility. Organization of the sensory pathways of pain sensation and thermic sensibility. Types of pain. Hyperalgesia. Referred pain. Peripheral modulation and central control of pain.

Control of Movement: Final common pathway: the motor neuron. Neuromuscular spindles and periodontal ligament receptors. Trigeminal reflexes.

Digestive system: oral and gastric functions. Morphofunctional organization of the esophagus and stomach. Cephalic, oral, esophageal and gastric phases of motor, secretory and absorptive processes. Digestive system: intestinal functions Morphofunctional organization of the intestine. Intervention of the small intestine and colon in motor, secretory and absorptive processes,. Pancreatic and biliary secretions.

Readings/Bibliography

- Zocchi L., PRINCIPI DI FISIOLOGIA. EdiSeS, II Edizione.

- D. Manzoni, E. Scarnati, FISIOLOGIA ORALE E DELL'APPARATO STOMATOGNATICO Edi.ermes 2011.

- R.M. Berne, M.N. Levy, FISIOLOGIA (a cura di, B.R. Koeppen, B.A. Stanton), 7a Edizione, Milano Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, 2018 (ISBN 978-8808-48004-0).

Teaching methods

cf. the Italian version and contact the teacher for full details.

Assessment methods

Students must sit an oral exam consisting in two questions aimed at ascertaining students' understanding of the topics presented during the course lectures. Students must reach a minimum score of 18/30 for each question in order to pass the exam.

Teaching tools

Lesson schemes available for download from the Virtual learning environment web site (https://virtuale.unibo.it.)

Office hours

See the website of Stefania Trazzi