2159 - Basic Human Physiology
Course Description
The content of the course is equivalent to the University of Toronto courses (PSL200 and PSL201). This is a survey course designed to provide a general coverage of all major areas of human physiology. This course is taught by the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, and administered through the School of Continuing Studies, University of Toronto. It is intended for any students who require a credit-equivalent course in Human Physiology as a prerequisite for entrance into Health Science professional programs (including medicine, nursing, dentistry, speech and language pathology, occupational and physical therapy, etc...Our online physiology course also counts as one of the two life sciences pre-requisites for admission into Medicine at UofT) and Individuals who simply have an interest in understanding how the body works will also benefit from the course as it provides a working knowledge of various systems in the human body. At the completion of the course, students receive an official Grade Report from the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies. Before registering, students should inquire of the institution to which they are applying whether this credit-equivalent course meets the prerequisites of their intended degree program. This course cannot be applied towards any university’s undergraduate bachelor degree, or any degree at the University of Toronto. Although there are no prerequisites for this course, it is recommended that you have successfully completed a first-year university or college level general biology course.
Catalog Course Description
This online course is intended for students who wish or require an open-enrolment health-science course. It is open to all individuals who want to know how the body works. It comprises 54 hours of illustrated lectures. See the website for details.
Learning Outcomes
This physiology course will introduce the function of the human body according to physiological systems:
Cell Physiology and Homeostasis
- Describe the principles of homeostasis
Nervous System
- Describe nerve impulses and action potentials
- Describe the mechanism of synaptic transmission
- Describe the function of the central nervous system
- Describe the mechanism of sensory systems
Endocrine System
- Describe hormone actions and their receptors
- Describe the functions of hormones secreted by the glands
- Describe hormonal regulation and reproduction
Musculoskeletal System
- Describe the generalized functions of skeletal muscle tissue
Cardiovascular System
- Describe the function (and related anatomy) of the cardiovascular system
- Describe nervous and hormonal control of cardiac function
- Describe the factors involved in the regulation of arterial blood pressure
Blood and Immunity
- Describe blood composition and function
- Describe non-specific Immunity
- Describe specific Immunity and transfusion reactions
Respiratory System
- Describe the principles of gas exchange in the alveoli
- Describe respiration and exercise
Renal System
- Describe the functions (and related anatomy) of the kidney
- Describe filtration, reabsorption, and secretion
- Describe the regulation of fluid and acid-base balance in the body
Digestive System
- Describe the absorption of nutrients from the GI tract
- Describe the nervous and hormonal regulation of digestion
Integrative Physiology
- Describe integration of various physiological systems
Notes
For information about this course, contact Dr N. Kee (416-978-6379; nohjin.kee-at-utoronto.ca).
Recommended textbook: Principles of Human Physiology. Germann and Stanfield. Benjamin Cummings
https://physiology.utoronto.ca/scs2159-online-human-physiology-course
Recommendations
Although there are no formal prerequisites for this challenging course, a good knowledge of first-year general biology is recommended.
This course may be applied towards the SCS Certificate(s) in
- Fundamentals of Biomedical Sciences I : Required Courses