Physiology of Electrically Excitable Tissues
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| BIOS2033 | Biosciences | 2 | 20 | Spring UK |
- Code
- BIOS2033
- School
- Biosciences
- Level
- 2
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Spring UK
Summary
This module considers the physiology and pharmacology of systems involving the principal electrically excitable tissues in the body i.e. the nervous system, muscles and cardiovascular system. Lecture and practical content will include:
• Membrane structure and permeability
• The membrane potential and action potentials
• The neuromuscular junction and properties of skeletal muscle
• Sensory and motor systems
• Touch, nociception and pain
• Neurotransmitters, receptors and drugs
• Learning and memory
• The cortex and higher function
• Electrical conductivity in the heart and its measurement
• Blood pressure and its measurement
Target Students
Available to Biosciences students.
Assessment
- 40% Coursework 1: A combination of in class data analysis exercises and short ExamSys assessments
- 60% Exam 1 (1-hour): ExamSys exam
Assessed by end of spring semester
Educational Aims
The module is intended to provide a solid grounding in the biophysical aspects of excitable cell function, hence the module initially aims to expand students understanding of the physiology and pharmacology of the nervous system, then subsequently introduces students to the integrative actions of the nervous system by looking at excitable systems it controls/modulates (i.e. muscles including cardiac tissue). The module achieves this through a number of practical classes which build on lecture content in this as well as earlier modules (BIOS1006 Introductory Physiology/BIOS1066 Animal Physiology & Anatomy). These classes aim to teach students to collect, analyse and present real data from the neuromuscular, somatosensory and cardiovascular systems as well as how to perform a quantitative pharmacological investigation.Learning Outcomes
- Explain how excitability is generated and conducted in nervous and muscular tissues hence the processes of action potential conduction, synaptic transmission and muscle contraction
- Discuss examples of afferent, efferent and interneuronal anatomy within the nervous system hence illustrate the involvement of these neurones in sensation, motor responses and higher brain function
- Describe the pharmacology of neurotransmitters and their receptors hence demonstrate how function can be altered by drug administration or diseases
- Via experimentation, collect and analyse physiological data to generate graphs that illustrate underlying physiological mechanisms
- Evaluate and support experimental findings by incorporating knowledge acquired in lectures or via further reading in the subject area.
Conveners
Last updated 07/01/2025.