Homeostasis and Organ Systems
Full course description
In this course, the role of several major organ systems in the maintenance of homeostasis will be studied. The focus will be on the blood circulation, the heart and lungs, and the gastro-intestinal and renal systems. The interaction and communication between these organ systems will also be studied. The central theme is how important nutrients of life, for example oxygen and water, are distributed throughout the body and how regulatory systems such as the autonomic nervous system and hormones maintain steady oxygen and fluid levels and regulate movement of gases, water and wastes between compartments. Main physiological processes, such as digestion, uptake, filtration, reabsorption, secretion and excretion, as well as maintenance of the acid-base balance, will be discussed. The practical trainings will further guide understanding of normal structure and function of the organ systems, and are tailored to the learning objectives discussed in the tutorial groups. There are two practical trainings: spirometry and blood pressure measurements, and creatinine clearance measurement. In addition there will be anatomy and virtual microscopy sessions for the main organ systems. Insights from these sessions will be used in the tutorials. The tutorial groups will be planned in the first six weeks of the course. In the last two weeks of the course, students will work in small groups on the Academic project, where knowledge and understanding of normal physiology of the organ systems and regulatory mechanisms will be used to go into more depth by studying disturbances of homeostasis. The groups will propose a research question on a (selected) disturbance of homeostasis and design a computer-simulated experiment to test this hypothesis. Findings will be presented within a small group setting.
Course objectives
- B-ILO1: Describes the nutrients of life and how they enter the system
- B-ILO2: Describes the role of the circulation in transporting nutrients to the various organs and explain the various transport mechanismB-ILO2:
- B-ILO3: Explains how the structure of the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems enable and regulate gas exchange
- B-ILO4: Explains how the Bauplan of the gastro-intestinal tract facilitates passing of food through the body and to its accessory organs
- B-ILO5: Explains the role of the urinary and renal system in excretion and reabsorption of water and in maintaining the acid base balance and regulating blood pressure
- B-ILO6: Describes how communication between organ systems ensures homeostasis of the organisms
- C-ILO1: Adjusts communication written or oral, to specific global audience/readership and international setting
- C-ILO2: Communicates professionally with peers and staff originating from diverse cultural and disciplinary backgrounds
- C-ILO3: Shows awareness of team roles and takes responsibly her/his position in a diversely composed international team
- C-ILO4: Works effectively in an international and intercultural team
- I-ILO1: Summarizes and reflects on social, political, international and normative issues in the biomedical science
- I-ILO2: Understands the values of and is able to apply scientific method to obtain academic knowledge, understanding and insight
- I-ILO3: Has developed a critical approach to scientific knowledge
- I-ILO4: Designs and rationalizes an biomedical experiment
- P-ILO1: Summarizes and reflects on social, political, international and normative issues in the biomedical science
- P-ILO2: Understands the values of and is able to apply scientific method to obtain academic knowledge, understanding and insight
- P-ILO3: Has developed a critical approach to scientific knowledge
- P-ILO4: Designs and rationalizes an biomedical experiment