Physiology

Introduction

Physiology is the scientific study of the functions and mechanisms which work within a living system. As a sub-discipline of biology, the focus of physiology is on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs, cells, and biomolecules carry out the chemical and physical functions in a living system.

History of Physiology

The study of physiology traces its roots back to the ancient Indian and Greek civilizations. The earliest studies were more concerned with the human body, and the workings of the various organs. This focus on the human body, its structure, and its functions led to the development of the field of anatomy, and eventually to the creation of physiology.

Cellular Physiology

Cellular physiology is the study of the functions of cells. It is concerned with the physiological properties, metabolic processes, signaling pathways, life cycle, and interactions of the cell with their environment. This is fundamental to the understanding of how tissues and organs function, and ultimately, how the organism functions.

Systems Physiology

Systems physiology deals with the study of the function of systems within organisms. These systems include the circulatory system, respiratory system, digestive system, endocrine system, immune system, and the nervous system. Each of these systems is composed of organs and tissues that work together to perform complex functions.

Human Physiology

Human physiology is the study of how the human body functions. This includes the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of humans in good health, from organs to the cells of which they are composed. The human body consists of many interacting systems of organs. These interact to maintain homeostasis, keeping the body functioning at a stable condition.

Plant Physiology

Plant physiology is a subdiscipline of botany concerned with the functioning, or physiology, of plants. Closely related fields include plant morphology (structure of plants), plant ecology (interactions with the environment), phytochemistry (biochemistry of plants), cell biology, genetics, biophysics, and molecular biology.

Comparative Physiology

Comparative physiology is a subdiscipline of physiology that studies and exploits the diversity of functional characteristics of various kinds of organisms. It is closely related to evolutionary physiology and environmental physiology.

Physiological Genomics

Physiological genomics is the science of the physiological functions of the genes. It is the study of the genetic basis of physiology. This field combines the study of physiology and genomics to understand how genes code for specific organism traits.