| Physiology is the study of the mechanical, | | | | physiology. This area has several |
| physical, and biochemical functions of living | | | | subdivisions which overlap with each other. |
| organisms. | | | | Many animals have similar anatomy to humans |
| | | | and so share many of these areas. |
| Physiology has traditionally been divided | | | | |
| into plant physiology and animal physiology | | | | Myophysiology deals with the operation of |
| but the principles of physiology are | | | | muscles |
| universal, no matter what particular organism | | | | |
| is being studied. For example, what is | | | | Neurophysiology concerns the physiology of |
| learned about the physiology of yeast cells | | | | brains and nerves |
| can also apply to human cells. | | | | |
| | | | Cell physiology addresses the functioning of |
| The field of animal physiology extends the | | | | individual cells |
| tools and methods of human physiology to | | | | |
| non-human animal species. Plant physiology | | | | Comparative or Environmental physiology |
| also borrows techniques from both fields. Its | | | | examines how animals adapt to their |
| scope of subjects is at least as diverse as | | | | environment |
| the tree of life itself. Due to this | | | | |
| diversity of subjects, research in animal | | | | Evolutionary physiology |
| physiology tends to concentrate on | | | | |
| understanding how physiological traits | | | | Membrane physiology focuses on the exchange |
| changed throughout the evolutionary history | | | | of molecules across the cell membrane |
| of animals. Other major branches of | | | | |
| scientific study that have grown out of | | | | Respiratory physiology describes the |
| physiology research include biochemistry, | | | | mechanics of gas exchange at the cellular |
| biophysics, paleobiology, biomechanics, and | | | | level and also at a gross anatomic level |
| pharmacology. | | | | within the lungs |
| | | | |
| History | | | | Circulation also known as cardiovascular |
| | | | physiology, deals with the heart, blood and |
| It was Abu Bakr Al Razi (popularly known as | | | | blood vessels and issues arising |
| Rhazes) who described certain physiological | | | | |
| parameters when he went to establish a | | | | Renal physiology focuses on the excretion of |
| hospital at Baghdad in the eighth century AD. | | | | ions and other metabolites at the kidney |
| Razi was followed by Al Kindi, who wrote a | | | | |
| treatise on human physiology. Anatomist | | | | Endocrinology covers endocrine hormones which |
| William Harvey described blood circulation in | | | | affect every cell in the body |
| the 17th century, providing the beginning of | | | | |
| experimental physiology. Herman Boerhaave is | | | | Neuroendocrinology concerns the complex |
| sometimes referred to as the father of | | | | interactions of the neurological and |
| physiology due to his exemplary teaching in | | | | endocrinological systems which together |
| Leiden and textbook 'Institutiones | | | | regulate physiology |
| medicae'(1708). | | | | |
| | | | Reproductive physiology concerns the |
| Areas of physiology | | | | reproductive cycle |
| | | | |
| Human and animal | | | | Exercise physiology addresses the mechanism |
| | | | and response of the body to movement |
| Human physiology is the most complex area in | | | | |