Physiology overview

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