| 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 plant | | | | physiology. This area has several subdivisions which |
| physiology and animal physiology but the principles of | | | | overlap with each other. Many animals have similar |
| physiology are universal, no matter what particular | | | | anatomy to humans and so share many of these |
| organism is being studied. For example, what is | | | | areas. |
| learned about the physiology of yeast cells can also | | | | Myophysiology deals with the operation of muscles |
| apply to human cells. | | | | Neurophysiology concerns the physiology of brains |
| The field of animal physiology extends the tools and | | | | and nerves |
| methods of human physiology to non-human animal | | | | Cell physiology addresses the functioning of individual |
| species. Plant physiology also borrows techniques | | | | cells |
| from both fields. Its scope of subjects is at least as | | | | Comparative or Environmental physiology examines |
| diverse as the tree of life itself. Due to this diversity | | | | how animals adapt to their environment |
| of subjects, research in animal physiology tends to | | | | Evolutionary physiology |
| concentrate on understanding how physiological traits | | | | Membrane physiology focuses on the exchange of |
| changed throughout the evolutionary history of | | | | molecules across the cell membrane |
| animals. Other major branches of scientific study that | | | | Respiratory physiology describes the mechanics of |
| have grown out of physiology research include | | | | gas 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, |
| History | | | | deals 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 when | | | | Renal physiology focuses on the excretion of ions |
| he went to establish a hospital at Baghdad in the | | | | and 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 circulation | | | | Neuroendocrinology concerns the complex |
| in the 17th century, providing the beginning of | | | | interactions of the neurological and endocrinological |
| experimental physiology. Herman Boerhaave is | | | | systems which together regulate physiology |
| sometimes referred to as the father of physiology | | | | Reproductive physiology concerns the reproductive |
| due to his exemplary teaching in Leiden and textbook | | | | cycle |
| 'Institutiones medicae'(1708). | | | | Exercise physiology addresses the mechanism and |
| Areas of physiology | | | | response of the body to movement |