Cover -- Title page -- Copyright page -- Contents -- Preface -- Acknowledgements -- List of abbreviations -- About the companion website -- 1: Homeostasis and the physiology of proteins -- Negative feedback control -- Protein form and function are protected by homeostatic mechanisms -- 2: Body water compartments and physiological fluids -- Osmosis -- Body water compartments -- Intracellular versus extracellular fluid -- Interstitial fluid versus plasma -- 3: Cells, membranes and organelles -- Protein-processing organelles -- Membranes and membrane proteins -- Mitochondria and energy production -- 4: Membrane transport proteins and ion channels -- Carrier-mediated transport -- Ion channels -- 5: Biological electricity -- The resting membrane potential -- The action potential -- 6: Conduction of action potentials -- Saltatory conduction -- Fibre diameters and conduction velocities -- Classification of nerve fibres -- Compound action potentials -- 7: The autonomic nervous system -- Sympathetic system -- Parasympathetic system -- Neurochemical transmission -- 8: Blood -- Plasma proteins -- Red blood cells -- White blood cells -- 9: Platelets and haemostasis -- Primary haemostasis -- Formation of the blood clot (coagulation) -- Inhibitors of haemostasis and fibrinolysis -- 10: Defence: Inflammation and immunity -- Innate immune response -- Antibodies (immunoglobulins) -- Adaptive immune response -- 11: Principles of diffusion and flow -- Diffusion and bulk flow -- Flow through a tube -- Wall tension and pressure in spherical or cylindrical containers -- 12: Skeletal muscle and its contraction -- Skeletal muscle -- General mechanisms of skeletal muscle contraction -- Fine structure of skeletal muscle -- 13: Neuromuscular junction and whole muscle contraction -- Neuromuscular junction -- Whole muscle contraction.

14: Motor units, recruitment and summation -- 15: Cardiac and smooth muscle -- Cardiac muscle -- Smooth muscle -- Contractile mechanisms of smooth muscle -- 16: Introduction to the cardiovascular system -- Blood vessels -- The heart -- The systemic circulation -- The pulmonary circulation -- 17: The heart -- Cardiac valves -- Cardiac pacemaker, conduction of the impulse and electrocardiogram -- Coronary circulation -- 18: The cardiac cycle -- Ventricular pressure-volume loop -- The pulse -- Heart sounds -- 19: Initiation of the heart beat and excitation-contraction coupling -- Cardiac muscle electrophysiology -- The sinoatrial node and origin of the heart beat -- Excitation-contraction coupling -- Regulation of contractility: inotropic agents -- 20: Control of cardiac output and Starling's law of the heart -- Filling pressure and Starling's law -- Importance of Starling's law -- Autonomic nervous system -- Venous return and vascular function curves -- 21: Blood vessels -- Structure -- Regulation of function and excitation-contraction coupling -- The endothelium -- 22: Control of blood pressure and blood volume -- Acute regulation of the mean arterial blood pressure: the baroreceptor reflex -- Long-term regulation: control of blood volume -- Cardiovascular shock and haemorrhage -- 23: The microcirculation, filtration and lymphatics -- Transcapillary exchange -- Filtration -- Lymphatics -- Oedema -- 24: Local control of blood flow and special circulations -- Local control of blood flow -- Special circulations -- 25: Introduction to the respiratory system -- Airways -- Epithelium and airway clearance -- Respiratory muscles -- Lung volumes and pressures -- 26: Lung mechanics -- Lung compliance -- Surfactant and the alveolar air-fluid interface -- Airway resistance -- Lung function tests -- 27: Transport of gases and the gas laws.

Partial pressures and fractional concentrations -- Gases dissolved in body fluids -- Diffusion across the alveolar-capillary membrane -- Diffusion and perfusion limitation -- 28: Carriage of oxygen and carbon dioxide by the blood -- Oxygen -- Carbon dioxide -- Hyperventilation and hypoventilation -- 29: Control of breathing -- The brain stem and central pattern generator -- Chemoreception -- Lung receptors -- 30: Ventilation-perfusion matching and right to left shunts -- Ventilation-perfusion matching -- Effect of gravity -- Right to left shunts -- 31: Introduction to the renal system -- Gross structure -- The nephron -- Renal circulation -- Hormones and the kidney -- Micturition -- 32: Renal filtration -- Glomerular filtration -- Factors determining the glomerular filtration rate -- Measurement of the glomerular filtration rate and the concept of clearance -- 33: Reabsorption, secretion and the proximal tubule -- Tubular transport processes -- Tubular transport maximum -- The proximal tubule -- 34: The loop of Henle and distal nephron -- The loop of Henle -- The distal tubule and collecting duct -- 35: Regulation of plasma osmolality and fluid volume -- Control of plasma osmolality -- Control of body fluid volume -- Renin, angiotensin and aldosterone -- Diuretics -- 36: Control of acid-base status -- Buffers -- Proximal renal tubule -- Distal renal tubule -- Acid-base regulation and compensation -- K+ homeostasis and acid-base status -- 37: Gastrointestinal tract: overview and the mouth -- Structure -- Saliva and mastication -- Swallowing -- 38: Oesophagus and stomach -- Control of gastric secretions -- 39: Small intestine -- Absorption of nutrients -- Fats and lipids -- 40: The exocrine pancreas, liver and gallbladder -- The pancreas -- The liver -- Bile and the gallbladder -- 41: Large intestine -- Defecation -- Gut microflora.

42: Endocrine control -- Features of hormonal signalling -- Control of hormones -- 43: Control of metabolic fuels -- Insulin and glucagon -- Diabetes mellitus -- 44: The hypothalamus and pituitary gland -- The anterior pituitary and intermediate lobe -- The posterior pituitary -- Pulsatile release of pituitary hormones -- 45: Thyroid hormones and metabolic rate -- Synthesis and release -- Physiological roles of thyroid hormones -- Disorders of the thyroid gland -- 46: Growth factors -- Growth factor families and their receptors -- Growth factors and cancer -- 47: Somatic and skeletal growth -- Growth hormone -- Bone growth and remodelling -- Osteoporosis -- 48: Control of plasma calcium -- Parathyroid hormone and calcitonin -- Vitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol -- Other hormones affecting calcium -- 49: The adrenal glands and stress -- The adrenal medulla -- The adrenal cortex -- 50: Endocrine control of reproduction -- Actions of gonadotrophins -- Hormonal contraceptives -- 51: Sexual differentiation and function -- Sexual differentiation -- Puberty -- Sexual function -- 52: Fertilization, pregnancy and parturition -- Fertilization -- Pregnancy -- Parturition -- 53: Lactation -- Hormonal control -- Milk let down reflex -- 54: Introduction to sensory systems -- Sensation and perception -- Sensory pathways -- 55: Sensory receptors -- 56: Special senses: Taste and smell -- Gustation -- Olfaction -- 57: Special senses: Vision -- 58: Special senses: Hearing and balance -- Hearing -- Balance -- 59: Motor control and the cerebellum -- Motor control -- The cerebellum -- 60: Proprioception and reflexes -- Self-assessment MCQs -- Chapter 1: Homeostasis and the physiology of proteins -- Chapter 2: Body water compartments and physiological fluids -- Chapter 3: Cells, membranes and organelles -- Chapter 4: Membrane transport proteins and ion channels.

Chapter 5: Biological electricity -- Chapter 6: Conduction of action potentials -- Chapter 7: The autonomic nervous system -- Chapter 8: Blood -- Chapter 9: Platelets and haemostasis -- Chapter 10: Defence: Inflammation and immunity -- Chapter 11: Principles of diffusion and flow -- Chapter 12: Skeletal muscle and its contraction -- Chapter 13: Neuromuscular junction and whole muscle contraction -- Chapter 14: Motor units, recruitment and summation -- Chapter 15: Cardiac and smooth muscle -- Chapter 16: Introduction to the cardiovascular system -- Chapter 17: The heart -- Chapter 18: The cardiac cycle -- Chapter 19: Initiation of the heart beat and excitation-contraction coupling -- Chapter 20: Control of cardiac output and Starling's law of the heart -- Chapter 21: Blood vessels -- Chapter 22: Control of blood pressure and blood volume -- Chapter 23: The microcirculation, filtration and lymphatics -- Chapter 24: Local control of blood flow and special circulations -- Chapter 25: Introduction to the respiratory system -- Chapter 26: Lung mechanics -- Chapter 27: Transport of gases and the gas laws -- Chapter 28: Carriage of oxygen and carbon dioxide by the blood -- Chapter 29: Control of breathing -- Chapter 30: Ventilation-perfusion matching and right to left shunts -- Chapter 31: Introduction to the renal system -- Chapter 32: Renal filtration -- Chapter 33: Reabsorption and secretion and the proximal tubule -- Chapter 34: The loop of Henle and the distal nephron -- Chapter 35: Regulation of plasma osmolality and fluid volume -- Chapter 36: Control of acid-base status -- Chapter 37: Gastrointestinal tract: overview and the mouth -- Chapter 38: Oesophagus and stomach -- Chapter 39: Small intestine -- Chapter 40: The exocrine pancreas, liver and gallbladder -- Chapter 41: Large intestine -- Chapter 42: Endocrine control.

Chapter 43: Control of metabolic fuels.