Grades for this course are based upon a final examination. This course provides a solid foundation in the basic physiology of the respiratory and renal systems. Basic concepts in gas exchange, pulmonary mechanics, ion transport processes, and nephron function are integrated into understanding the control of breathing and acid-base disorders. The multiple transport processes within the kidney and their control are used to gain an understanding of a number of fluid and electrolyte disorders. There is a special emphasis on the quantitative analysis of clinical problems.
Classes consist of lectures, laboratories, clinical presentations, and problem-solving conferences.
Grades for this course are based upon a final examination. Students and faculty present their research or current journal article for review and discussion. The signal transduction pathways responsible for regulating cytoskeletal interactions in these cells are compared. The course first focuses on the contractile and structural cytoskeleton in smooth muscle. This is followed by discussions of the regulation of actin-myosin interactions by kinases, phosphatases, and thin filament regulatory proteins during smooth muscle contraction.