BIO 345 - ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY

Course Syllabus - Fall 2001

Instructor:      Dr. Robert Roer        DO -109 Text:      Animal Physiology - Mechanisms and Adaptations, D. Randall, W. Burggren, K. French, 5th Edition

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DATE              TOPIC                                                                    READING

Aug. 22           Introduction, Intermediary metabolism                                         Chaps. 1&2

Aug. 24            The TCA cycle, electron transport                                                    Chap. 3

Aug. 27          Respiration: gas laws, Fick's law                                                     Chap. 13

Aug. 29          Respiratory adaptations: Respiratory structures

Aug. 31          Countercurrent exchange, mechanisms of ventilation

Sep. 05           Lungs: Surface tension, elastic recoil and ventilation

Sep. 07            Respiratory adaptations: Pigments, oxygen dissociation

Sep. 10            Bohr effect, carbon dioxide transport, regulation, anaerobiosis

Sep. 12           Circulation: closed and open systems                                                Chap. 12

Sep. 14            Vertebrate circulatory systems and hearts

Sep. 17           Peripheral circulation, Starling's hypothesis

Sep. 19            Cardiac output, control of circulation

Sep. 21           1st HOURLY EXAM   (sample exam questions) (grade distribution)

Sep. 24           Diving adaptations, swim bladders

Sep. 26           Water and solute metabolism: osmosis, Nernst equation                   Chap. 4

Sep. 28            Gibbs-Donnan equilibrium, bioelectric potentials (try a good transport TUTORIAL)

Oct. 01           Active transport, Na,K-ATPase

Oct. 03            Osmoregulation and cell volume regulation

Oct. 05           Hyperosmotic regulation                                                                      Chap. 14

Oct. 08           Hypo-osmotic regulation

Oct. 10           Isosmotic regulation, terrestrial adaptations

Oct. 15           Vertebrate kidney, hormonal control

Oct. 17           Nitrogen excretion, acid/base balance

Oct. 19           2nd HOURLY EXAMINATION (sample exam questions) (grade distribution)

Oct. 22           Digestion: nutrition, hydrolysis                                                            Chap. 15

Oct. 24            Digestive enzymes and absorption

Oct. 26           Whole animal metabolism: metabolic rates                                        Chap. 16

Oct. 29            Activity, cost of locomotion, scope (problems)

Oct. 31           Conformity & regulation, scaling

Nov. 02           Temperature: conformity, regulation, freezing

Nov. 05           Acclimation: proteins, isozymes and membranes

Nov. 07           Thermoregulation: insects and fish, Homeothermy

Nov. 09           3rd HOURLY EXAMINATION (sample exam questions) (grade distribution)

Nov. 12           Muscle: muscle structure                                                                    Chap. 10

Nov. 14            Mechanism of contraction

Nov. 16            Excitation/contraction coupling, fiber types

Nov. 19           Nervous system: resting potential, Goldman equation                         Chap. 5

Nov. 26            Action potential, conduction

Nov. 28            Synaptic transmission                                                                            Chap. 6

Nov. 30           Neurotransmitters

Dec. 03            Postsynaptic potentials

Dec. 05           Neural networks and integration

Dec. 07            Sensory physiology                                                                                Chap. 7

Dec. 10            Photoreceptors & other sensory receptors

Dec. 12            Review (sample questions for the Final)

COMPREHENSIVE FINAL EXAMINATION:      8-11am, Saturday, December 15


Grading Procedure:

               Hourly examinations @ 20% each = 60%, Final examination 40%

There will be no make-up exams.  If you miss one or more of the hourly examinations, your final exam grade will count proportionally more.

The total score will be an average of your tests and lab grade, weighted according to the formula above. Your final grade will be determined from your total score on the exams; there is no curve. An A will be awarded for a score of 90.0 to 100, B for 80.0 to 89.9, C for 70.0 to 79.9, D for 60.0 to 69.9, and F for scores <60.0. 


I tend to base my examinations on the information that I present in lecture. Therefore, you will find that coming to class and taking good notes will significantly increase your chances of success in this course. The text is a supplement to the lecture, and should provide background and an alternative presentation of material. All questions on the exams will be multiple choice, essays, short answers and problems. The best way to prepare for the exams is to study continuously. If you read over your notes, from the beginning to the last class, two or three times a week, you will find that you won't have to cram at all.


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Updated on 08 August 2003

Robert D. Roer, roer@uncwil.edu