Communications: Principles

Often, human biological systems (nervous, musculoskeletal circulatory, respiratory, digestive, and renal systems) are thought of as distinct processes. While it may be easier to study them separately, it is important to recognize the remarkable way in which they are connected. These systems work together allowing you to jump out of bed, eat a hearty breakfast, and race to catch the bus so you arrive on time for your HK* 2810 lecture. To study the complexity of human physiology you must first understand the basic principles of communication that facilitate the integration of systems within the body. In this chapter, you examine different types of membrane transport, propagation of action potentials, types of synapses, and how a muscle contraction is stimulated.

Here is a list of subchapters that will direct you to the corresponding page:

  1. Membrane Transport
  2. Bioelectricity
  3. Action Potentials
  4. Overcoming the Space Between Cells 
  5. Muscle Contraction 
  6. Skeletal Muscle Biophysical Characteristics
  7. Chapter Review

Chapter Learning Outcomes

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to…
  • Describe the mechanisms responsible for transporting molecules and ions across the cell membrane.
  • Understand the mechanisms that constitute a resting membrane potential of −70 millivolts (mV), and how to calculate membrane potentials during different magnitudes of excitation.
  • Apply your knowledge of bioelectricity to the propagation of an action potential to enable intercellular communication (different cells to communicate).
  • Understand and describe the sequence of events that takes place at neuromuscular and nerve-nerve junctions to form a synapse and overcome space between cells.
  • Compare and contrast skeletal and smooth muscle contractions.
  • Understand the functional organization of muscle fibers, and integrate knowledge to interpret different relationships between muscle characteristics and how they affect force outputs.

Communication: Principles Podcast

The podcast and paired transcript for this chapter will summarize the key concepts of each subchapter and provide helpful insight as well as examples that could be useful while studying. The podcast does not describe all of the content from this chapter, but it highlights the tricky concepts to hopefully make them clearer. When learning elaborate processes comparing muscle contraction it is commonly recommended to have a conversation with a classmate to gain a deeper understanding of the relationships between all the different variables. Listening to this podcast will feel like a discussion with a classmate, which could be a great way to review for tests!

 

“Communication: Principles Podcast” by Hanna Jodoin and Sydney Smart is All Rights Reserved.

 

The following list of hyperlinks will take you to each of the topics discussed in the podcast:

  1. Membrane Transport and Electrochemical Gradient
  2. Tips From Past Students: With or Against the Concentration Gradient
  3. Primary Active Transport
  4. Secondary Active Transport
  5. Bioelectricity: Resting Membrane Potential
  6. Goldman Equation
  7. Nernst Equation
  8. Action Potential
  9. Refractory Periods
  10. Myelination of Neurons
  11. Local Current
  12. Nerve to Skeletal Muscle Synapses (Chemical Synapses)
  13. Nerve to Nerve Synapses
  14. Metabotropic Chemical Synapses
  15. Muscle Contraction: Calcium Sources
  16. Skeletal Muscle Contraction

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

Human Physiology Copyright © by Human Physiology Students from University of Guelph is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book