Physiology meaning in biology

Definition noun (1) A branch of biology that deals with the functions, mechanisms, and activities of (2) The biological processes and functions of the parts of an Supplement Physiology is a broad sub-field in Since physiology determines the relative functions of parts, it crosses another important sub-field in biology, which is Word origin: Latin physiologia, from Ancient Greek physis (natural, origin) + – logia (study of) Related term(s): Physiology is the study of how living organisms function. Thus, human physiology deals specifically with the physiological attributes of the human body at various levels of organization, i.e. from cellular to tissue and ultimately, physiology at the biological system level. Human physiology is important because it imparts an in-depth understanding of the vital processes that.. Molecules move within the cell or from one cell to another through different strategies. Transport may be in the form of simple diffusion, facilitated diffusion, active transport, osmosis, endocytosis, exocytosis, epithelial transport, or glandular secretion. This tutorial provides elaborate details on each of these mechanisms. Find out how. .. • • • • • • • • The content on this website is for information only. It is not intended to provide medical, legal, or any other professional advice. Any information here should not be considered absolutely correct, complete, and up-to-date. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of Biology Online, its staff, o...

The manifest appearance of function and purpose in living systems is responsible for the prevalence of apparently teleological explanations of organismic structure and behavior in biology. Although the attribution of function and purpose to living systems is an ancient practice, teleological notions are largely considered ineliminable from modern biological sciences, such as evolutionary biology, genetics, medicine, ethology, and psychiatry, because they play an important explanatory role. Historical and recent examples of teleological claims include the following: The chief function of the heart is the transmission and pumping of the blood through the arteries to the extremities of the body. (Harvey 1616 [1928: 49]) The Predator Detection hypothesis remains the strongest candidate for the function of stotting [by gazelles]. (Caro 1986: 663) The geographic range of human malaria is much wider than the range of the sickle-cell gene. As it happens, other antimalarial genes take over the protective function of the sickle-cell gene in … other warm parts. (Diamond 1994: 83) Despite the substantial amount of data we now have on theropod dinosaurs, more information is necessary in order to determine the likelihood that early feathers served an adaptive function in visual display as opposed to other proposed adaptive functions such as thermoregulation. (Dimond et al. 2011: 62) The ubiquity of claims such as these raises the question: how should apparently teleological notions in b...

What is morphology? Within the field of biology, morphology is the study of the shapes and arrangement of parts of organisms, in order to determine their function, their development, and how they may have been shaped by evolution. Morphology is particularly important in classifying species, since it can often reveal how closely one species is related to another. Morphology is studied within other sciences as well, including astronomy and geology. And in language, morphology considers where words come from and why they look the way they do. Recent Examples on the Web An emerging discipline called synthetic morphology is now questioning that notion. — Philip Ball, Scientific American, 18 Apr. 2023 These were based on human sign language but modified for the unique morphology of a gorilla. — Tim Brinkhof, Discover Magazine, 6 Jan. 2022 The system design is motivated by the result of a morphology design optimization. — IEEE Spectrum, 25 Mar. 2020 Even if the soft tissues of a worm fossilized instead of quickly rotting away, a preserved bobbit worm would provide information about morphology, but probably not behavior. — Matt Simon, Wired, 21 Jan. 2021 Interestingly, this only happened in the roosters—in hens, the canals shut somewhat, but don’t close completely because of slight differences in the morphology of their ears. — Christie Wilcox, Discover Magazine, 31 Dec. 2017 Levin thinks all this is just the start for synthetic morphology. — Philip Ball, Scientific American, 18 A...

• Cell theory is the principle that all living things are made of fundamental units called cells, and all cells come from preexisting cells. • Gene theory is the principle that all living things have • • Evolution is the principle that describes how all living things can change to have traits that enable them to survive better in their environments. These traits result from random mutations in the organism's genes that are "selected" via a process called natural selection. During natural selection, organisms that have traits better-suited for their environment have higher rates of survival, and then pass those traits to their offspring. The many branches of biology Although there are only four unifying principles, biology covers a broad range of topics that are broken into many disciplines and subdisciplines. On a high level, the different fields of biology can each be thought of as the study of one type of organism, according to " A botanist is a biologist who studies plants. (Image credit: Shutterstock) Within those broader fields, many biologists specialize in researching a specific topic or problem. For example, a scientist may study behavior of a certain fish species, while another scientist may research the neurological and chemical mechanisms behind the behavior. – Science and the scientific method: Definitions and examples – What is chemistry? – What is a scientific theory? – What is a scientific hypothesis? There are numerous branches and subdisciplines of biology...

Physiology What is Physiology? Physiology is the study of the characteristics and mechanisms of the human body. Cells are the basic unit of life and approximately 100 trillion cells make up the typical human, each specially adapted to perform one or a few particular functions. Nearly 25 trillion red blood cells function by transporting oxygen from the lungs to all tissues in the body. All cells have some basic commonalities. Oxygen reacts with carbohydrates, fat, and protein to release energy, nutrient consumption, and energy production mechanisms. Almost all cells have the ability to reproduce further similar cells. Human Physiology The major systems of the human body are as follows: • The Endocrine System The endocrine system is an integration system influencing the metabolic activities of cells. It functions through Hormones – They are the chemical substances produced by the endocrine glands that control the metabolic functions of other cells. • Steroid based hormones – cholesterol derivatives. • Amino acid-based hormones: single modified amino acids, amino acid derivatives, proteins, peptides, glycoproteins. • Eicosanoids — derivatives of arachidonic acid, 20-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acid Mechanisms of Hormone Action Synthesised hormones affect on target cells by: Changing in membrane permeability as a result of the closing and opening of the channels. Deactivation or activation of regulatory molecules — covalent modification. Synthesis of regulatory mole...

< Back Main Menu • • • • • • Academics • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Admissions • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Student Experience • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Tuition & Aid • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • The College • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Utility Menu • • • • • • Search Physiology vs. Biology: What’s the Difference? For anyone with a curious mind, pursuing a future in science may seem like an obvious choice. In such a vast field, however, choosing the right major can feel overwhelming. Throughout your time in school, you’ve hopefully had a chance to explore many different areas of scientific study. If topics like life and nature inspire you, you may find yourself leaning toward the study of biology or physiology. But how do they differ, and which one should you choose? In this article, we’ll look at what you can expect from physiology vs. biology—both during college and beyond. What Will I Study in Physiology? Physiology is a sub-discipline of biology that pertains to the inner workings of a living organism. From each organism’s molecular mechanism to their organs and systems, physiology asks questions about the physical and chemical functions of living things. Physiological science is often studied alongside anatomy, and while the two are related, there’s a subtle difference. Anatomy is the study of structures and physiological processes within the organism; physiology deals with how these systems w...