What is Physiology? History and theoretical and practical bases

We explain what this branch of science consists of and what its mission is.

Throughout the centuries, human beings have tried to find an explanation for what is happening around us and have wanted to understand how our body works.

Understanding how living organs work and why their different parts (cells, muscles, joints, etc.), has great applications. For example, a better understanding of Cancer cells has been key to medicine and is necessary to improve our health. Likewise, knowing the role of our muscles can help us in sports performance or injury recovery.

In response to this need for knowledge, physiology was born.Physiology: this is a subdiscipline of biology that studies the functions and anatomy of living systems.

History of Physiology

The word Physiology comes from the Greek φυσις, "physis", which refers to the term "nature", and λογος, "logos", which means knowledge.

1. Ancient and Middle Ages

Its origins can be traced back to the 5th century B.C.Hippocrates, the father of medicine, who was born in Greece in 460 B.C. He is known for his theory of the humors and his great contributions to the medical sciences. However, the critical thinking of Aristotle and his ideas of the relationship between structure and function, as well as Galen's interest in experimentation, were also decisive for this biological science to develop.

The Middle Ages was also a crucial period in the development of physiology with contributions from the Arabs, who integrated the Greek and Indian knowledge of those times. Some characters of the time were very important, such as Avicenna and Ibn al-Nafis, the latter known as the father of circulatory physiology (he correctly described the anatomy of the heart, the structure of the lungs and their circulation).

2. Modern and Contemporary Ages

The Renaissance is known for being the era of physiological research in the Western world.It was during this period that the modern study of this discipline was activated. The works of Andreas Vesalius are considered to be very influential and this author is usually referred to as the founder of human anatomy. Subsequently, William Harvey, as the developer of experimental physiology, and Herman Boerhaave, as the founder of clinical teaching, allowed the progress of physiological knowledge and its diffusion in academic environments.

This knowledge continued to accumulate over the centuries, especially from the 19th century onwards, when the American Physiological Association was founded and when the Cell Theory of Matthias Schleiden and Theodor Schwann appeared. Other authors such as Ivan Pavlov also made findings that were crucial for other disciplines such as Psychology or Education.

In the 20th century, Evolutionary Physiology became a distinct discipline. The technological advances of the last decades have allowed this science to increase its discoveries and its contributions to humanity.

Basis of Physiology

The structure and life of living beings is more complex than the sum of its separate parts (cells, tissues, organs, etc.). For this reason, physiology is based on the foundations of other disciplines related to biology:

• AnatomyThe study of bones, muscles, joints, etc.

• BiophysicsGenetics: It focuses on the study of physical principles that are present in the processes of living beings.

• GeneticsIt refers to the study of hereditary phenomena that are transmitted from one generation to the next.

• BiochemistryThis science deals with the study of the chemical composition of living organisms.

• BiomechanicsBiomechanics: It studies the mechanical forces and structures that act and are present in living beings.

Types of Physiology

Given the number of fields that physiology covers, it is possible to classify this discipline into different specialties:

1. plant physiology

The study of those physiological components that affect plants and vegetables, such as photosynthesis, plant nutrition and reproduction, or the functions of plant hormones.

Animal physiology

The branch of physiology that deals with the biological study of animal species.

3. Human physiology

This branch of physiology belongs to animal physiology, but focuses on the study of the human body and its different parts and functions.

4. General physiology

The study of both plant physiology and animal physiology is known as general physiology.

5. Comparative physiology

It aims at comparing the functioning and structures of animals and man.

6. Cellular physiology

Focused on studying the functions and anatomy of cells and how they capture stimuli and process information, reproduce and grow, feed themselves, etc.

7. Physiological Psychology

The study of biological structures, elements and processes related to mental life and normal or pathological behavior.

Other types of Physiology

The previous classification is the most important, however, there are other types of physiology according to different authors.

• Embryonic physiologyHearing physiology: as its name indicates, its study revolves around the comparison of different types of animal embryos in general.

• Physiology of hearingIt is necessary to study the anatomy and physiology of the auditory apparatus.

• Cardiac physiologyIt is in charge of the study of the anatomy and functioning of the heart.

• Renal physiologyIt studies the functioning and structure of the kidneys and especially of the nephron, the basic functional unit of this organ.

• Tissue physiologyIt is related to cellular physiology because tissues are unions of cells that work together to perform a specific task.

• Physiology of visionIt studies the anatomy and functions of the eye.

• Reproductive physiologyIt is in charge of studying the mechanisms related to the reproduction of living beings.

• Vascular physiologyStructures and functions performed by veins, arteries and capillaries.

Conclusion

Physiology can be classified into different types; however, all of them refer to general physiology: a science closely linked to Biology that has allowed us to understand how our organism, that of other animals, plants and microorganisms works.plants and microorganisms.

Discoveries in Physiology have been key to the development of other disciplines such as Medicine, Psychology or Sports Training.