文档介绍：Chapter 1
The goal of physiology is to study the phenomena and regularity of life's activities, to explain the physical and chemical factors that are responsible for the origin, development, and progression of life. In human physiology, we are concerned with the specific characteristics and mechanisms of the human body that make it a living being.
Physiological studies provide an important basis for modern medicine. At the same time, clinical studies can help us to understand physiological function. Physiology prises three levels of function: cell and molecule an and system level and a general level. In the anism-psychology-society-environment medical pattern, physiological studies should investigate not only the changes of some physiology variables, but also the effects to environment, society and psychology. Methods used in physiological research include both animal and human experiments. Animal studies can be divided into chronic and acute experiments. Acute experiments consist of manipulations in vivo and in vitro. A manipulation performed on the whole body is called an experiment in vivo whereas studies on isolated tissues ans involve experiments in vitro. Chronic experiments may be performed on a conscious subject for a long period of time.
Metabolism, excitability, adaptability and reproduction are the basic characteristics of life activity. The term "metabolism"