Reviews:
The best
aspect of this text is the quality of the writing. The writers have a clear
excitement about the subject, and for the most part, this makes reading the
text pleasant rather than dry.
The book opens with an introduction to homeostasis and provides a theoretical backbone for the study of human physiology. The second chapter is the obligatory introduction to fundamental chemistry (atoms, protons, neutrons, electrons, etc.) that seems to be in almost every basic science book. Chapters three, four, and five are typical of almost all texts about life - cell structure and function, proteins, metabolism, and chemical messengers.
It's not until chapter six, "Neuronal Signaling and the Structure of the Nervous System," that the text begins to move away from an introductory biology book. Chapter six serves as a model for the rest of the book and the central principle of physiology: The human body wants to be in balance, and there are competing chemical and electrical pathways fighting for and against this balance. The final chapter, which my professor skipped, is medically oriented. The student is asked to consider what they have learned and apply it to a case study narrative, to essentially diagnose a patient.
Throughout the text there are numerous figures, tables, key words, and
end-of-chapter study guides (the guides are very helpful for organizing
information when studying for a test). Yet the diverse presentation of
information is a bit overwhelming sometimes. For example, some chapters have
far too many bolded key words in a row, which can be distracting to read.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this text. There's a lot of information in this book, but if you take the time to read and reread the text, you'll have a very good understanding of basic human physiology.
Subjects of each chapter:
1. Homeostasis
2. Basic chemistry
3. Cell structure and function
4. Cell membranes
5. Chemical messengers
6. Nervous system
7. Sensory physiology
8. The brain
9. Muscle
10. Control of body movement
11. Endocrine system
12. Cardiovascular system
13. Respiratory system
14. Kidneys
15. Digestion
16. Metabolism
17. Reproduction
18. Defense mechanisms of the body
19. Clinical cases
2. Basic chemistry
3. Cell structure and function
4. Cell membranes
5. Chemical messengers
6. Nervous system
7. Sensory physiology
8. The brain
9. Muscle
10. Control of body movement
11. Endocrine system
12. Cardiovascular system
13. Respiratory system
14. Kidneys
15. Digestion
16. Metabolism
17. Reproduction
18. Defense mechanisms of the body
19. Clinical cases
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