Anatomy and Physiology  DETAILS:

• Anatomy and Physiology is the major core biology course around which the Academy of Medical Science Technology (AMST) student focuses his or her studies at Bergen County Academies (BCA).  This course provides a thorough background in anatomy and physiology at an introductory college level.
  
• Details of the curriculum and assessments for A&P Trimester 3 may be found by scrolling down. In addition, Trimester 1 and 2 information may be assessed as well via the main MENU. 

Anatomy and Physiology TRIMESTER 3 CURRICULUM:

• In trimester 3 we complete our study of cellular physiology as we consider how molecules move through membranes.  Essential to our future explorations of whole body physiology, we need to understand how molecules gain entry or exit from cells using diffusion, active transport or the large scale processes of endo- and exocytosis.
  
• Whole body physiology begins with the question: "Why do many of the organ systems such as the circulatory, respiratory, digestive, and excretory systems exist?"  The answer deals with the need to provide a constant environment around our cells so that their physiology can continue which enables them to do their job.
  
• Our FIRST whole body topic, entitled HOMEOSTASIS, deals with the process by which our bodies actually maintain a constant internal environment.
  
  • Homeostasis is created via Homeostatic Control Systems which are also called Negative Feedback Systems or Stimulus - Response Systems. If you understand the principles of control theory as it applies to human physiology you will then find it much easier to understand the answers to the WHY of anatomy and physiology.  This concept will be further elaborated during trimester 3 when the circulatory, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and urinary systems are explored in depth.
  • Control systems act to keep a controlled variable near its normal or set point value.  In other words, if a variable increases in value above the normal value, then the system acts in a way to reduce the variable back toward the normal value.  Thus a controlled variable will oscillate around its set point value.  The principles of control theory in humans applies also in general to engineering systems.  For example, thermoregulation in humans and termperature regulation in your house have similar components and operation. There are several crucial components to a control system which can be more easily understood by examing a specific example of blood pressure homeostasis:
  • STIMULUS: change in value of perceived variable away from its normal value
  • PERCEIVED VARIABLE: blood pressure
  • SENSOR: pressure receptors in the large blood vessels
  • AFFERENT PATHWAY: IXth and Xth cranial nerves carry information from the sensor to the integrating center
  • INTEGRATING CENTER: brainstem cardiovascular center where the perceived blood pressure is compared to the normal value
  • EFFERENT PATHWAY: sympathetic and parasympathetic autonomic nervous system nerves carry a decision made in the integrating center out to apparati that will put the decision into effect
  • EFFECTOR: smooth muscle wrapped around arteriole blood vessels 
  • RESPONSE: change in blood pressure in opposite direction from the normal value in comparison to the stimulus

• It should be noted that control systems in the human body use both the nervous and endocrine systems.  The remainder of trimester 3 will be spent investigating  Communication Systems such as the
• nervous systems and
• endocrine (hormones).
• Indeed, the interplay between the nervous and endocrine systems is so intertwined that they are often referred to as the Neuroendocrine system.
  
• Therefore, trimester 3's major focus will be the beginning of an in-depth study of NEUROSCIENCE (the study of the nervous system) including sensors, sensory pathways to the brain, the brain, neural pathways to response tissues, and the response tissues: muscles and glands.  This study is the essence of the remainder of A&P I and.... all of A&P II during 12th grade.
• To be specific, the first step of Neuroscience is to understand the anatomy and physiology of neurons which are the basic functional units of the human nervous system.  This study will take us into the study of electrophysiology as we learn the ionic events used by neurons to communicate with each other as well as sensors (e.g., retinal rods and cones) and effectors (e.g., muscles and glands.)
  

Anatomy and Physiology INSTRUCTOR:

Dr. DeWitt was formally educated at the Univeristy of Michigan where he was awarded a PhD in the area of cardiovascular physiology.  He is a former Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology. He has taught physiology concepts to various students ranging from high school to collegiate undergraduate, nursing, medical, and graduate students since 1973. Dr. D. is the first biology instructor at Bergen County Academies and was instrumental in the creation of the science curriculum in AAST and AEDT.  He currently teaches core courses for AEDT, AMST and GLE. He also teaches a number of electives in biology and physiology. All of his courses may be accessed at Dr. DeWitt's Websites Index.

• Textbook:

Hole's Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology 8th ed. 2003, by Shier, Butler, and Lewis	Biology 5th ed., 1999 by Campbell, Reece & Mitchell
Hole's Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology will be used for A&P during all trimesters as an introductory reference.  Please click on the book to visit the publisher's website.	Biology will be used primarily during trimester 1-2 but will be useful during subsequent trimesters.

• Panels:

THE major source of information in this course will be a collection of notes provided by the instructor.  The famous PANELS will bring to you the latest information on each topic.  Please bring to class a 3-ring notebook that will allow you to efficiently and safely store your precious class notes. If you are continuing with a medically related career, these notes will be very useful in college. I promise!

• Internet References:

Internet resources are found on their own website.