InterActive Physiology®significantly enriches the teaching environment by providing audio/visual understanding of complex topics. For use as both a presentation and teaching tool in the classroom, as well as a study tool for students, this CD-ROM covers ten body systems and features full-color animations, sound, interactive quizzes, games, and clinical scenarios that thoroughly demonstrate difficult physiology concepts and help bridge the gap between simply memorizing a concept and truly understanding it
Anatomy
Each Body System begins with an "Anatomy Review," giving students a chance to brush up on the necessary anatomy that will be covered in the body system.
Animations Animations show physiological processes in action. They can be paused, stepped through, or repeated to make it easier to comprehend processes that change over time, to correlate multiple events, or to relate physiological functions with graphical representations. Animations concentrate on cellular and molecular processes.
Self-Quizzes
Self-quizzes test and reinforce students' understanding of concepts with interactive exercises that encourage critical thinking and problem solving. Engaging animations allow students to predict outcomes and test their understanding. Students can return to the topic for a quick review with the click of a link button.
Textbook Correlations
Students can access the appropriate chapter outline from Human Anatomy and Physiology, Third Edition, by Elaine N. Marieb, R.N., Ph.D. to help correlate the module topics with the relevant pages and figures in the textbook.
Learning Goals
Every topic contains learning goals for the student and a brief list of what the learner should know before proceeding. Virtual Professor
Additional clarification and emphasis on important, difficult concepts are provided by Elaine Marieb, who appears on-screen as the "Virtual Professor." On-Screen Glossaries
Important terminology presented in "hot" form, so that users can access on-screen glossaries and additional information.
Cardiovascular System Anatomy Review: The Heart. By illustrating the external and internal heart from four different views,
this topic provides students with greater understanding of the spatial relationships among heart structures. The overall circulation in the body is animated.
Intrinsic Conduction System. An animation shows the pathway of depolarization in the heart, and ECG waves are explained. The two are then put together to help students understand the correlation between
an ECG graph and events in the heart. The quiz includes matching and puzzle exercises, and then students must apply their knowledge to two clinical situations–a left bundle branch block and tachycardia.
Cardiac Action Potential. Using animations, this topic leads students step-by-step through the difficult concepts of pacemaker potentials and action potentials. Animated events in autorhythmic and contractile cardiac cells are correlated with animated graphs of membrane potential. The quiz questions require
students to demonstrate their understanding of membrane potential and the roles of various ion channels.
Cardiac Cycle. An animation of blood flow through the heart is presented, followed by step-by-step animations and explanations of the phases of the cardiac cycle. The blood flow animation is then correlated with animated graphs of pressure, ventricular volume, and an ECG. This allows students to make the connections between the graphs and events occurring in the heart. The quiz tests student understanding of the stages of the cardiac cycle in relation to heart valves, blood flow, and the ECG/pressure/volume graphs.
Cardiac Output. Cardiac output is demonstrated in a way that could only be done on computer! Students are also asked to predict the effects of 10 different factors on heart rate, stroke volume, and cardiac output, and then give an explanation for each factor. In the quiz, students must calculate cardiac output and relate it to the volume of soda bottles, and demonstrate their understanding of heart rate and stroke volume regulation.
Blood Vessel Physiology: Anatomy Review. Blood Vessel Structure: The flow of blood is traced through the blood vessels of the body, using animations to demonstrate the structural and functional characteristics of each vessel type.
Measuring Blood Pressure. This topic illustrates what is happening in the body when blood pressure is measured. The quiz gives students an opportunity to try their hand at interpreting blood pressure measurement sounds.
Factors That Affect Blood Pressure. Animations and analogies are used to demonstrate the factors that affect blood pressure. In the quiz, students must identify the factors that will lower someone's blood pressure.
Blood Pressure Regulation. Using animations, this topic helps students understand the complexities of short-term and long-term regulation of blood pressure. In the quiz, students can experiment with the effects of nerve stimulation, epinephrine, and acetylcholine. Also, they must correctly identify the chain of events that begins when dehydration occurs, and when blood volume and blood pressure are increased or decreased.
Autoregulation and Capillary Dynamics. In this topic, animations and analogies are used to explain the control of blood flow through individual organs (autoregulation) and the movement of solutes and fluids across capillary walls. In the quiz, students must apply their knowledge of autoregulation to muscle cells. Also, they must use their understanding of capillary dynamics to predict how digested foods and respiratory gases are transported across capillary walls.
Digestive System
Anatomy Review: Overall Function of the GI System. Discusses the four-layered wall of the GI tract (mucuosa, submucosa, muscularis externa, and serosa). Illustrates the anatomical features of the GI tract and outlines their functions. The quiz questions ask the student to identify and label structures, complete a summary chart, match structures and functions, and apply their understanding to a clinical problem (acid reflux).
Control of the Digestive System.Step-by-step illustration of the phases of control of the digestive process. Discusses the involvement of the parasympathetic, sympathetic, and enteric nervous systems. Demonstrates the functions of neurotransmitters and hormones in the digestive process. In the quiz, students must demonstrate their understanding of reflex activities of the GI tract and apply what they've learned about neurotransmitters to clinical problems (treatment of diarrhea and dysentery).
Motility. Describes the actions of the muscles of the GI tract that mix and propel its contents. Animations demonstrate peristalsis, segmentation, migrating motility complexes, mass movements, defecation, and vomiting. The quiz questions require students to build a table identifying motility in the different regions of the GI tract, create a chain of events describing defecation, and apply their understanding of motility to clinical problems (constipation and diarrhea).
Secretion. Illustrates GI tract secretions (salivary, gastric, pancreatic, liver, and intestinal) and their functions. Students travel through each region to learn about neural and hormonal regulation of the secretions. The quiz includes drag-and-drop activities to identify specific secretions, and an interactive activity to provide patient education to someone who has had a gallbladder removed.
Endocrine System Endocrine System Review. Identifies the major endocrine glands and tissues, the hormones they produce, their target tissues, and a simple function for each hormone.
Biochemistry, Secretion, and Transport of Hormones. Covers the chemical classes and solubility properties of hormones, how hormones are synthesized, and the stimuli that control hormone secretion.
The Actions of Hormones on Target Cells. Reviews hormone receptors, second messenger systems and transcription factors, insulin (including a discussion of diabetes mellitus), and how hormones induce changes in cellular metabolism.
The Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis. An overview of the anatomy of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, a review of its endocrine and neural control, a study of the hypophyseal portal system, and a review of thyroid hormone (including the causes and consequences of hypo- and hypersecretion of TH and a discussion of Graves' disease).
Response to Stress. A discussion of stress in terms of endocrine function, the nervous system's role in responses to stress, and a review of epinephrine and cortisol (including a discussion of Cushing's disease and Addison's disease).
Fluids and Electrolytes Introduction to Body Fluids. Describes the roles and movements of fluids in the body, the composition of body fluids, three fluid compartments, the roles and compartmentalization of electrolytes, and osmosis.
Water Homeostasis. Show how water enters and leaves the body, and what happens when water homeostasis is disturbed. Describes the mechanisms of water balance and how they work to maintain water homeostasis.
Electrolyte Homeostasis. Compares the exchange of water and electrolytes between each of the fluid compartments and discusses edema. Show how the body regulates sodium, potassium, and calcium homeostasis.
Acid/Base Homeostasis. Reviews principles of acids, bases, pH, and dynamic equilibrium. Describes how the body regulates pH through respiratory and renal controls. Show respiratory and renal acidosis and alkalosis, with clinical examples.
Muscular System Anatomy Review: Skeletal Muscle Tissue. Compares the three types of muscle cells (skeletal, cardiac, and smooth). Illustrates the levels of organization of skeletal muscle tissue from a whole muscle down to the subcellular level. The quiz questions ask the student to complete a summary chart, label a muscle cell, match definitions and structures, and put together a puzzle.
The Neuromuscular Junction. Shows the anatomy of a neuromuscular junction and then illustrates, step-by-step, the events that occur at the neuromuscular junction. A summary animation puts all the steps together. In the quiz, students must demonstrate their knowledge of neuromuscular junction activity and apply what they've learned to new situations with clinical applications (the effects of curare, neostigmine, and nicotine).
Sliding Filament Theory. Describes the molecules that participate in contraction, followed by an animation of how a muscle cell contracts. The individual steps of the sliding filament theory are then explained, and then the full animation is shown again. The quiz questions require students to put the events of a cross bridge cycle in order and apply their knowledge to explain rigor mortis.
Muscle Metabolism. Illustrates the roles of ATP in a muscle cell and describes how ATP is synthesized, using both traditional flowcharts and in a more fanciful ATP "factory." Students are asked to predict the metabolic variations in different types of muscle fibers. The highlight of the quiz is Muscle Metabolism Mania, in which students can take turns answering questions and earning points.
Contraction of Motor Units. Animations show motor units of different sizes in action. Also, students must predict what will happen if a nerve to a muscle is cut, and then test their hypothesis by "cutting" the nerve to see the result. The quiz uses arcade-style games and a basketball game to relate motor unit size to real-life situations.
Contraction of Whole Muscle. After introducing the concepts related to muscle stimuli, this topic provides a lab simulation allowing the user to increase the voltage to an isolated muscle and then see the muscle's response, a graph of the response, and an explanation. Other simulations are given throughout this topic, which could be used as a supplement or substitute for a lab requiring the use of frog leg muscles. In the quiz, cellular concepts are applied to real-life situations.
Nervous System I. Anatomy Review. Describes features of neurons, the polarization of neurons and the direction of information flow in the cells. The quiz tests students' understanding of the anatomy of neurons and relation of neuronal structure to function.
Voltage Gated Ion Channels. Continues the anatomy of neurons, but at the channel level. The broad categories of channels, their regional location, and unique functions are described. The quiz tests students' understanding of the channel types and their functions.
Membrane Potential. Develops the principles for understanding how and why ions cross cell membranes. Students study passive channels and the chemical and electrical forces on Na+ and K+. The quiz tests students' understanding of the features of passive ion channels and the forces acting to move Na+ and K+.
Action Potential. Describes the permeability changes which bring about the action potential at the ion channel level. Students study the operation of voltage-gated channels, and the ionic movements that result as these channels open and close. Study of the generation of the action potential is followed by study of propagation of the action potential along the axon. The quiz tests students' understanding of the operation of voltage-gated channels, and resulting sequential movement of Na+ and K+ across the neuronal membrane.
Nervous System II. Anatomy Review: Synapsis. This topic begins by describing and illustrating the properties and purpose of synapses. Students observe how neuronal stimulation from the somatic and autonomic nervous systems affect different types of muscles. The actions of inhibition and excitation are demonstrated. Students learn the features of different types of synapses, and electrical and chemical synapses are described. The topic concludes by illustrating the presynaptic and postsynaptic components of the chemical synapse.
Chemically Gated Ion Channels. Provides an overview and demonstration of the properties of passive and active ion channels. Explains and illustrates the principles of directly-acting neurotransmitters, and students learn which ions are involved in generating rapid excitatory or inhibitory postsynaptic potentials. Goes on to explain how neurotransmitters can act indirectly on ion channels via second messengers to produce slow excitatory or inhibitory postsynaptic potentials.
Synaptic Transmission. Illustrates synaptic transmission and outcome step by step, illustrating neurotransmitter release, diffusion, binding, and termination. Students learn that the effect of a neurotransmitter depends upon receptor type, and they see how Ach affects nicotonic and muscarinic receptors in the central and autonomic nervous systems. The excitatory effect of glutamate, and the inhibitory effects of GABA and glycine, are demonstrated. Illustrations of different behaviors demonstrate the outcomes of directly-acting and indirectly-acting neurotransmitters on synaptic activity.
Synaptic Potentials and Cellular Integration. This topic begins by reviewing the properties of the action potential. The differences in characteristics between action potentials and synaptic potentials are demonstrated by graphing their impulses. The summation of synaptic potentials is explained, and examples of temporal and spatial summation are illustrated. The effect of combining inhibitory and excitatory postynaptic potentials is demonstrated, and the topic concludes with an explanation and behavioral example of cellular integration.
Respiratory System
Anatomy Review: Respiratory Structures. Using an overview diagram, the flow of air is traced from the external nares to the lungs. A Baboon analogy demonstrates the relationship between the visceral and parietal pleurae. Detailed art follows the flow of air from the bronchial tree all the way to the alveolus. Animations illustrate the types of cells in the alveolus, showing alveolar macrophages in action! The quizzes include labeling exercises and a clinical question about pulmonary edema.
Pulmonary Ventilation. This topic first demonstrates the relationship between volume and pressure. The movements of the thoracic cavity are correlated with graphs and gauges showing pressure changes in the lungs. Students are asked to predict the effect of pneumothorax on the lungs. The topic discusses airway resistance, and uses a baboon analogy to show lung compliance. In the quiz, students must sequence the events of inspiration and expiration, reinflate a lung, as well as correlate pressure graphs with airflow.
Gas Exchange. After introducing gas laws, this topic explains the factors affecting gas exchange in the lungs and tissues. Also, animations illustrate the effect of gas levels on the bronchioles and arterioles. In the quiz, students must correctly identify gas values in the lungs and tissues, and apply their knowledge of gas laws and gas exchange to make predictions.
Gas Transport. This topic discusses the different forms to which oxygen and carbon dioxide are carried in the body. The important oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve is presented in a dynamic manner, and has a predictable question to test understanding. The animations enliven the chemistry, making the molecules more than mere symbols. The quiz tests student knowledge with challenging labeling and sorting exercises, as well as predictable questions.
Control of Respiration. This topic illustrates the underlying importance of homeostasis in the control of respiration. Through flowcharts, the topic walks students through the feedback loop that controls respiration. The topic discusses the effects of hyper- and hypoventilation. The quiz tests understanding of these concepts by asking students to make predictions and also to manipulate elements in the flowcharts.
Urinary System
Anatomy Review. This topic shows the organs of the urinary system, and the external and internal anatomy of the kidney, including its blood supply. The nephron is covered, including the tubular segments and the associated blood vessels. In the renal corpuscle section, a glomerular capillary is expanded to show the layers of the filtration membrane, with photomicrographs for comparison and an animation of filtration of the membrane. Finally, the key features of the cells of each tubular segment are presented. The quizzes cover the structures presented.
Glomerular Filtration. This topic presents an overview of filtration, reabsorption, and secretion. Students can analyze filtrate and then answer a clinical question. Next, forces affecting filtration are shown and the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is introduced. An interactive animation introduces the discussion of autoregulation mechanisms of the GFR. The website demonstrates sympathetic control in emergency situations. Quizzes allow students to answer questions on concepts covered.
Early Filtrate Processing. This topic covers reabsorption and secretion. It starts with an analogy for reabsorption, and presents animations. Then it moves through the tubular segments, presenting animations of the movement of molecules through the luminal and basolateral membranes of each, differentiating between diffusion, primary active transport, and secondary active transport throughout. Then it shows how the countercurrent multiplier mechanism produces the medullary osmotic gradient. The extensive quiz questions include tubular permeability, predicting the effects of a diuretic drug, and a game called membrane transport trivia that can be played by two students.
Late Filtrate Processing. This topic covers reabsorption and secretion from the late DCT to the medullary collecting duct. First presented are the effects of aldosterone and antidiuretic hormone on filtrate processing in the late DCT and cortical collecting duct. The medullary osmotic gradient is reviewed, followed by changes in filtrate osmolarity as it moves through the gradient, leading to the discussion of final urine concentration. Finally, final urine volume is covered. Quizzes ask students to answer questions on the activities of various tubular regions, predict the effects of dehydration, and let students analyze various urine samples.
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WINDOWS 266 MHz Pentium processor
Windows 98, NT 4, 2000, or XP
64 MB RAM installed
800 x 600 screen resolution, thousands of colors
Internet Explorer: 5.0 or higher (for online use only), Shockwave Player 8, Flash Player 6, Quicktime 4
4x CD-ROM drive (CD-ROM)
Internet connection with 56K modem (for website)
