Physiology (The term comes from two Greek words: physis-nature, and logos-discourse) is the principal branch of biological sciences and stands above all. It is the science of processes taking place in living organisms.
It studies the functions of the organism, the activities of its different organs in their interaction with environment, for example the work, of muscles, heart, brain and spinal cord.
The knowledge of morphology and anatomy is very essential for the science of physiology because the science of physiology is indissolubly associated with these sciences.
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This statement may be confirmed by the structures and functions of various organs of the body of the organism: the structure of lung is connected with the function of gas exchange, that of kidney with the formation of urine, that of stomach with the digestion of food.
It follows that the structure of the organism and its various organs must be considered in relation to their function.
Physiology is very important subject in a medical curriculum as without its knowledge it is impossible to understand the changes caused by disease in the various organs and the organism as a whole.
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It follows that the knowledge of physiology is essential for the study of any medical subject. In addition, physiology reveals the common origin of man and other animals, and the material character of all the processes taking place in the body of living organism.
Physiology as an independent science was founded in the 17th century after the discovery of William Harvey (1578-1657), the English physician who discovered the circulation of blood, the first physiological activity of the body of that period which came into light.
Physics and chemistry have great significance for the advancement of physiology, since the fundamental task of physiology is to study the various processes or activities going on regularly in the body of living organisms, it is very essential to know the physical and chemical laws underlying each physiological function.
To study physiology the principle of the integrity of the organism and its relation with its external environment is of great importance because all organs of the living organism are inter- connected, they continuously interact and make up a common complex system. The organism is also closely connected with its external environment.