Preface vii Acknowledgements viii Abbreviations ix About the companion website xi Part I Introduction 1 1 Homeostasis and the physiology of proteins 2 2 Body water compartments and physiological fluids 4 3 Cells, membranes and organelles 6 4 Membrane transport and ion channels 8 5 Biological electricity 10 6 Conduction of action potentials 12 7 Cell signalling 14 8 The autonomic nervous system 16 9 Blood 18 10 Platelets and haemostasis 20 11 Defence: inflammation and immunity 22 12 Principles of diffusion and flow 24 13 Thermoregulation 26 14 Altitude and aerospace physiology 28 Part II Muscles 31 15 Skeletal muscle and its contraction 32 16 Neuromuscular junction and whole muscle contraction 34 17 Motor units, recruitment and summation 36 18 Cardiac and smooth muscle 38 Part 3 The cardiovascular system 41 19 Introduction to the cardiovascular system 42 20 The heart 44 21 The cardiac cycle 46 22 Initiation of the heart beat and excitation-contraction coupling 48 23 Control of cardiac output and Starling's law of the heart 50 24 Blood vessels 52 25 Control of blood pressure and blood volume 54 26 The microcirculation, filtration and lymphatics 56 27 Local control of blood flow and specific circulations 58 Part 4 The respiratory system 61 28 Introduction to the respiratory system 62 29 Lung mechanics 64 30 Transport of gases and the gas laws 66 31 Carriage of oxygen and carbon dioxide by the blood 68 32 Control of breathing 70 33 Ventilation-perfusion matching and right to left shunts 72 Part 5 The renal system 75 34 Introduction to the renal system 76 35 Renal filtration 78 36 Reabsorption, secretion and the proximal tubule 80 37 The loop of Henle and distal nephron 82 38 Regulation of plasma osmolality and fluid volume 84 39 Control of acid-base status 86 Part 6 The gut and metabolism 89 40 Gastrointestinal tract: overview and the mouth 90 41 Oesophagus and stomach 92 42 Small intestine 94 43 The exocrine pancreas, liver and gallbladder 96 44 Large intestine 98 Part 7 Endocrinology and reproduction 101 45 Endocrine control 102 46 Control of metabolic fuels 104 47 The hypothalamus and pituitary gland 106 48 Thyroid hormones and metabolic rate 108 49 Growth factors 110 50 Somatic and skeletal growth 112 51 Control of plasma calcium 114 52 The adrenal glands and stress 116 53 Endocrine control of reproduction 118 54 Sexual differentiation and function 120 55 Fertilization, pregnancy and parturition 122 56 Lactation 124 Part 8 The sensory and motor systems 127 57 Introduction to sensory systems 128 58 Sensory receptors 130 59 Special senses: taste and smell 132 60 Special senses: vision 134 61 Special senses: hearing and balance 136 62 Motor control and the cerebellum 138 63 Proprioception and reflexes 140 Glossary 142 Appendix I Comparison of the properties of skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscle 144 Appendix II Normal physiological values 145 Index 148.