INI CET Physiology Syllabus

Physiology syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Physiology in INI CET, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Cellular Physiology

   4 topics

   • Cell membrane structure and function
   • Membrane transport
     • Passive and active transport
     • Facilitated diffusion
     • Osmosis
   • Resting membrane potential, action potential, and synaptic transmission
   • Neurotransmitters and their receptors
2. 2

   Nervous System

   4 topics

   • Structure and functions of neurons
   • Central nervous system (CNS): Brain and spinal cord
   • Peripheral nervous system (PNS): Cranial and spinal nerves
   • Autonomic nervous system: Sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions
3. 3

   Endocrine System

   4 topics

   • Hormones
     • Classification
     • Synthesis
     • Storage
     • Release
   • Hypothalamic-pituitary axis
   • Thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, pancreas, and gonadal hormones
   • Regulation of hormone secretion
4. 4

   Cardiovascular System

   4 topics

   • Heart
     • Structure
     • Cardiac Cycle
     • Electrical Conduction System
   • Blood vessels
     • Arteries
     • Veins
     • Capillaries
     • Lymphatics
   • Regulation of Cardiac Output, Blood Pressure, and Regional Blood Flow
   • Hemodynamics
     • Blood Flow
     • Resistance
     • Viscosity
5. 5

   Respiratory System

   4 topics

   • Structure and function of the respiratory system
   • Mechanics of breathing: Lung volumes and capacities, pulmonary ventilation
   • Gas exchange: Diffusion, transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide
   • Regulation of respiration: Neural and chemical control mechanisms
6. 6

   Renal Physiology

   4 topics

   • Structure and function of the kidney
   • Glomerular filtration, tubular reabsorption, and secretion
   • Renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate regulation
   • Acid-base balance and electrolyte regulation
7. 7

   Gastrointestinal System

   3 topics

   • Digestive processes
     • Motility
     • Secretion
     • Absorption
     • Digestion
   • Regulation of gastrointestinal functions
     • Neural control
     • Hormonal control
   • Liver function
     • Metabolism
     • Detoxification
     • Bile secretion
8. 8

   Muscle Physiology

   3 topics

   • Muscle types
     • Skeletal muscle
     • Cardiac muscle
     • Smooth muscle
   • Mechanism of muscle contraction
     • Sliding filament theory
   • Neuromuscular junction and excitation-contraction coupling
9. 9

   Special Senses

   2 topics

   • Vision
     • Structure of the eye
     • Visual pathways
     • Accommodation
   • Hearing and Balance
     • Structure of the ear
     • Auditory pathways
     • Equilibrium

Physiology flashcards for INI CET

22 of 50 cards from the Physiology deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. Describe the fluid mosaic model of the cell membrane.

   The plasma membrane is a phospholipid bilayer (amphipathic: hydrophilic heads outward, hydrophobic tails inward) in which proteins (integral and peripheral), cholesterol, and glycolipids/glycoproteins float laterally. Cholesterol modulates fluidity; the carbohydrate-rich glycocalyx faces the extracellular side.

2. What are the four main types of membrane transport across the plasma membrane?

   Simple diffusion (down gradient, no carrier), facilitated diffusion (down gradient via carrier/channel, no ATP), primary active transport (against gradient using ATP directly, e.g. Na+/K+-ATPase), and secondary active transport (uses an ion gradient; symport/cotransport or antiport/countertransport).

3. How does the Na+/K+-ATPase pump function and why is it important?

   It uses ATP to pump 3 Na+ out and 2 K+ in per cycle, against their gradients. This is electrogenic (net positive charge out), maintains high intracellular K+ and low intracellular Na+, sustains the resting membrane potential, drives secondary active transport, and controls cell volume.

4. Differentiate symport (cotransport) from antiport (countertransport).

   In symport both solutes move in the same direction (e.g. Na+-glucose SGLT cotransporter). In antiport they move in opposite directions (e.g. Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, Na+/H+ exchanger). Both are secondary active transport powered by an ion (usually Na+) gradient.

5. What is the typical resting membrane potential of a neuron and what mainly determines it?

   About -70 mV (inside negative). It is set primarily by the high resting permeability to K+ (its equilibrium potential ~-90 mV pulls the membrane toward it), with smaller Na+ leak, and is maintained by the Na+/K+-ATPase. It approximates the K+ equilibrium potential given by the Nernst equation.

6. Describe the phases of a neuronal action potential.

   Resting (-70 mV); depolarization to threshold (~-55 mV) opens voltage-gated Na+ channels causing a rapid upstroke toward +30 mV; repolarization as Na+ channels inactivate and voltage-gated K+ channels open; afterhyperpolarization (undershoot) from prolonged K+ efflux; then return to resting potential.

7. Outline the steps of chemical synaptic transmission.

   An action potential reaches the presynaptic terminal, depolarization opens voltage-gated Ca2+ channels, Ca2+ influx triggers vesicle fusion and neurotransmitter release into the cleft, transmitter binds postsynaptic receptors causing an EPSP or IPSP, then it is removed by reuptake, enzymatic degradation, or diffusion.

8. Classify neurotransmitters into their major chemical groups with examples.

   Amino acids: glutamate (excitatory), GABA and glycine (inhibitory). Monoamines: dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, serotonin, histamine. Cholinergic: acetylcholine. Neuropeptides: endorphins, substance P. Gases: nitric oxide. Purines: ATP, adenosine.

9. Compare ionotropic and metabotropic receptors.

   Ionotropic receptors are ligand-gated ion channels giving fast, brief responses (e.g. nicotinic ACh, GABA-A, NMDA/AMPA). Metabotropic receptors are G-protein-coupled, acting via second messengers (cAMP, IP3/DAG) for slower, longer, modulatory effects (e.g. muscarinic ACh, adrenergic, GABA-B).

10. Name the two acetylcholine receptor types and their locations.

    Nicotinic receptors (ionotropic): neuromuscular junction (skeletal muscle), autonomic ganglia, adrenal medulla, CNS. Muscarinic receptors (metabotropic GPCR, M1-M5): target organs of parasympathetic postganglionic fibers, sweat glands, and CNS.

11. Describe the structural parts of a typical neuron and saltatory conduction.

    Dendrites receive input toward the soma; the soma holds the nucleus and Nissl bodies and integrates signals; the axon hillock is the trigger zone; the axon conducts impulses away; terminals release neurotransmitter. Myelin from oligodendrocytes/Schwann cells lets the impulse jump from node to node of Ranvier (saltatory conduction), greatly speeding transmission.

12. Name the functional areas of the cerebral cortex and their roles.

    Frontal lobe: primary motor cortex, Broca's area (speech production), executive function. Parietal lobe: primary somatosensory cortex. Temporal lobe: auditory cortex, Wernicke's area (language comprehension), memory. Occipital lobe: visual cortex.

13. Describe the functional organization of spinal cord gray and white matter.

    Gray matter (central, H-shaped): dorsal horn receives sensory afferents, ventral horn contains motor neurons, lateral horn (T1-L2) holds sympathetic neurons. White matter (peripheral) carries ascending sensory tracts (dorsal columns, spinothalamic) and descending motor tracts (corticospinal).

14. Contrast the dorsal column and spinothalamic ascending pathways.

    The dorsal column-medial lemniscus pathway carries fine touch, vibration, and proprioception; it ascends ipsilaterally and crosses in the medulla. The spinothalamic (anterolateral) pathway carries pain, temperature, and crude touch; it crosses within one or two segments of entering and ascends contralaterally.

15. How many pairs of cranial and spinal nerves are there, and how are spinal nerves grouped?

    12 pairs of cranial nerves and 31 pairs of spinal nerves. Spinal nerves: 8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 1 coccygeal. Each spinal nerve has a dorsal (sensory) root and a ventral (motor) root.

16. Compare the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems by outflow and general effect.

    Sympathetic ('fight or flight'): thoracolumbar outflow (T1-L2), short preganglionic/long postganglionic fibers, ganglia near the cord; increases heart rate, dilates pupils/bronchi, inhibits digestion. Parasympathetic ('rest and digest'): craniosacral outflow (CN III, VII, IX, X and S2-S4), long preganglionic/short postganglionic fibers, ganglia near organs; opposite effects.

17. What neurotransmitters and receptors are used at autonomic synapses?

    All preganglionic fibers (both divisions) release acetylcholine onto nicotinic receptors. Parasympathetic postganglionic fibers release ACh onto muscarinic receptors. Most sympathetic postganglionic fibers release norepinephrine onto adrenergic receptors; sweat glands are a cholinergic (muscarinic) exception.

18. Classify hormones by their chemical nature with examples.

    Peptide/protein hormones (water-soluble: insulin, glucagon, ADH, GH, ACTH), steroid hormones (lipid-soluble, from cholesterol: cortisol, aldosterone, sex steroids), and amine/amino-acid-derived hormones (thyroid hormones, catecholamines, melatonin).

19. How do steroid hormones differ from peptide hormones in mechanism of action?

    Steroid (and thyroid) hormones are lipid-soluble, diffuse through the membrane, bind intracellular/nuclear receptors, and alter gene transcription, giving slow, prolonged effects. Peptide hormones and catecholamines are water-soluble, bind cell-surface receptors, and act via second messengers (cAMP, IP3) for rapid, short-lived effects.

20. Outline the hypothalamic-anterior pituitary axis.

    The hypothalamus secretes releasing/inhibiting hormones (e.g. TRH, CRH, GnRH, GHRH, somatostatin, dopamine) into the hypophyseal portal system. These regulate the anterior pituitary, which secretes TSH, ACTH, FSH, LH, GH, and prolactin to act on peripheral target glands, with negative feedback control.

21. Describe the synthesis and actions of thyroid hormones.

    The thyroid uses iodine and tyrosine to make T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (more active), stored on thyroglobulin. They increase basal metabolic rate and heat production and are essential for growth and CNS development. Regulated by TSH and TRH with negative feedback. Calcitonin (parafollicular C cells) lowers blood calcium.

22. Compare the actions of parathyroid hormone and calcitonin on calcium.

    PTH raises blood calcium: stimulates osteoclastic bone resorption, increases renal Ca2+ reabsorption and phosphate excretion, and activates vitamin D to enhance gut Ca2+ absorption. Calcitonin (thyroid C cells) lowers blood calcium by inhibiting osteoclasts. PTH is the dominant regulator.

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