BIOL 373 UNIT 1 – Intro Exam Questions
and Answers (Latest 2026)
What is physiology? - Correct Answers ✅short answer: the
science of the function of living systems
long answer: the science of mechanical, physical, bio-
electrical functions of organisms in good health, their organs
and the cells of which they are composed
Process vs Function - Correct Answers ✅the process is the
"HOW" i.e. how does a system work - the physiological
mechanism. The function is the "WHY" i.e. why does this
sytem exist and why does this event occur ?
Example of function vs process - Correct Answers
✅process: how do we breathe? we contract our muscles and
expand our chest capacity. Function: why do we breathe? we
require oxygen for our tissues to survive etc.
Define homeostasis and explain in regards to levels of ECF -
Correct Answers ✅Homeostasis is the maintenance of a
relatively stable internal environment (ESPECIALLY
extracellular fluid). It is the oscillation around a set point.
Every single cell is bathed in ECF, there is no cell in the body
that has air floating around it. Homeostasis is regualted and
maintained by how much ECF there is around a cell (with
intracellular fluid inside)
Who is Claude Bernard? and Walter Cannon? - Correct
Answers ✅The concept of a "constant interior environment"
was defined by Bernard but later Walter cannon termed it
,BIOL 373 UNIT 1 – Intro Exam Questions
and Answers (Latest 2026)
homeostasis. He expanded on Bernard's definition. He coined
the term 'fight or flight'
1. Physiology
2. Disease
3. Pathophysiology - Correct Answers ✅1. the study of
homeostatic mechanisms
2. failure to compensate for change
3. the study of failure to compensate
Explain how we could go from an organism in homeostasis to
an outcome of wellness vs disease - Correct Answers
✅organism in homeostasis can either have an internal
change or an external change. either of these will result in an
internal change in the organism resulting in a loss of
homeostasis . This results in an attempt to compensate for
loss of HS. Either the compensation fails, and leads to
illness/disease or the compensation recovers and leads to
wellness.
Local control VS Reflex control - Correct Answers ✅Local
control:
-local change results in a local response. cells near site of
change initiate the response.
- local control is autocrine and paracrine
Reflex control:
, BIOL 373 UNIT 1 – Intro Exam Questions
and Answers (Latest 2026)
-Cells at a distant site control response. ex. Systemic blood
pressure sensed, brain evaluates change and initiates
response (Afferent, sensory) and then reflec response occurs
(efferent, motor), could be secretion of gland
-reflex control is neural and endocrine
Explain response loop? - Correct Answers ✅stimulus >
sensor > input signal > integrating center > output signal >
target > response
negative feedback and example - Correct Answers
✅stabilizes variable. Just means that the response brings the
variable in the opposite direction than it was before. Ex.
When blood glucose is low, glucagon brings it back to normal
Feed forward? and Example - Correct Answers ✅Control
anticipates change. Ex. Anticipation of digesting glucose.
Seeing a donut, then tasting a donut can initiate a response
to prep the GI for glucose. Or about to take off for a race,
your HR and respiration are already prepped on the starting
block in anticipation to start.
positive feedback and example? - Correct Answers
✅Positive feedback reinforces a stimulus. This type is not
homeostatic. ex. child birth or ripening of a fruit
and Answers (Latest 2026)
What is physiology? - Correct Answers ✅short answer: the
science of the function of living systems
long answer: the science of mechanical, physical, bio-
electrical functions of organisms in good health, their organs
and the cells of which they are composed
Process vs Function - Correct Answers ✅the process is the
"HOW" i.e. how does a system work - the physiological
mechanism. The function is the "WHY" i.e. why does this
sytem exist and why does this event occur ?
Example of function vs process - Correct Answers
✅process: how do we breathe? we contract our muscles and
expand our chest capacity. Function: why do we breathe? we
require oxygen for our tissues to survive etc.
Define homeostasis and explain in regards to levels of ECF -
Correct Answers ✅Homeostasis is the maintenance of a
relatively stable internal environment (ESPECIALLY
extracellular fluid). It is the oscillation around a set point.
Every single cell is bathed in ECF, there is no cell in the body
that has air floating around it. Homeostasis is regualted and
maintained by how much ECF there is around a cell (with
intracellular fluid inside)
Who is Claude Bernard? and Walter Cannon? - Correct
Answers ✅The concept of a "constant interior environment"
was defined by Bernard but later Walter cannon termed it
,BIOL 373 UNIT 1 – Intro Exam Questions
and Answers (Latest 2026)
homeostasis. He expanded on Bernard's definition. He coined
the term 'fight or flight'
1. Physiology
2. Disease
3. Pathophysiology - Correct Answers ✅1. the study of
homeostatic mechanisms
2. failure to compensate for change
3. the study of failure to compensate
Explain how we could go from an organism in homeostasis to
an outcome of wellness vs disease - Correct Answers
✅organism in homeostasis can either have an internal
change or an external change. either of these will result in an
internal change in the organism resulting in a loss of
homeostasis . This results in an attempt to compensate for
loss of HS. Either the compensation fails, and leads to
illness/disease or the compensation recovers and leads to
wellness.
Local control VS Reflex control - Correct Answers ✅Local
control:
-local change results in a local response. cells near site of
change initiate the response.
- local control is autocrine and paracrine
Reflex control:
, BIOL 373 UNIT 1 – Intro Exam Questions
and Answers (Latest 2026)
-Cells at a distant site control response. ex. Systemic blood
pressure sensed, brain evaluates change and initiates
response (Afferent, sensory) and then reflec response occurs
(efferent, motor), could be secretion of gland
-reflex control is neural and endocrine
Explain response loop? - Correct Answers ✅stimulus >
sensor > input signal > integrating center > output signal >
target > response
negative feedback and example - Correct Answers
✅stabilizes variable. Just means that the response brings the
variable in the opposite direction than it was before. Ex.
When blood glucose is low, glucagon brings it back to normal
Feed forward? and Example - Correct Answers ✅Control
anticipates change. Ex. Anticipation of digesting glucose.
Seeing a donut, then tasting a donut can initiate a response
to prep the GI for glucose. Or about to take off for a race,
your HR and respiration are already prepped on the starting
block in anticipation to start.
positive feedback and example? - Correct Answers
✅Positive feedback reinforces a stimulus. This type is not
homeostatic. ex. child birth or ripening of a fruit
