Human Anatomy and Physiology II

Learn about the four major types of tissues—epithelial, connective, muscle, and nervous tissue. We'll go over their major characteristics, how they're named, their functions, and where they're located. You’ll even discover some hints on identifying specific tissues with a microscope. Then, explore the topic of sensation as you learn about the sensations of touch, pressure, temperature, and pain. You'll discover the differences between free nerve endings, Merkel disks, Meissner corpuscles, root hair plexuses, and Pacinian corpuscles. We'll also talk about sensory adaptation and referred pain, and you'll learn where in the brain messages from sensory receptors end up. 

Learn about sensory receptors (muscle spindles, Golgi tendon organs, and joint proprioceptors) that tell your brain how much tension is in your muscles and the position of your body parts. You'll also study the structures of the vestibular system and learn how they contribute to both static and dynamic equilibrium. Then, learn about the composition of the eyes, including their three coverings and the structures inside the eyeballs. We'll talk about special sensory receptors called rod and cones, and how information they receive is sent to the brain and analyzed.

Discover the physics of sound. You'll learn why sounds differ in pitch and loudness, and you'll find out about a quality of sound called color. We'll also talk about the different structures that make up the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear. Then, learn about the structures that respond to chemicals of smell and taste, and how the sensations of smell and taste are perceived in the brain. We’ll also talk about disorders of both of these senses.

In this lesson, we'll go over the fascinating topic of cellular metabolism—the chemical reactions that occur in your body’s cells. You’ll also learn about the capture and storage of energy, the role of enzymes in metabolic pathways, and disorders of cellular metabolism. Then, we'll continue our study of important chemicals in the human body. 

Learn about the roles both men and women play in the creation of the zygote—the very first cell that starts a new human life. We’ll then follow that new creature through the amazing changes that occur during pregnancy. Then, learn about pregnancy from the mother's point of view. We'll start with a discussion about the placenta, and then we'll talk about the way pregnancy affects the mother's different organ systems. We'll also discuss the events of childbirth and what a mother experiences during the postpartum period.