The period of time that begins with the contraction of atria and ends with ventricular relaxation is known as the cardiac cycle. So what is systole and diastole? The period of contraction that the heart undergoes while it pumps blood into circulation is Systole. The period of relaxation that occurs as chambers fill with blood […]

To start with, let us break down the word itself, “erythro” in Greek means “red” and “poiesis” means “to make.” So, it is the process that produces RBC (erythrocytes) from pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells. There are various stages in erythropoiesis. Let us dive deep and study each stage and the changes occurring in the stem […]

When we eat food, the content enters the lumen of the bowel. This initiates a cascade we call peristalsis. To put it plain and simple, it is a universal phenomenon that occurs from the esophagus to the rectum as a response to food. It is a combination of simultaneous contraction and relaxation of the bowel […]

to the insulation of an electric wire. The part of the neuron that is covered by myelin does not conduct electricity.  Myelination in the peripheral nervous system is carried out by Schwann cells. Each peripheral nerve is wrapped around by multiple Schwann cells.  However, the story is different in the case of the central nervous […]

Did you know that the hypothalamus is called the head ganglion? This is because of its ability to control several visceral and metabolic activities, from controlling virtually every endocrine gland to regulating appetite, temperature, and the autonomic nervous system.  In this article, we’ll try to understand how the hypothalamus executes this seemingly complex task. Anatomy of the […]

The oxygen dissociation curve (ODC) is an essential part of respiratory physiology. The curve allows us to understand how oxygen is transported around to the blood from the lungs through the alveoli and vice-versa. Role of Hemoglobin To understand the ODC, we must have an idea about the structure of hemoglobin (Hb).  Hemoglobin is made […]

“Mayday, mayday, Physics Alert! Brace for impact.” We carry millions and millions of minute airbags every passing second. These are the alveoli inside the lungs, which expand with the entry of air.  This anatomical arrangement has the advantage of increased surface area for gaseous exchange. However, it brings about one problem, thanks to physics – […]