Sample interview questions: Can you explain the difference between cellular and systems physiology?
Sample answer:
Cellular Physiology
- Cellular physiology focuses on the study of physiological processes at the cellular level.
- It examines how individual cells function and interact with each other to maintain homeostasis.
- Cellular physiologists investigate cellular processes such as metabolism, energy production, membrane transport, cell signaling, and cell division.
- They use techniques such as microscopy, electrophysiology, and molecular biology to understand cellular function.
- Cellular physiology is crucial for understanding the basic mechanisms underlying life and disease.
Systems Physiology
- Systems physiology studies the physiological processes that occur in organ systems and the whole organism.
- It examines how different organ systems interact and coordinate to maintain homeostasis.
- Systems physiologists study topics such as cardiovascular physiology, respiratory physiology, renal physiology, and neurophysiology.
- They use techniques such as animal models, imaging, and computational modeling to understand the function of organ systems.
- Systems physiology is essential for understanding the integrated function of the body and how it responds to various stimuli.
Differences between Cellular and Systems Physiology
- Cellular physiology focuses on individual cells, while systems physiology examines organ systems and the whole organism.
- Cellular physiology investigates cellular processes, while systems physiology studies the interactions and coordination between different organ systems.
- Cellular physiology utilizes techniques such as microscopy and molecular biology, while systems physiology employs animal models and computational modelin… Read full answer