First-Year Medicine
Block 3: Musculoskeletal System
Musculoskeletal Block in Year 1 includes the structure, function and development
of the body wall and limbs, and serves as a vehicle for introducing basic
concepts about muscles and the nervous and vascular systems. The following
topics are covered during this block:
General Principles
- Biology of Cells
- Structure and composition of cell membranes, ion channels and pumps
- Organelles
- Secretion, exocytosis, endocytosis and pinocytosis
- Muscle structure and regulation of contractile elements, excitation-contraction
coupling, ryanodine receptors
- Excitable cells, voltage- and ligand-gated channels and receptors
- Cell-to-cell communication
- Human Development and Genetics
- Embryogenesis, programmed gene expression, tissue morphogenesis
- Congenital abnormalities, principles and patterns of anomalies, dysmorphogenesis
Musculoskeletal System
- Normal Processes
- Embryonic development, fetal maturation
- Organ structure and function
- Cell/tissue structure and function; biology of bones, joints, skeletal
muscle, tendons
- Abnormal Processes
- Genetic disorders; congenital disorders; infectious, inflammatory
and immunologic disorders; traumatic and mechanical disorders; metabolic
and regulatory disorders; vascular disorders; degenerative disorders;
systemic disorders affecting the musculoskeletal system; idiopathic
disorders
- Principles of Therapeutics
- Mechanisms of action and therapeutic effects of drugs for treatment
of disorders of the musculoskeletal system
Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems
- Normal Processes
- Embryonic development, fetal maturation; neural crest derivatives
- Organ structure and function; spinal cord; autonomic nervous system
- Cell/tissue structure and function; axonal transport, excitable properties
of neurons, axons and dendrites; synthesis, storage,
release, reuptake and degradation of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators;
pre- and postsynaptic receptor interactions, trophic and growth factors;
glia, myelin
- Abnormal Processes
- Congenital disorders; neural tube defects
- Infectious, inflammatory and immunologic disorders; demyelinating
disorders; multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barre; myasthenia gravis
- Principles of Therapeutics
- Therapeutic mechanisms of action and therapeutic effects of drugs
for treatment of disorders of the nervous system; neuromuscular junction
blocking agents
The extremities are studied in the anatomy laboratory and reinforced with
corresponding X-ray and MRI images.
