Book excerpt: Fundamentals of Human Physiology: A Comparative Examination is written from a comparative perspective using examples from animal physiology to illustrate key principles and shed light on what is known about physiological mechanisms in humans. Over the course of ten chapters the book examines and describes these various mechanisms in detail. Fundamentals of Human Physiology begins with an introduction to histology and the organization of the body. It then goes on to focused explorations of cell, sensory, and muscle physiology, as well as neurophysiology. The text also covers the cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and digestive systems. The final chapter is devoted to endocrinology. Students learn about cell structure and function, cell signaling, and transduction pathways. They explore the nervous system including somatic and visceral sensation. They become familiar with skeletal muscle, the heart and vascular systems, the lungs, and gas transport mechanisms. Each chapter concludes with a summary that support identification and retention of important concepts. Fundamentals of Human Physiology is well suited to undergraduate courses in human physiology or anatomy.