HTI5201 Clinical and Applied Physiology
The Complete Exam Bible · Semester 1, 2026/27HTI5201 Overview
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Semester 1, 2026/27
- Postgraduate course
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Closed-book tests
What this course asks you to connect
Clinical and Applied Physiology is organised around mechanisms that preserve a viable internal environment.
- Assessment structure Tutorial and in-class activities contribute 10%, Short Tests contribute 30%, and Class Tests contribute 60%.
- Mechanism method Explain a physiological change as a controlled causal sequence rather than a list of structures.
- Quantitative method Show substitutions and units for cardiac output and filtration arithmetic.
- Pass conditions Every assessment component must be passed. Students with attendance below 80% may not be allowed to sit the Final Exam, which is an additional pass eligibility condition; consult the current course information sheet for both published conditions.
How HTI5201 is assessed
| Component | Weight | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Tutorial / In-class activities · hurdle | 10% | Individual and in-class learning activities |
| Short Tests · hurdle | 30% | Two individual, closed-book tests worth 15% each; 50 minutes; multiple-choice questions |
| Class Tests · hurdle | 60% | Two individual, closed-book tests worth 40% and 20%; 120 minutes; published introduction describes multiple-choice and short questions |
The published weights sum to 100%, and every assessment component must be passed. The current course information sheet labels the 60% component Class Tests and says these tests are closed book. It also says a student with attendance below 80% may not be allowed to sit the Final Exam, making attendance an additional pass eligibility condition. Because the document does not reconcile those two labels, this guide does not silently rename either one. Consult the current course information sheet for the published conditions, and confirm the examination timetable and any permitted-material instructions on the current course site.
Current HTI5201 dates
| Date | Item | Control |
|---|---|---|
| S | h | o |
| S | h | o |
| C | l | a |
| C | l | a |
Dates are as published in Coverage statements come from the current 2026-2027 course information sheet. Exact dates should be checked against the live course timetable.. Confirm exact deadlines and submission settings in the live LMS.
What HTI5201 covers
Nine chapters follow the captured Semester 1 sequence from cellular transport and skeletal control through respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive, renal, reproductive and muscular physiology.
Homeostasis and Cellular Transport
feedback variables, membrane routes, gradients and the prediction of water and solute movementRead transport as a controlled movement
Homeostasis does not mean that an internal variable never changes. It means that feedback keeps change within a viable range.
- Regulated variables and set ranges
- Negative and positive feedback
- Selective membrane permeability
- Simple and facilitated diffusion
- Osmosis and water movement
- Active transport and gradients
Bone Structure, Remodelling and Calcium
bone organisation, remodelling cells and the hormonal control of extracellular calciumConnect structure, cells and mineral control
Bone is both a load-bearing tissue and a regulated mineral store. Its organised matrix distributes force, while osteoblasts, osteoclasts and osteocytes coordinate formation, resorption and sensing.
- Compact and spongy organisation
- Matrix and mineral roles
- Osteoblast and osteoclast actions
- Osteocyte sensing
- Remodelling sequence
- Calcium regulation across organs
Ventilation, Gas Exchange and Respiratory Control
pressure changes, alveolar diffusion, gas transport and chemical control of breathingKeep bulk flow and diffusion separate
Breathing begins with a change in thoracic volume that creates a pressure difference and moves air.
- Thoracic volume and pressure
- Inspiration and expiration
- Alveolar ventilation
- Partial-pressure gradients
- Oxygen and carbon-dioxide transport
- Chemical control of breathing
Cardiac Conduction, Cycle and Output
electrical sequence, pressure and valve events, stroke volume and cardiac outputSynchronise electrical, pressure and flow events
The cardiovascular sequence starts with ordered electrical activation, but an electrical event is not itself ejection.
- Pacemaker and conduction sequence
- Electrical and mechanical delay
- Chamber pressure changes
- Valve opening and closure
- Stroke volume determinants
- Cardiac output calculation
Digestive Motility, Secretion and Absorption
route, wall organisation, neural and hormonal phases, digestion and nutrient uptakeFollow material and control along the tract
Digestive physiology coordinates propulsion, mixing, secretion, chemical breakdown and absorption across specialised regions.
- Digestive wall organisation
- Motility and sphincters
- Cephalic and gastric control
- Pancreatic and intestinal secretion
- Macromolecule digestion
- Nutrient absorption routes
Hepatobiliary Coordination and Metabolism
portal delivery, liver processing, bile movement and the handling of absorbed nutrientsPlace the liver between absorption and distribution
The hepatobiliary system receives nutrient-rich portal blood, modifies and stores absorbed material, produces bile and coordinates with the gallbladder and intestine.
- Portal and arterial inputs
- Sinusoidal exchange
- Hepatocyte processing
- Bile production and flow
- Gallbladder coordination
- Fed and fasting metabolism
Renal Filtration and Fluid Balance
nephron flow, filtration arithmetic, tubular handling and hormonal control of volumeBalance what enters and leaves the nephron
Renal physiology begins with pressure-driven filtration and then alters the filtrate by selective reabsorption and secretion.
- Renal blood flow
- Glomerular filtration
- Filtration fraction arithmetic
- Tubular reabsorption
- Tubular secretion
- Hormonal control of water balance
Reproductive Physiology and Cycle Control
male and female pathways, gametogenesis, cycle phases and endocrine feedbackUse timelines and feedback together
Reproductive physiology combines anatomical pathways, gamete production and endocrine feedback that changes across time.
- Male reproductive pathway
- Spermatogenesis and support
- Ovarian follicle development
- Ovulation timing
- Uterine cycle changes
- Endocrine feedback across phases
Muscle Contraction and Tension
excitation-contraction coupling, cross-bridge cycling and determinants of forceTrace activation into force
Skeletal muscle converts a motor-neuron signal into fibre depolarisation, calcium release, cross-bridge cycling and tension. Force is not fixed by the presence of an action potential alone.
- Neuromuscular transmission
- Muscle-fibre action potential
- Calcium release and removal
- Cross-bridge cycling
- Motor-unit recruitment
- Length and frequency effects on tension
A strong answer therefore moves through a chain: identify the regulated variable, locate the sensor or initiating change, trace the integrating signal, name the effector, and predict the direction of the response. The same method works at different scales. Across a cell membrane it explains why a solute follows an electrochemical gradient.
In breathing it links thoracic volume to pressure, airflow, alveolar exchange and blood transport. In the circulation it connects conduction, chamber pressure, valve state, stroke volume and cardiac output. In the kidney it links filtration to selective tubular handling and hormonal control of water and ions.
Where precision matters
The course uses ordinary physiological words in technically different ways.
Ventilation moves bulk air, diffusion moves individual gases, and perfusion supplies blood. Filtration places water and small solutes into the nephron, reabsorption returns selected material to blood, and secretion adds material to tubular fluid. Cardiac output is a flow per minute, not a volume per beat.
Contraction is an active process, while the force produced also depends on fibre length, stimulation frequency and motor-unit recruitment. Keeping these distinctions visible prevents a familiar error: describing a correct endpoint through the wrong mechanism.
How the captured teaching sequence fits together
The opening chapters establish feedback, transport and tissue organisation.
Respiratory and cardiovascular chapters then show how pressure and flow deliver oxygen and remove carbon dioxide. Digestive and hepatobiliary chapters explain how absorbed material reaches and is processed by the liver. Renal physiology shows how plasma is filtered and adjusted to stabilise volume and composition.
Reproductive physiology applies endocrine feedback over a timed cycle, while muscle physiology closes the sequence by converting electrical activation and calcium release into force.
The result is one connected map of exchange, transport, regulation and response rather than nine isolated systems.
Published conditions to keep visible
The current course information sheet states that every assessment component must be passed. It also states that students with attendance below 80% may not be allowed to sit the Final Exam.
These are separate conditions, so neither the weighted total nor attendance alone gives the complete pass picture. Consult the current course information sheet for the published wording and the live course site for current administration.
Worked example · free
Calculate cardiac output and interpret the change
- 3Write cardiac output equals heart rate multiplied by stroke volume and calculate the initial value.
- 3Substitute the second pair of values and convert both answers from mL per minute to L per minute.
- 2Compare the two flows and explain why the lower stroke volume does not determine the final direction alone.
Key terms
- Homeostasis
- Dynamic regulation that keeps an internal variable within a viable range despite disturbance.
- Negative Feedback
- A control response that opposes the initiating change and moves a variable toward its regulated range.
- Electrochemical Gradient
- The combined concentration and electrical influences that determine an ion's net direction of movement.
- Ventilation
- Bulk movement of air between the atmosphere and alveoli caused by pressure differences.
- Perfusion
- Delivery of blood through a tissue or capillary bed so exchange can occur.
- Stroke Volume
- The volume of blood ejected by one ventricle during one heartbeat.
- Cardiac Output
- The volume pumped by one ventricle per minute, calculated as heart rate multiplied by stroke volume.
- Peristalsis
- Coordinated waves of smooth-muscle contraction that propel material along the digestive tract.
- Portal Circulation
- Venous pathway that carries absorbed material from digestive organs to the liver before systemic distribution.
- Glomerular Filtration
- Pressure-driven movement of water and small solutes from glomerular capillaries into the nephron.
- Tubular Reabsorption
- Selective return of filtered substances from nephron fluid to the blood.
- Excitation-Contraction Coupling
- Sequence linking a muscle-fibre action potential to calcium release and force generation.
HTI5201 FAQ
What is the published assessment split?
Tutorial and in-class activities contribute 10%, two Short Tests contribute 30% in total, and two Class Tests contribute 60% in total. The Short Tests are 15% each, while the Class Tests are weighted 40% and 20%. Those numeric rows sum to 100%.
Are the tests open book?
The current information sheet describes both Short Tests and Class Tests as individual, closed-book assessments. It gives 50 minutes for each Short Test and 120 minutes for each Class Test. Do not infer permitted aids from that statement; check the current course announcement for any more specific instruction.
What content does each test cover?
Short Test 1 covers Weeks 1 to 3 and Short Test 2 covers Weeks 4 to 6. The information sheet states that Class Test 1 covers all Semester 1 material and Class Test 2 covers all Semester 2 material. Use the current timetable to confirm the exact sitting dates.
Must every component be passed?
Yes. The current course information sheet explicitly says that all assessment components must be passed. It also says students with attendance below 80% may not be allowed to sit the Final Exam, making attendance an additional pass eligibility condition. Revision planning should therefore protect every assessment row and attendance eligibility.
How does attendance affect assessment eligibility?
The current course information sheet says a student with less than 80% attendance may not be allowed to sit the Final Exam, making attendance an additional pass eligibility condition. It does not explain how that label relates to the two published Class Tests. Consult the current course information sheet and seek course-specific clarification before relying on an assumed interpretation.
How should a mechanism answer be organised?
Begin with the disturbance or input, then follow the signal in causal order through receptor, control pathway and effector. State the direction of each change and end with the regulated consequence. This structure makes it easier to distinguish association from mechanism and to catch a reversed pressure or concentration gradient.
Which calculations deserve repeated practice?
Cardiac output and renal filtration calculations deserve deliberate practice because they combine biological interpretation with unit discipline. Write the relationship first, substitute labelled quantities, calculate without dropping units, and finish by explaining the physiological meaning. A correct number with an incorrect direction or unit is not a complete answer.
Questions students ask in each HTI5201 chapter
- Does homeostasis mean a variable is constant?
- No. Physiological variables fluctuate as conditions and demands change. Homeostatic control detects a departure, produces a response and limits that departure within a viable range. A good answer therefore identifies the variable, the direction of change and the response, rather than describing an unmoving value. Chapter 01 · Homeostasis and Cellular Transport
- Why is bone remodelling not simply bone repair?
- Remodelling operates continuously and replaces selected regions of existing tissue, even without a fracture. It helps adapt structure, renew matrix and participate in mineral regulation. Repair may recruit related cells, but it is a response to damage rather than the ordinary turnover process. Chapter 02 · Bone Structure, Remodelling and Calcium
- What is the difference between ventilation and respiration?
- Ventilation is the bulk movement of air into and out of the lungs. Gas exchange is diffusion across respiratory surfaces, while cellular respiration refers to metabolic use of oxygen. Keeping these processes distinct makes it possible to locate whether a problem lies in airflow, exchange, transport or metabolism. Chapter 03 · Ventilation, Gas Exchange and Respiratory Control
- Why does electrical activation precede contraction?
- The action potential initiates processes that raise intracellular calcium and activate the contractile machinery. Those steps take time, so the mechanical response follows electrical depolarisation. An answer that equates the electrical trace directly with blood ejection skips the pressure and valve events in between. Chapter 04 · Cardiac Conduction, Cycle and Output
- How are peristalsis and segmentation different?
- Peristalsis has a net propulsive role, moving contents along the tract through coordinated contraction and relaxation. Segmentation primarily mixes contents locally and repeatedly exposes them to secretions and absorptive surfaces. Both use smooth muscle, but their movement pattern and immediate function differ. Chapter 05 · Digestive Motility, Secretion and Absorption
- Why does portal circulation matter?
- It routes much absorbed material to the liver before that material enters the wider systemic circulation. This gives hepatocytes an early opportunity to store, transform or release nutrients. A pathway answer should distinguish portal inflow from arterial oxygen supply and hepatic venous outflow. Chapter 06 · Hepatobiliary Coordination and Metabolism
- Why is filtrate volume much larger than urine volume?
- Filtration is the initial entry of water and small solutes into the nephron. Tubular reabsorption returns most filtered water and many useful solutes to blood. Urine is the much smaller final output after reabsorption and secretion have changed the filtered load. Chapter 07 · Renal Filtration and Fluid Balance
- Why should ovarian and uterine cycles be aligned?
- They are coordinated but describe events in different tissues. Ovarian phases track follicular development, ovulation and luteal activity, while uterine phases track changes in the endometrium. Aligning them prevents phase names from being attached to the wrong structure or response. Chapter 08 · Reproductive Physiology and Cycle Control
- Does an action potential become a muscle contraction?
- It initiates the sequence, but it is not the contraction itself. Membrane excitation travels into the fibre, promotes calcium release, and calcium permits contractile interactions that generate tension. The electrical event is brief, while the mechanical response develops and relaxes more slowly. Chapter 09 · Muscle Contraction and Tension
How to study for the exam
Build one mechanism sheet for each system, but keep every sheet in the same causal format: starting variable, detector or initiating event, signal, target, response and feedback consequence. On a second pass, practise contrasts that are easy to collapse, such as ventilation versus diffusion, filtration versus reabsorption, and electrical activation versus mechanical tension.
For quantitative work, keep units visible through every line and estimate the direction before calculating. That prediction is a useful error check. For closed-book preparation, retrieve each pathway from a blank page and then redraw it with arrows labelled by pressure, concentration, voltage or hormone. Finally, interleave systems.
Ask how ventilation and cardiac output jointly affect delivery, how digestive absorption changes portal input, or how renal control responds to a volume disturbance. This prevents revision from becoming nine disconnected lists and reflects the way physiological variables constrain one another.
Protect all three assessment rows because the published information requires every component to be passed, and monitor attendance separately because it may affect eligibility to sit the stated Final Exam.
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