Physiology,study of the functioning of living organisms, animal or plant, and of the functioning of their constituent tissues or cells.

The word physiology was first used by the Greeks around 600 bc to describe a philosophical inquiry into the nature of things. The use of the term with specific reference to vital activities of healthy humans, which began in the 16th century, also is applicable to many current aspects of physiology. In the 19th century, curiosity, medical necessity, and economic interest stimulated research concerning the physiology of all living organisms. Discoveries of unity of structure and functions common to ... (100 of 5,385 words)

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physiology | Britannica.com