GLOSSARY

Integrative physiology examines how mechanisms at several levels combine to produce a whole-body response. Oxygen use during uphill running depends on a connected pathway.

1. Ventilation renews alveolar gas, permitting oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange.
2. Cardiac pumping supplies blood flow, and vessels distribute that flow among tissues.
3. Active muscle extracts oxygen while neural and chemical signals help regulate the cardiorespiratory response.

Whole-body oxygen uptake measures the outcome of the pathway. Additional measurements are needed to separate the contributions of blood flow and tissue oxygen extraction.

Further reading: OpenStax — Cardiac Physiology · OpenStax — The Process of Breathing