The Sharpey-Schafer prize lecture: nucleus tractus solitarii: integrating structures.

Presently, many researchers have adopted a reductionistic approach to physiology. Specifically, this involves studies on acutely isolated or cultured cells. While this is essential for our understanding of important cellular and subcellular mechanisms, it should not be forgotten that physiology is about the function of an integrating body. One view point is that definitive interpretations can only be made by crossing boundaries of physiology from the molecular/ cellular to the systems/behavioural level. An aim of this lecture will stress the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to physiology, that is, 'putting the cell back into the system'. The lecture attempts to demonstrate why this is important for enhancing the functional significance and relevance of physiological data as well as for validating predictions.