Introduction to Physiology

Question 1

What is physiology?

Answer 1

The part of biology that deals with functions and activities of organisms

Involves how organisms sense and adjust to changes in their envrionment

Question 2

What are some examples of cell-cell communication

Answer 2

Gap junctions

Autocrine signals

Paracrine signals

Neurotransmitters

Neurohormones

Endocrine signals

Question 3

Endocrine vs autocrine vs paracrine

Answer 3

Endocrine works on cells that are very far away (hormones travel through blood)

Autocrine = same cell

Paracrine = cell nearby

Question 4

What are the 2 major fluid compartments in the body

Answer 4

ECF and ICF

Question 5

Extracellular fluid consists of

Answer 5

Vascular fluids

Interstitial fluids

Question 6

Vascular fluids vs interstitial fluids

Answer 6

Vascular fluids contain proteins

Question 7

Steady state vs. equilibrium

Answer 7

Steady state = no net change over time; requires continuous input of energy

Equilibrium = no net change over time and no dissipation of energy

Question 8

What are the 4 major components of a feedback control system

Answer 8

Variable

Receptor (sensor)

Control center

Effector

Question 9

Input = information sent along a ___ pathway

Answer 9

Afferent

Question 10

Output = information sent along a ___ pathway

Answer 10

Efferent

Question 11

Effectors are usually (molecules)

Answer 11

Neural or hormonal

Question 12

Receptors can be

Answer 12

Cellular receptor proteins or specialized cells/structures

Question 13

Specialized cells/structures are divided into

Answer 13

Cell receptors

Peripheral receptors

Question 14

Examples of central receptors

Answer 14

Eyes

Ears

Nose

Tongue

(special senses)

Question 15

Peripheral receptors include

Answer 15

Chemoreceptors

Osmoreceptors

Thermoreceptors

Baroreceptors

Proprioceptors

Mechanoreceptors

Question 16

Feedback control: In some cells __ and __ can be the same and there is no need for ___

Answer 16

The receptor and the control center are the same and there is no need for an afferent pathway

Question 17

How is the positive feedback loop turned off?

Answer 17

It requires an outside factor

Question 18

What are Cannon’s postulates?

Answer 18

1) Nervous system works to preserve conditions that are compatible with normal organismal function
2) Many systems maintain a tonic level of activity
3) Systems that are not under tonic control are usually under antagonistic control, either by hormones or the nervous system
4) The same chemical signal can have different effects in different tissues in the body depending on the type of receptor present

Question 19

What is tonic activity

Answer 19

It means to maintain a level of activity greater than 0

System is neither on or off, but somewhere in between