Malfunctioning Organelles

Question 1

A company seeks to develop an herbicide that kills plants by directly interfering (at the cellular level) with plants’ ability to maintain turgor pressure. An herbicide could accomplish this by disrupting the membrane of _____.

Answer 1

central vacuoles

Question 2

Patient History:

2-day old male
Low birth-weight (4pds. 5 ounces)
Difficulty suckling/swallowing
Seizures
Gastrointestinal bleeding
Physical Examination

Enlarged liver
Low muscle tone/inability to move
Glaucoma
Facial deformities
Impaired hearing
Jaundiced skin
Laboratory Results

High levels of hydrogen peroxide in cells
High levels of fats and amino acids in cells
Diagnosis - Malfunctioning Organelle: __________________________________

Answer 2

peroxisomes

reason: high hydrogen peroxide in the cells, it is peroxisomes job to catalyze H2O2

Question 3

Patient History: Physical Examination
Seven year-old male Muscle loss & deformity
Fatigue Awkward gait
Muscle weakness Difficulty breathing
Low endurance
Loss of coordination
Progressive difficulty walking
Laboratory Results

Cells have abnormal shape
Cell division is abnormal
Impaired intracellular movement of materials
Diagnosis : Malfunctioning Organelle: ___________________________

Answer 3

Microfilaments

reason: no support in shape (intermediate), cell division is weird ( microtubules), weak muscles ( actin)

Question 4

Patient History:

55 year-old female
Excellent health to date
Recent onset of:
Fatigue
Headaches
Excessive salivation
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Vertigo
Abdominal pain
Weight loss
Psychological stress
Recently won lottery
Marital stress
Physical Examination

Swelling of eyelids
Partial limb paralysis
Hyperkeratosis (increased pigmentation) of skin on palms & soles
White banding on fingernails
Muscle weakness
Laboratory Results

Low levels of ATP production
Unusually high levels of arsenic
Abnormal levels of cell death—not due to apoptosis (programmed cell death)—rather cell death appears to be due to lack of energy to maintain homeostasis due to low ATP levels.
Diagnosis: Malfunctioning Organelle:___________________________________

Answer 4

mitochondria

reason: low ATP levels

Question 5

Which of the following cell functions would be directly related to a malfunction of the Golgi apparatus?

Answer 5

secretion of proteins

Question 6

Which structure is characteristic of all cells?

Answer 6

Ribosomes

Question 7

How would a researcher differentiate between two different cells in the same organism that look similar to each other?

Answer 7

Examine proteome