Module 1: Basic Principles Flashcards

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1
Q

Physiology (formal definition vs operational definition)

A

Formal: The biological study of the FUNCTIONS of living organisms and their parts

Operational: The study of how cells interact with their “environment” to obtains the things required for life

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2
Q

Vital Substances

A

The things required for life
–> Water, salts, oxygen, nutrients, heat, etc.

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3
Q

Vital substances are obtained through…

A

Exchange between internal and external environments (at the organ, organismal, and cellular level)

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4
Q

Exchange System

A

Any system that allows for the exchange of material from the external and internal environments

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5
Q

4 major levels of organization

A

1) Cell
2) Tissue
3) Organ
4) System

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6
Q

Cellular Level (+ major cell types)

A

Cell = The basic structural and functional unit of life

4 general cell types:
1) Epithelial
2) Nerve
3) Muscle
4) Connective Tissue Cells

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7
Q

Epithelial Cells

A

Cells that cover/line the inside and outside of a body

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8
Q

Nerve Cells

A

Cells that are specialized for communication

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9
Q

Muscle Cells

A

Cells specialized for contraction

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10
Q

Connective Tissue Cells

A

Cells that provide structural strength and immune function

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11
Q

Tissue Level

A

Tissue = A collection of cells (with common structure and function) that work together to achieve a common purpose

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12
Q

Organ Level

A

Group/organization of different tissues to perform/carry out specific related functions

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13
Q

System Level

A

Several organs that work together to perform a certain task (major body functions)

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14
Q

Basic Principles of Life (5)

A

1) All life is aquatic
2) All life is compartmentalized
3) All life deals with the same fundamental problems
4) All life is constrained by the laws of physics and chemistry
5) All life can tolerate a limited range of conditions

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15
Q

“All life is aquatic” meaning

A

All life is water-based

Body fluids of all animals have the same general composition:
1) WATER
2) Salts
3) Biochemical substances

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16
Q

All life is aquatic BECAUSE…

A

All life evolved from aquatic organisms –> They evolved to “take the sea with them” (by creating an aquatic INTERNAL environment)

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17
Q

Water is ______ % of all human body molecules and _____ % of human body weight

A

Water =

1) 75% of human body weight

2) 99% of all human molecules

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18
Q

Salts make up ___% of molecules in a human body

A

~0.75%

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19
Q

Biochemical substances make up ________% of molecules in a human body

A

~0.25%

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20
Q

Compartmentation

A

The division of space (of the body or cell) into separate compartments so that functions + substances can be isolated

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21
Q

Advantages of Compartmentation

A

1) Compartments separate biochemical processes that might otherwise conflict with each other

2) Allows for contents of adjacent compartments to differ (differentiation of cells + bodily functions)

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22
Q

Disadvantage of Compartmentation

A

Barriers between compartments can make it difficult to move/exchange needed materials from one compartment to another

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23
Q

Lumen

A

The interior/cavity of a HOLLOW organ

(Ex: Heart, lungs, intestines)

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24
Q

The lumen is an extension of the…

What is the analogy for this?

A

EXTERNAL Environment (in some organs)

Like a hole through a bead –> The hole isn’t INSIDE of the bead, it is merely passing through it

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25
Q

Material in the lumen/s is NOT a part of __________ until ____________

A

Material in the lumen is not part of the body’s internal environment until it crosses the wall of the organ

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26
Q

3 functional fluid compartments:

A

1) Intracellular fluid
2) Extracellular fluid
a) Plasma
b) Interstitial fluid

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27
Q

ECF

A

Extracellular Fluid

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28
Q

Extracellular Fluid

A

The fluid outside of the cells (the external environment of the cell)

–> (the internal environment of the body)

“A sea within”

(Extra = Outside of)

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29
Q

Intracellular Fluid

A

Fluid within the cells (internal cellular environment)

30
Q

Plasma

A

The fluid portion of the blood

31
Q

The two main components (subcompartments) of the ECF

A

1) Plasma
2) Interstitial Fluid

32
Q

Interstitial Fluid

A

Surrounds the cells and lies between the cells and the plasma

(ECF that is NOT in the circulatory system!)

33
Q

Between compartments there exists an _______________________ of substances

A

ASYMMETRICAL DISTRIBUTION

–> Different compartments contain different substances/different concentrations of substances

34
Q

Na+ Concentration INSIDE cell

A

ICF = LOW Na+

35
Q

Na+ Concentration OUTSIDE cell

A

ECF = HIGH Na+

36
Q

K+ Concentration INSIDE cell

A

ICF = HIGH K+

37
Q

K+ Concentration OUTSIDE cell

A

ECF = LOW K+

38
Q

Ca2+ Concentration INSIDE cells

A

ICF = VERY low Ca2+

39
Q

Ca2+ Concentration OUTSIDE cells

A

ECF = Low Ca2+

40
Q

Na+ Ion Distribution Asymmetry

A

Inside Cell (ICF) = LOW conc.
Outside cell (ECF) = HIGH conc.

41
Q

K+ Ion Distribution Asymmetry

A

Inside Cell (ICF) = HIGH conc.
Outside cell (ECF) = LOW conc.

42
Q

Ca2+ (free calcium) Ion Distribution Asymmetry

A

Inside cell (ICF) = VERY LOW conc.
Outside cell (ECF) = LOW conc.

43
Q

A fundamental challenge for all organisms is…
(Hint: compartmentation)

BECAUSE…

A

Maintaining asymmetry between compartments

–> Cells expend a lot of energy to maintain the asymmetry BECAUSE it foes AGAINST the gradient

44
Q

Life is energetically _________________/______________

What does this mean?

A

Life is energetically INEFFICIENT / UNFAVORABLE

–> At the very fundamental level of just maintaining asymmetries, life must expend energy

45
Q

“All life deals with the same fundamental problems” MEANING

A

All organisms have the same basic needs

(Ex: water, food, air, etc.)

HOW we address these problems is where organisms may differ (and the specificities of the problems)

46
Q

Aerobic Metabolism

A

Uses OXYGEN

–> Yields 38 ATP + Water (+ CO2)

47
Q

Positives and Negatives of Aerobic Metabolism

A

(+) = LARGE YIELD (of energy) + water production
–> VERY EFFICIENT

(-) = Longer process + bigger “overhead costs”

48
Q

Anaerobic Metabolism

A

DOES NOT use oxygen

–> Produces lactic acid + 2 ATP

49
Q

Positives and Negatives of Anaerobic Metabolism

A

(+) = Faster process + lower “overhead” costs

(-) = LOW YIELD (of energy) + produces lactic acid

50
Q

Anabolic vs Catabolic

A

Anabolic = Building biomass (transforming simple substances into complex molecules; storing energy)

Catabolic = Breaking down biomass (Breaks down complex substances into simpler ones; releases energy)

51
Q

Metabolic Rate (MR)

A

Amount of energy an animal uses in a unit of time

[Energy (kcal)] / [Time]

–> Can be seen as the SUM of all biochem rxns. taking place in an organism

52
Q

How is MR measured?

A

Through measuring OXYGEN CONSUMPTION

(Amount of oxygen taken in = Amount of oxygen going through cell resp. = Amount of ATP being produced)

53
Q

BMR

A

Basal Metabolic Rate

= Amount of energy needed to solely carry out basic cellular functions

54
Q

MR can NEVER be = to…

A

MR can NEVER be = to ZERO

–> MR can only ever get as low as the BMR (any lower = organism is not alive)

55
Q

“All life is constrained by laws of physics and chemistry” MEANING

A

The physical environment governs what cells can and cannot accomplish

(Ex: Size Principle)

56
Q

The Size Principle

A

Surface Area : Volume RATIO

–> As a cell (or anything) increases in size, the VOLUME increases faster than the surface area

–> Larger cells have LOWER SA:VOL ratios which is not ideal as the surface area available for exchange is not sufficient for the amount of activity occurring in the cellular volume

–> Smaller cells have a HIGHER SA:VOL ratio which allows for greater amount of exchange per amount of cellular activity in its volume

** LIMITS HOW BIG A CELL CAN GET**

57
Q

Size principle + HEAT:

Large Animal

A

Large Animal = SMALLER SA:VOL

= LESS surface area for heat exchange = better at retaining heat

(Heat retention = High vs Heat loss = low)

58
Q

Size principle + HEAT:

Small Animal

A

Small Animal = LARGER SA:VOL

= MORE surface area for heat exchange = better at heat exchange

(Heat retention = LOW vs Heat loss = HIGH)

59
Q

Homeostasis

A

Maintenance of a relatively constant internal environment (maintenance of conditions tolerable range)

60
Q

Set Point

A

Optimum value

61
Q

To maintain homeostasis, the body has _____________ systems

A

CONTROL systems

62
Q

Control Systems

A

Processes in which the body regularly monitors certain variables and kickstarts physiological control mechanisms if any variable strays too far from the set point

63
Q

2 Main Parts of Control Systems:

A

1) Response Loop
2) Feedback Loop

64
Q

Response Loop

A

An input signal (stimulus), integrating center (programs response), and an output signal/response (action)

65
Q

Feedback Loop

A

The response to a stimulus “feeds back” to the input portion of the pathway to either amplify, continue, or stop a response

66
Q

Components of a Response Loop

A

1) Sensor (takes input)
2) Integrator (processes input)
3) Effector (the response)

67
Q

Sensor

A

Measures some aspect of the internal environment

–> What picks up on a signal/stimulus

68
Q

Integrator

A

Compares the sensor measurement to a reference value (set point)

–> Determines if a response is needed and if it is, it coordinates the respsonse

69
Q

Effector

A

The output of the response loop system that changes the internal environment

70
Q

Negative Feedback

A

The effector (output) COUNTERACTS (is directly opposite to) the initial stimulus

–> Will cause system to TURN OFF the response loop once homeostasis is re-achieved

71
Q

Positive Feedback

A

A loop in which the response to a stimulus reinforces/increases the initial stimulus –> Escalates the response + causes RAPID CHANGE

–> Requires some intervention to stop the response

72
Q

Negative vs Positive Feedback

A

Negative Feedback = HOMEOSTATIC

Positive Feedback = NOT Homestatic!!!