Module 1 - Cells Flashcards
What is meant by the term tonicity?
a) The tone / turgor of a solution relative to intracellular content
b) The osmolality of a solution relative to intracellular content
c) The osmolality of a solution relative to plasma
d) The osmolality of a solution relative to normal saline
e) The tone / turgor of a solution relative to plasma
c) The osmolality of a solution relative to plasma
Where is energy used in cellular processes primarily stored?
a) Organic residues
b) High energy phosphate compounds
c) Na / K ATPase
d) Adenosine containing compounds
e) Energy rich hydrogen bonds
b) High energy phosphate compounds
What is the inheritance pattern of mitochondria?
a) Recessive
b) Fraternal
c) Dominant
d) Maternal
e) 50% maternal, 50% fraternal
d) Maternal
Membranes are formed from phospholipids. What is the structure of phospholipids? a) Hydrophobic head and fatty acid chains that are hydrophilic
b) Polar hydrophilic head and fatty acid chains that are hydrophilic
c) Polar hydrophilic fatty acid head and hydrophobic chains
d) Polar hydrophilic head and fatty acid chains that are hydrophobic
e) Hydrophobic head and fatty acid chains that are hydrophobic
d) Polar hydrophilic head and fatty acid chains that are hydrophobic
What type of transporter is GLUT4?
a) Counter-transporter
b) Ion transporter
c) Uniporter
d) Co-transporter
e) Passive transporter
c) Uniporter
The following are organelles found in human cells.
A: Mitochondria
B: Lysosome
C: Golgi apparatus
D: Rough endoplasmic reticulum
E: Smooth endoplasmic reticulum
F: Centrioles
Which participates in:
a) Oxidative phosphorylation
b) Cellular division
A: Mitochondria
F: Centrioles
What is the freezing point of normal human plasma?
a) 0 degrees C
b) -0.54 degrees C
c) 0.5 degrees C
d) -1 degrees C
e) 1 degree C
b) -0.54 degrees C
What is oxidation?
a) The gain of electrons
b) The loss of oxygen
c) The loss of hydrogen
d) The exchanged of oxygen for electrons
e) The exchange of hydrogen for electrons
c) The loss of hydrogen
What is the principle process by which ATP is formed in the body?
a) Reductive phosphorylation
b) Organic phosphorylation
c) Redox phosphorylation
d) Oxidative phosphorylation
e) Glycophosphorylation
d) Oxidative phosphorylation
The cell membrane is composed of a phospholipid bilayer, each layer comprising a head and a tail. Describe the properties of the head and tail, with regards to water solubility.
a) Head is polar, hydrophilic. Tail is nonpolar, hydrophobic
b) Head is non polar, hydrophobic. Tail is nonpolar, hydrophobic
c) Head is non polar, hydrophobic. Tail is polar, hydrophilic
d) Head is polar, hydrophilic. Tail is polar, hydrophilic
e) Head is non polar, hydrophobic. Tail is hydroneutral
a) Head is polar, hydrophilic. Tail is nonpolar, hydrophobic
Which of the following is a function of mitochondria?
a) Formation of oxygen
b) Regulation of apoptosis
c) Storage of enzymes
d) Formation of mRNA
e) Utilisation of energy
b) Regulation of apoptosis
Which of the following intercellular junctions attach cells to their basal laminas?
a) Gap junction
b) Tight junction
c) Desmosome
d) Hemidesmosome
e) Zonula adherens
d) Hemidesmosome
What is the structural difference between granular endoplasmic reticulum and smooth endoplasmic reticulum?
a) Granular ER is decorated with ribosomes
b) Smooth ER is decorated with ribosomes
c) Granular ER is decorated with lysosomes
d) Smooth ER is decorated with lysosomes
e) Smooth ER contains an ATP-dependent Ca pump
a) Granular ER is decorated with ribosomes
The Gibbs-Donnan equilibrium helps to explain the tendency of cells to swell. What prevents cellular swelling caused by the presence of impermeant intracellular anions?
a) Osmosis
b) The sodium pump
c) Reactive oxygen species
d) Glutathionylation
e) Passive flux
b) The sodium pump
Which ion transporter is involved in the maintenance of the resting membrane potential?
a) Na, Ca antiporter
b) Na / Glucose transporter
c) Na, K ATPase
d) ENaC
e) RomK
c) Na, K ATPase
Which of the following terms describes communication in which products of cells diffuse in the extracellular fluid to affect neighbouring cells?
a) Paracrine
b) Autocrine
c) Endocrine
d) Neural
e) Juxtacrine
a) Paracrine
Chemical messengers commonly act by 4 different general mechanisms
A: Membrane receptor coupled to an ion channel
B: Membrane receptor coupled to G-proteins
C: Membrane receptor coupled to an enzyme
D: Cytoplasmic or nuclear receptors, which activate gene transcription
Match the above mechanism with it corresponding example
a) Thyroid hormones
b) Acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction
c) Angiotensin
a) D: Cytoplasmic or nuclear receptors, which activate gene transcription
b) A: Membrane receptor coupled to an ion channel
c) B: Membrane receptor coupled to G-proteins
What is the potassium concentration inside and outside the cell?
Potassium concentration inside the cell: 150mmol
Potassium concentration outside the cell: 5mmol
What does the Na-K pump transport?
Three sodium ions outside for every two potassium ions inside
On ATP molecule split to acheive this
What ions is the cell membrane usually permeable to at rest?
Potassium and Chloride
What are the main intracellular and extracellular anions?
Main intracellular anions are proteins
Main extracellular anion is chloride
What does the Nernst equation calculate?
It calculates the potential difference that an ion would produce if the membrane was permeable to this ion
Nernst Equation formula

What does the Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz form of the Nernst equation do?
It is expanded to take into acount multiple ions, multiplied by their permeability, to calculate the resting membrane potential across a semi-permeable membrane
What are the two mechanisms for removing calcium from the cell?
- Active transport via membrane bound pump activated by calmodulin using 1 ATP for each ion transported
- Co-transport utilising sodium ions moving down the concentration gradient