Overall Flashcards
Do cells have similar physiology in different anatomical locations?
Yes mostly but certain specialised cells are different
What does the nucleus in the cell of the human body contain?
The nuclear envelope with pores in, nucleoplasm, nucleolus and chromatin
What is the ph within a cell?
7.35
What are some of the organelles in the cell?
Nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum (smooth and rough), ribosome, cell membrane, golgi complex (apparatus), mitochondria, lysosomes, microfilaments and microtubules, vesicles
What does the cell membrane do?
Separates the internal part of the cell from the external environment, adds support for sensing receptors and allows active uptake and output of chemicals
What are lipids?
A diverse group of organic compounds including fats, oils, and hormones
What is the cell membrane made of?
A phospholipid bilayer
What is a phospholipid?
It is a lipid with a hydrophilic head containing a phosphate group and 2 hydrophobic tails made from fatty acids
What does the nucleus do?
It has most of the DNA in it (nuclear DNA), handles copying of DNA to allow protein synthesis and performs cell replication
What does the endoplasmic reticulum do?
It synthesizes lipids (smooth ER) and proteins (rough ER)
What does the Golgi apparatus do?
It organises the trafficking of proteins and lipids to the external environment
What do mitochondria do?
They generate most of the chemical energy for a cell by turning the glucose we eat and turning it into energy, which is stored in ATP
Do mitochondria have any DNA?
Yes, it is different from nuclear DNA because it comes only from the maternal line
What is adenosine triphosphate (ATP)?
It is an energy-carrying molecule (a nucleotide) found in all living cells and releases the energy to fuel other cellular processes
What do microtubules and microfilaments do?
They provide structural support (like scaffolding) and they carry molecules throughout the cells (motor proteins like kinesin and dynein)
How do cells sense their environment?
The surface receptors in the cell membrane sends a signal to inside the cell and makes a chemical cascade, which triggers a response
What is differentiation with respect to cells?
How cells change from one cell type to another cell type
What is the anatomical position based on?
Leonardo Da Vinci’s anatomical man
What is the features of the anatomical position (also known as the upright reference position)?
Erect (standing up),arms by the side, thumbs outwards (palms facing forward), eyes straight ahead, straight back, straight limbs
What are the 4 main gross anatomical positions?
Supine (on back), prone (on front), right lateral recumbent (on right side), left lateral recumbent
What is the mid-line of the human body?
A line that splits your body from your left and right halves
What do the medial and lateral descriptors mean?
Medial = towards the mid-line, lateral = away from the mid-line
Does a medial view/aspect of a foot (for example) show the inside or outside of the foot?
Inside
What do the superior and inferior descriptors mean?
Superior = above an arbitrary point, inferior = below an inferior point
What does anterior and posterior mean and what are the other names of them?
Anterior means front, also known as ventral. Posterior means back, also known as dorsal
What do the distal and proximal descriptors mean?
Distal = away from the main body, proximal = towards the main body
What do the dexter and sinister descriptors mean?
Dexter = right side, sinister = left side
What is the coronal plane?
Vertical plane that divides the body into anterior and posterior sections
What is the sagittal plane?
Vertical plane that divides the body into left and right sections (symmetrical if along the mid-line)
What is the transverse plane?
Horizontal plane that divides the body into superior and inferior parts
What 4 main groups can we divide the body into?
Head and neck, upper limb, lower limb, torso/trunk (thorax, abdomen and pelvis)
What is flexion?
Decreasing the angle between two ventral surfaces
What is the flexion and extension of the upper segment of the upper limb?
Moving the whole arm forward or backwards (note: upper segment refers to shoulder flexion and extension, not at the elbow)
What is the abduction or adduction of the upper segment of the upper limb?
Away from the mid-line or towards the mid-line
What is pronation and supination of the lower segment of the upper limb?
Pronation is when the palm is face down, whilst supination is when the palm is face up
What is thumb opposition?
The thumb pad can touch the pad of the middle finger (only primates and possums can do this)
What is circumduction?
A circular movement of a limb or extremity
What is the flexion and extension of the wrist?
Flexion is when the palm moves towards the forearm (ventral surfaces coming together) and extension is when the dorsal surfaces move towards each other
Is the radius the outer or inner bone of the arm? (palms forward)
Outer
Lateral and medial deviation of the wrist is also known as what and why?
Radial (lateral) and ulnar (medial) because these are the bones the hand moves towards when doing these movements
What is the flexion and extension of the hip?
Flexion is when the leg is brought in front of the body and extension is when the leg is brought behind the body
What is the adduction and abduction of the hip?
Adduction moves the leg towards the mid-line of the body, whilst abduction moves the leg away from the mid-line of the body
What is the lateral and medial rotation of the hip?
Rotating the hip either away from the body and towards and the foot points either outwards (lateral) or inwards (medial)
Do the knees only have flexion-extension motion?
No they have slight rotation for stability and they are hyperextend when standing straight
What is the inversion and eversion of the ankle?
Inversion is when the foot rotates so that the sole towards the midline of the body and eversion is when the foot rotates away from the midline of the body
What is dorsi-flexion and plantar-flexion?
Dorsi-flexion is ankle flexion and plantar-flexion is ankle extension
Instead of thinking of individual muscles, how can we think of them to simplify things for flexion and extension purposes and what is an example?
In compartments so the anterior compartment of the upper arm would include the biceps for example
What does the central nervous system (CNS) consist of and is it encased in bone?
The brain and spinal cord and yes it is
What does the peripheral nervous system consist of and is it encased in bone?
Peripheral nerves, ganglia and no
What are afferent nerves?
Messenger neurons that carry information from sensory receptors to the central nervous system
What are the efferent nerves?
Motor neurons that carry signals from the brain to the peripheral nervous system
What are the 2 parts of the peripheral nervous system?
Autonomic and somatic nervous system
What is the somatic nervous system?
It consists of nerves that go to the skin and muscles and is involved in conscious activities (purposes of moto function and sensation)
What is the autonomic nervous system?
It consists of nerves that connect the CNS to the visceral organs. It mediates unconscious activities (coordinates the internal environment - homeostasis)
What is the enteric nervous system?
The network of nerves that innervate (supply nerves to) the gun and coordinate gut function
What is the vascular nervous system?
The network of nerves that innervate (supply blood to) the blood vessels and coordinate vascular smooth muscle functions
Do nerves run anatomically close to blood vessels?
Yes (capillaries run through nerves)
What does the speed of the electrical signal through the neurons depend on?
The axon diameter and the amount of myelin sheath there is
What do neurons (nerve cells) do?
Transmit electrical signals
What are the main parts of a nerve cell?
Cell body = soma (includes nucleus), dendrites, axon, myelin sheath and terminal branches of axon
What do dendrites do?
The receive messages from other cells
What do axons do? (also known as nerve fibres)
They pass messages (electrical/neural impulses) away from the cell body to other neurons, muscles or glands
What is the myelin sheath?
Myelin insulates some axons and increases the speed of the electrical impulses
What are the 4 parts of the spine?
Cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum (coccyx at the bottom)
How does a neuron send a message to another neuron?
It sends an electrical signal down its axon and at the end of the axon, it changes into a chemical signal. The axon releases the chemical signal with neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) into the synapse to a neighbouring dendrite, which converts the chemical signal back into an electrical signal.
What is a synapse?
The space between the end of an axon and the tip of a dendrite from another neuron
How many vertebrae are there for the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine?
7 for cervical, 12 for thoracic and 5 for lumbar
What does the spine/vertebral column consist of?
Vertebrae separated by intervertebral discs and the vertebral column surrounds the spinal cord, which travels within the spinal canal, formed from a central hole behind each vertebra.
What is the structure of the sacrum and coccyx?
The vertebrae are fused and there are 5 in the sacrum and 4 in the coccyx
What are the main 2 parts of the autonomic nervous system? (enteric is sometimes considered as part of this too)
Sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems
What is the sympathetic nervous system responsible for and where in the body is the origin of this system?
Fight or flight response. In the thoracolumbar division
What is the parasympathetic nervous system responsible for and it is also known as what type of outflow?
Rest and digest. Craniosacral
What is a ganglion?
A group of neuron cell bodies
What is the resting membrane voltage and what value does it have?
The potential difference between the inside and outside of the plasma membrane of the axon in a neuron and -70 mV
What is a nerve impulse?
An electrochemical event that occurs in nerve cells following proper stimulation
Is a nerve impulse a building process or an all-or-nothing process?
All-or-nothing
What is the voltage curve that characterises a nerve impulse called?
An action potential
What makes a cell be classed as an excitable cell?
Action potentials need to occur
What does a sodium-potassium pump do in terms of excitable cells (like neurons) and how?
It maintains the resting potential by ensuring there are low levels of sodium ions and high levels of potassium ions by moving 3 sodium ions out with 2 potassium ions in (net loss of one)
What is the Nernst potential?
The potential difference across a cell membrane that exactly opposes net diffusion of a particular ion through the membrane
What is the Nernst equation?
The voltage balancing out the unequal ion concentration across the membrane (the equilibrium potential for that ion, eg potassium, where there is no net movement of the ion across the membrane)
What makes the resting potential negative?
More cations are leaving the cell than entering
What 3 things are required for action potential generation?
A polarised membrane (charge separation), sodium and potassium voltage-gated channels for discharging the polarisation and a stimulus for activating the voltage-gated channels
In an action potential, what voltage-gated ion channels are open on the rise of the potential until the top of the action potential?
Sodium channels, which open and sodium ions go into the cell and then more open after the threshold limit is reached
In an action potential, what voltage-gated ion channels open after the top point and until when?
The potassium channels are open and then stop when the potential is just below the resting potential, and then the potential slightly rises to the resting potential action
In an action potential, what does opening the sodium channels do?
Sodium ions will go into the cell as there is a concentration gradient there, which increases the positivity of the cell membrane potential and causes depolarisation
During depolarisation in an action potential, what value does the membrane potential reach at the top?
+30 mV
At the the top of an action potential, when the sodium channels close and potassium channels open, what does this do?
Potassium ions will leave the cell as there is a concentration gradient there and repolarisation occurs back to -70 mV
What is the threshold voltage for an action potential to occur?
-55 mV
What does depolarised mean for a neuron in an action potential?
The cell membrane is positive inside and its negative outside
When does hyperpolarisation occur in an action potential and what is it?
After repolarisation when voltage-gated potassium ions have been opened but there are more potassium ions outside than there are sodium ions inside, which causes the membrane potential to drop slightly lower than the resting potential
What is the refractory period after an action potential?
Potassium ions return inside the membrane and the sodium ions move outside, and the neuron doesn’t respond to any other stimuli
What is the cardiac action potential?
The membrane potential of the cardiac myocytes that signifies electrical activity of the cell
What initiates the cardiac action potentials?
Specialised pacemaker cells (in the sinoatrial node in the right atrium)
How many phases are there in the cardiac action potential?
5, Phases 0-4
What is phase 0, 1 and 2 for cardiac action potentials?
Phase 0: depolarisation, where sodium ions rapidly enter into the cell and calcium ions slowly enter the cell
Phase 1: sodium ion channels close
Phase 2: plateau phase, where potassium ions move rapidly out of the cell and calcium ions move slowly into cell
What is phase 3 and 4 for cardiac action potentials?
Phase 3: rapid repolarisation where calcium channels close and potassium ions move rapidly out of the cell
Phase 4: resting potential where there are leaky potassium channels
What phases have the long absolute refractory period in cardiac muscle cells and what is it?
Phase 0 to 3 and it means no second cardiac action potential can be initiated
How is the myelin sheath around some of the axons of neurons made in the PNS?
Myelinating Schwann cells that have wrapped around axons (Schwann cells can be myelinating or nonmyelinating)
What occurs at the points of the axon where the sheath of one Schwann cell meets the next (myelin sheath) and what are these gaps called?
The axon is unprotected and it is where the voltage-gated sodium channels are and Nodes of Ranvier
How do action potentials conduct along an axon?
Inrush of sodium ions at one node, which depolarises to reach the threshold of the next node and the action potential jumps from one node to the next (saltatory conduction)
How was the action potential first measured?
Intracellular recording by inserting a glass pipette into a cell and recording the potential changes wrt a reference electrode
What is extracellular recording for measuring action potentials?
One electrode placed in close proximity to the excitable cell and the reference electrode in the extracellular fluid to record potential changes at the membrane surface
What is patch clamping for measuring action potentials?
A suction is applied to form a seal to electrically isolate the membrane patch and all ions fluxing the membrane patch will flow into the pipette to be recorded
What are the main measurements of nerve conduction studies (NCS)?
Conduction velocity and amplitude
What are the two types of abnormality detected by nerve conduction studies?
Slowing due to demyelination and reduction in amplitude of response due to loss of axons
Abnormalities found from nerve conduction studies can have different patterns of peripheral nerve involvement, what are the three patterns?
Focal (single nerve affected), multifocal (if named nerves are affected, mononeuritis multiplex but if not, multifocal neuropathy) and generalised neuropathy
What disorders are related to nerve abnormalities? (can be found with nerve conduction studies)
Guillain-Barre syndrome (immune system attack part of the PNS), carpal tunnel syndrome (median nerve in forearm becomes pressed at the wrist by enlarged tendons/ligaments) and sciatic nerve problems (typically ruptured or bulging spinal disc pressing against roots of the nerve)
What is intra-operative spinal monitoring?
Functionally assesses nervous system integrity during surgical procedures involving spinal manipulation, like correcting scoliosis
What does a electroencephalography (EEG) measure?
It measures voltages fluctuations which result from ionic current flows within the neurons of the brain (brains electrical activity over a short time period around 30 mins)
What are EEGs used for (applications)?
Main diagnostic tool for epilepsy, used in comas and suspected brain death
How are conventional EEG recordings done?
8-16 leads placed on the scalp (10:20 configuration) over specific cortical areas
What does a normal EEG look like in the awake and alert state?
Irregular, low-voltage waves of high frequency
What types of waves are recorded on an EEG?
Alpha, beta, theta and delta waves
What are alpha waves and their frequency?
Present when awake with eyes closed (relaxed wakefulness), from occipital lobe, frequency is moderate (8-13 Hz)
What are beta waves and their frequency?
Associated with alertness, frequency is fast (13-30 Hz)
What are theta waves and their frequency?
Usually in sleep, frequency is slow (4-8 Hz)
What are delta waves and their frequency?
Seen in deep sleep, the largest amplitude of all ways and slow frequency (4 Hz)
What are foramen Ovale recordings?
Electrodes inserted into the opening in the skull (foramen ovale) to record electrical activity in the temporal lobe where seizures often arise
What are evoked potentials?
Recordings of electrical signals produced naturally by the brain following stimulation
What is a visual evoked potential (VEP)?
Electrophysiological signals in the brain evoked from visual simulations to determine the integrity of the visual system (eg optic nerve)
What is the auditory brainstem response (ABR)?
Auditory stimulation that generates neural activity along the central auditory pathway that can be detected by the brainstem
What does the auditory system comprise of?
Cochlea, cochlea nerve and the central auditory pathway, which extends from the nucleus of the cochlea to the primary auditory cortex (in the temporal lobe)
How can the auditory brainstem response (ABR) be recorded?
Temporal surface electrodes and analysed to determine whether sound transduction is within normal limits
How big is the heart approximately?
13cm long and 9cm wide, 200-425 grams
How much blood does each of the four chambers hold up to?
70 ml
What are the upper and lower chambers of the heart called?
Upper chambers called atria and lower chambers are ventricles
What veins go into the right atrium of the heart?
The superior and inferior vena cava
What is the valve name between the right atrium and the right ventricle?
Tricuspid valve
What is the valve name between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery?
Pulmonary valve
What is the name of the veins going from the lungs to the left atrium?
Pulmonary veins
What is the name of the valve between the left atrium and the left ventricle?
Mitral valve
What is the valve name between the left ventricle and the aorta that goes to the rest of the body?
Aortic valve
Which chamber in the heart is the largest and strongest?
Left ventricle
How many times does the heart beat per day and how many litres is this?
100,000 times and 7,600 litres
What is the outer layer of the wall of the heat called and what is it composed of?
The epicardium and it is connective tissue covered by epithelium
What does the epithelial tissue on the epicardium do for the heart?
It is a barrier and protects the myocardium
What is the myocardium and what is it made of?
The muscular middle layer of the heart and it is spontaneously contracting cardiac muscle fibres
What are the three layers of the wall of the heart called from inner to outer layers?
Endocardium, myocardium and epicardium
What is the inner layer of the heart called and what does it consist of?
Endocardium and it is epithelial tissue and connective tissue
With respect to the exterior of the heart muscle fibres, are the interiors negatively or positively charged?
Negatively charged
What is the ‘natural pacemaker’ of the heart and where is it?
SA (Sinoatrial) node in the right atrium
What does diastole represent?
Ventricular filling and contraction of the atria driving blood into the ventricles and the SA node discharges
What does systole represent?
Ventricular contraction after the ventricles are full of blood and electrical signals are sent from the AV node (SA node recharges)
Which heart valves are open and closed during diastole?
Open: tricuspid and mitral valves
Closed: pulmonary and aortic valves
Which heart valves are open and closed during systole?
Open: pulmonary and aortic valves
Closed: tricuspid and mitral valves
How are the cross striations of the cardiac muscle formed?
Alternating segments of thick and thin protein filaments (myosin and actin)
What is the difference between cardiac and skeletal muscle?
Cardiac muscle cells may be branched instead of linear or longitudinal
What are the four types of tissues?
Epithelial, connective, muscle, and nervous
The electrical signals created by the SA node in the heart follow what electrical pathway?
The natural electrical pathway through the heart/chamber walls
When the electrical signal in the heart passes through a chamber wall and then out of the wall, what happens?
The chamber contracts then relaxes
What is a normal sinus rhythm?
Heart beats at a normal rate (60-100 bpm). All complexes normal
What is a bradycardia rhythm?
The heart beats at less than 60 beats per minute
What is a sinus arrhythmia?
Abnormal rhythm or heart rate, where impulses originate at the SA node at a varying rate
What is the bundle of His in the heart?
Long segment of cardiac muscle cells specialised for electrical conduction from the AV node to the apex of the heart, leading to Purkinje fibres
Are contracted chambers systolic or diastolic?
Systolic (there is atrial systole but systole refers to ventricular contraction)
What is the function of the left hemisphere of the brain?
Comprehension, logic, speech, arithmetic and writing
What is the function of the right hemisphere of the brain?
Creativity, imagination, arts, visual spatial skills and emotions
What is the function of the medulla oblongata in the brainstem?
It controls respiratory, vasomotor and cardiac function (blood pressure and heartbeat)
How many cranial nerves are there and do they come singly or in pairs?
12 and in pairs for each side of the body
What is the functions of the vagus nerve? (also known as tenth cranial nerve)
Digestion, heart rate (to decrease only), breathing and cardiovascular activity
Where do the cranial nerves arise from?
The olfactory (smell) and optic (sight) nerves come from the cerebrum, whereas the other 10 nerves come from the brain stem
How does the medulla oblongata know when to increase or decrease the heart rate?
Baroreceptors detect changes in blood pressure and chemoreceptors detect changes in oxygen and pH change (eg CO2). These send signals to indicate a change is needed.
What is the function of the limbic system?
Behaviour, memory and emotions
Parkinson’s disease is caused by a loss of neurons in the substantia nigra, what does these neurons do?
This area controls movement and also produces dopamine
What is the structure of a single unit of a protein chain and what is it called?
Amino acid and it is an amine group, carboxyl acid group, R group and alpha carbon
What are lymphocytes and which protein family do they secrete in order to fight infections?
A type of white blood cell and they make antibodies (this is the protein type)
What are white blood cells also called?
Leukocytes
What are cytokines?
They are proteins that help control inflammation in the body (boosts immune system)
What are the three sections of the brain stem in descending order?
The midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata
What does the brainstem do?
It connects the brain and spinal cord
What is the function of the midbrain in the brainstem?
It is a relay system that transmits information for vision, motor movement and hearing between different portions of the brain
What is the function of the pons in the brainstem?
Connects to the cerebellum, regulates breathing and involved in sleep cycle control (unconscious activities)
What is epilepsy and how does this arise?
A CNS disorder that involves recurrent seizures from excessive and abnormal neuronal activity in the cortex of the brain
How can epilepsy be diagnosed?
Using an EEG or neuroimaging via CT or MRI
What does the portal vein do?
It carries venous blood from the gastrointestinal tract, gallbladder, pancreas and spleen to the liver
What do the hepatic veins do?
They carry venous blood from the liver into the inferior vena cava to go to the heart
What are the different layers in the structure of an artery?
Tunica externa, tunica media and tunica intima
Which layer of the artery is the thickest and is mostly smooth muscle?
The tunica media
How do the kidneys regulate blood pressure?
Control sodium and water balance
What are the two types of bone material structure?
Compact/cortical bone and cancellous/trabecular bone (spongy)
What nerves innervate the heart?
The vagus nerve and accelerans nerve
Auditory reception, speech, language, memory retrieval and emotion are associated with which lobe of the brain?
Temporal lobes
How many genes do humans have roughly?
25,000
When does blood flow through the coronary arteries?
During diastole
Interleukin 6 is what type of molecule?
Cytokine
How many pairs of spinal nerves are there along the spinal cord?
31
Is the vagus nerve a sensory or motor nerve?
Both
What is chemotaxis?
The movement of a cell or organism passing along a concentration gradient either toward or away from the chemical stimulus
What is the High Frequency (HF) Heart Rate Variability Parameter an indirect measure of?
Assessing the status of the parasympathetic and sympathetic autonomic nervous system
What is the primary function of the baroreflex response/baroreceptor reflex?
To maintain adequate blood supply to the brain when moving between a supine and standing position
Is epinephrine a hormone or a neurotransmitter and what is it also known as?
Both and adrenaline
What artery carries blood across the knee?
Popliteal
Do arteries have valves and why?
No because the force of the blood from your heart ensure the blood only goes in one direction
Do arteries or veins have thinner walls?
Veins
Where do the coronary arteries supply blood to?
The heart
Where do the carotid arteries supply blood to?
Brain, face and neck
Where do the vertebral arteries supply blood to?
Brain and spine
Where do the iliac arteries supply blood to?
Pelvis
Where do the femoral arteries supply blood to?
Legs
Where do the subclavian arteries supply blood to?
Head, neck and arms
Where do the celiac and mesenteric arteries supply blood to?
Digestive system