Physiology S1 Y1 Flashcards
What are muscle cells specialised to do?
Generate mechanical force
Are skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscles voluntary or involuntary?
Skeletal = voluntary
Cardiac and smooth = involuntary
What are neurons specialised to do?
Initiate, integrate and conduct electrical signals
- neuron to neuron = passing on electrical signals
- neuron to gland = secreting electrical signals
- neuron to muscle = contraction
What are epithelial cells specialised to do?
The selective secretion and absorption of ions and organic molecules
- different sides of cell can have different functions
What are connective cells specialised to do?
Connecting, anchoring and supporting of bodily structures
- can be loose connective tissue, dense connective tissue, bone, cartilage, adipose and blood
2 types of protein fibres?
- Collagen fibres (ropelike)
- Elastin fibres (rubberband like)
- What is extracellular fluid?
- Intertitial fluid? - What is the space containing it?
- Fluid in blood + surrounding cells
- Extracellular fluid around + between cells - interstitium
What is homeostasis?
“State of reasonably stable balance between physiological variables” they are not constant but are in a predictable range
- regulated by dynamic constancy
What is pathophysiology?
Alterations to homeostasis out of the normal range
- How are conditions in the body maintained at their set point?
- Can set points be changed and why?
- Continuous adding of energy and feedback mechanisms
- They can be reset so important conditions can be maintained if the environment changes e.g. in the presence of a pathogen body temp. increases
How does negative feedback get used in homeostasis?
Prevents compensatory responses to a loss of homeostasis and oppose a stimulus e.g. if body temp. increases, this is opposed and brought down
How does positive feedback get used in homeostasis?
Accelerates a process such as blood clotting to seal a wound
What is feedforward regulation?
Regulated variables changing are anticipated and the body is prepared for this before it occurs through use of external/internal environmental detectors and learning
What are afferent and efferent nerve pathways?
Nerves that connect receptors to the integrating center and the integrating center to effectors
What other mechanism can act as a reflex component?
Hormones
2 major effectors?
- Muscles (contract)
- Glands (secrete hormones)
4 substances that allow cells to communicate?
- Hormones - target cells in one or more places in body
- Neurotransmitters - allows neurons or effector cells to recieve/transmit signals
- Paracrine substances - target cells in close proximity of release
- Autocrine substances - act on the same cell that secreted it
What is adaptation?
Characteristic that favours the survival of an individual in a specific environment or conditions
What is acclimatization?
Adaptation due to prolonged exposure to an environmental change
Why are biological rhythms useful?
Allow homeostatic mechanisms to be used immediately as there is an anticipatory component added to the homeostatic control system (a feedforward system)
What is the pool?
The readily available quantity of a substance
What are electrolytes?
Ionic forms of mineral elements
Difference between polar and non-polar bonds?
Polar bonds have uneven distribution of electrons (creates areas of positive and negative charge) and they are hydrophilic
Non-polar bonds have equal sharing of electrons and are hydrophobic
Lipids:
- Why are they not very soluble?
- What are the four subclasses?
- Non-polar covalent bonds
- Fatty acids (saturated or unsaturated)
- Triglycerides (part of membranes)
- Phospholipids
- Steroids (4 carbon rings, not water soluble)
Amino acid structure?
R
|
NH2 - C - COOH
|
H
Primary structure is?
Sequence of amino acids
Secondary structure is?
A flexible chain that can be folded into many configurations - hydrogen bonds between polypeptide chains force chain into an alpha helix or if the chains run parallel the hydrogen bonds create a beta sheet
Tertiary structure is?
The interactions between the amino acids to alter the final structure (hydrogen bonds, ionic interactions, nonpolar interactions, disulfide bonds, Van der Waals interactions)
Quaternary structure is?
More than one polypeptide chain (each called a subunit) - held by the same interactions as the tertiary structure
Number of hydrogen bonds between guanine and cytosine?
3
Number of hydrogen bonds between adenine and thymine?
2
What are the two pyrimidine (single ring) bases?
Cytosine and thymine
What are the two purine (double ring) bases?
Adenine and guanine
What do triplets that do not code for an amino acid code for?
Stop signal
What does tRNA do?
Attaches to anticodon and reads triplets until stop codon
Why can proteins in a membrane move laterally freely?
Not chemically bound to phospholipids
2 things cholesterol does?
- Reduces how tightly phospholipids are packaged (increases fluidity)
- Involved in vesicle formation
Integral membrane proteins:
- How are they amphipathic?
- 3 functions if they are transmembrane proteins?
- Polar regions at surface, non-polar regions at centre
- Channels
- Transmission of chemical signals
- Anchoring of protein filaments
Peripheral membrane proteins:
- Why are they not amphipathic?
- How do some regulate metabolism in cell?
- How are they involved in transport?
- What do they work with the cytoskeleton to do?
- Only bound to polar part of membrane
- Some are enzymes
- Move small molecules along membrane or to the cytosol
- Regulate cell shape and contraction
What do integrins do?
Bind to proteins in extracellular matrix and link them to proteins in membranes of neighbouring cells to join cells
3 types of junctions between cells?
- Desmosomes
- Tight junctions
- Gap junctions
What are desmosomes?
Region between two cells where plasma membranes separate and proteins accumulate to act as anchoring points for cadherins which extend from the cells and bind to link the cells
What are tight junctions?
Two cells bind to block the extracellular pathway
What are gap junctions?
Linking of cytosol of cells through protein-lined channels formed via connexins
Why does diffusion occur?
Result of random thermal motion
What does flux mean?
Amount of material crossing a surface in a unit of time
5 factors the size of a flux depends on?
- Temperature (higher = increased speed)
- Mass of molecule (lower mass = higher speed)
- Surface area (larger = more diffusion)
- Medium (e.g. air allows faster movement)
- Distance (lower = higher flux)
3 types of ion channel?
- Ligand gated - specific molecule causes allosteric/covalent change so channel opens
- Voltage gated - change in membrane potential moves charge areas of protein which changes its shape
- Mechanically gated - physically deforming
What is mediated transport and what are the two types?
Transport of molecules (via conformational change of transporters) that are too large/charged to diffuse in
- Facilitated diffusion and active transport
4 factors that determine flux via mediated transport?
- Saturation of transport binding sites
- Number of transporters in the membrane
- Rate of conformational change
- Solute concentration
What is the difference between primary and secondary active transport?
Primary uses ATP and secondary uses an electrochemical gradient
2 factors that make up electrochemical gradient?
Concentration difference and electrical difference
5 steps of primary active transport (to maintain membrane potential)?
- ATP is associated to transporter which binds to 3 Na+
- ATPase dephosphorylates ATP and phosphorylates transporter
- Reduced Na+ affinity (due to conformational change) and extracellular fluid exposed
- New conformation means higher K+ affinity
- K+ binding dephosphorylates transporter = changed conformation = K+ released into intracellular fluid
4 steps of secondary active transport (use of electrochemical gradient to transport solutes against concentration gradient)?
- Low Na+/high solute in cell
- Na+ moves into cell
- Na+ binds to one site, solute to another
- Na+ and solute released into cell
What is 1 mole?
Mass in grams of a compound that is equal to its molecular weight
What is osmolarity?
Total solute concentration of a solution
Difference between permeable and selectively permeable membrane?
Permeable = equal concentration of solute and volume of water in each compartment
Semi-permeable = same concentration of solute, different volume of water in each compartment (only water moves)
What is a ligand?
Molecule/ion bound to protein by electrical attractions (not covalent) to change conformation
What is the conformation of a protein dependent on?
Location of amino acids along polypeptide chain
What is meant by the chemical specificity of a binding site?
How many types of ligands can bind (some only bind to one)
What does affinity of a binding site affect?
How tightly it binds to a ligand
2 ways binding sites are regulated?
- Changing protein shape via allosteric (one molecule binds and alters binding site) or covalent (charged groups bound) modulation
- Regulating protein synthesis and degradation
What is meant by allosteric cooperativity?
Ligand binding to first of several functional sites on a molecule which changes the affinity of other functional sites
4 determinants of reaction rate?
- Reactant concentration
- Activation energy
- Temperature
- Catalyst
What are cofactors?
Molecules that activate enzymes via allosteric regulation
What are coenzymes?
Organic molecules that act as one of the substrates (e.g. NAD+)
What are multi-enzyme reactions?
Sequence of enzyme-mediated reactions (metabolic pathway) which increase one another, which leads to formation of a product
What does affinity of a receptor mean?
Degree of binding with a substrate
What is an antagonist?
Drugs that act as competitors
What is an anagonist?
Drugs that mimic messenger
When a messenger binds to a receptor it changes its conformation which triggers? (7)
- Permeability
- Transport properties
- Electrical state
- Contraction
- Metabolism
- Secretory activity
- Rate of proliferation/differentiation
How do protein kinases activate proteins?
Transfer a phosphate
How do extracellular signals cause protein synthesis to occur?
Bind to a receptor which triggers transcription factor activation which in turn causes segment of dna to be transcribed and translated
What do lipid soluble messengers act as?
Intracellular receptor binders that act as transcription factors in the nucleus as they can diffuse through the plasma membrane
What do water soluble messengers act as?
Extracellular receptor binders that activate intracellular signalling cascades and downstream mediators
What is the difference between a first and second messenger?
First = intercellular messenger that binds to receptor
Second = substance generated/entering cytoplasm due to receptor binding
What are the 4 main types of receptor?
Type A = ligand-gated ion channel receptors
Type B = receptors that act as enzymes
Type C = receptors that interact with cytoplasmic janus kinases (JAKs)
Type D = G-protein coupled receptors
Type A - ligand gated ion channel receptors:
- What are they activated by and how does this mean they are receptors?
Activated by a ligand binding and then conformationally changing to open channel for ions which changes the membrane potential (response)
Type B - receptors acting as enzymes:
- What type of enzyme activity?
- What do they all act as? (most common type?)
- Normal sequence?
- Intrinsic
- Protein kinases (receptor tyrosine kinases as most phosphorylate tyrosine residues)
- Messenger binds, changes conformation, tyrosine groups phosphorylated, phosphotyrosines on cytoplasmic area act as sites for proteins to dock, proteins then dock and trigger signalling pathways when activated
Type C - interact with janus kinases:
- What type of kinases and how are they activated?
- Cytoplasmic kinases and receptor is conformationally changed to activate ASSOCIATED JAK
Type D - G-protein coupled:
- What are the G-proteins bound to?
- 3 subunits of G-protein + purposes?
- Normal sequence?
- Inactive receptor
- Alpha (binds to GDP (off) and GTP (on)), beta and gamma (both anchor alpha)
- Ligand binds and changes conformation of receptor, alpha subunit has higher affinity for GTP and dissociates from other subunits and binds to plasma membrane protein (e.g. ion channel or enzyme)
How is a signal usually ceased?
Enzymatic metabolism of first messenger or receptor inactivation
What are paracrine, autocrine and endocrine signalling?
Paracrine = close cells signalling eachother by releasing signalling molecules locally
Autocrine = cell releasing signalling molecules to signal itself
Endocrine = cell releasing signalling molecules to signal cell far away
What are neurotransmitters?
Chemical messengers released from neurons to respond to electrical signals
5 components of neurons?
- Processes (extensions to link neurons)
- Cell body/soma (where protein synthesis occurs)
- Dendrites (recieve inputs)
- Dendritic spines (outgrowths to increase SA and have ribosomes)
- Axon (long process to carry output to target cells)
What is axonal transport?
Organelles are moved from cell body to axon terminals
What is the major adaptation of the axon?
Wrapped in myelin to speed up transduction - myelin produced by oligodendrocytes in CNS and schwann cells in PNS
What is anterograde movement?
Kinesins (motor units) move substances from cell body to axon terminals
What is retrograde movement?
Dyneins (motor units) move substances from axon terminals to cell body
3 classes of neurons?
- Afferent neurons (info towards CNS)
- Efferent neurons (info from CNS to effector)
- Interneurons (info within CNS conveyed)
What are nerves?
Afferent+efferent neurons + connective tissue + blood vessels
What are glial cells?
Large part of CNS that surround soma, axon, dendrites for physical and metabolic support e.g. oligodendrocytes are glial cells
What is the purpose of astrocytes?
- Regulate extracellular fluid by removing K+ and neurotransmitters
- Stimulate epithelial cells to form tight junctions (blood-brain barrier)
Purpose of microglial cells?
Remove pathogens and dead/damaged neurons
Purpose of ependymal cells?
Regulate cerebrospinal fluid
What is a pathway/tract?
Group of axons travelling together in CNS
What is a commissure?
Axons link right and left halves of CNS
What are ganglia?
Cell bodies of neurons with similar functions in PNS
What are nuclei (neurons terms)?
Cell bodies of neurons with similar functions in CNS
How many cavities does the brain have and what is inside them?
4 (interconnected) filled with cerebrospinal fluid
Role of:
- Frontal lobe?
- Parietal lobe?
- Occipital lobe?
- Temporal lobe?
- Morality, project future
- Sensory, motor, language
- Sight
- Long-term memory
Forebrain (cerebrum):
- What is the central core called?
- 2 parts?
- What separates them?
- What are the ridges called?
- What are the grooves called?
- Diencephalon
- Outer grey matter (has subcortical nuclei for movement/posture) and inner white matter
- Corpus callosum
- Gyri
- Sulci
Forebrain (cerebrum):
- 2 cell types?
- Pyramidal (major output, excite)
- Nonpyramidal (major input, receive signals)
Forebrain (cerebrum):
- What is the diencephalon made up of?
- Thalamus (arousal, movement, posture, focus)
- Hypothalamus (homeostatic regulation)
- Epithalamus (controls biological rhythms)
Role of hypothalamus?
- Neural and endocrine coordination to preserve an individual (e.g. eating) and a species (reproduction) and it is connected to the pituitary
Role of cerebullum?
Coordination of movement and controls posture+balance
Brainstem:
- 3 parts?
- Role?
- Midbrain, pons, medulla oblongata
- Reticular formation by integrating info from CNS and is involved in motor functions, cardiovascular+respiratory control and swallowing
What bones protect CNS and PNS?
CNS = cranium
PNS = vertebrae
-What are the meninges?
- 4 roles?
- Membranes that line structure and add support (dura mater, arachnoid mater, pia mater)
- Cover and protect CNS
- Protect blood vessels and enclose venous sinuses
- Contain cerebrospinal fluid
- Partitions in skull
What is the blood brain barrier?
A protective and very selective barrier to keep the brain stable
What relays/transmits info between the brain and spinal cord?
Fiber tracts
What is grey matter of spinal cord made up of?
Interneurons, cell bodies+dendrites of efferent neurons, entering axons of afferent neurons, glial cells
What is white matter of spinal cord made up of?
Myelinated axons
How do afferent fibers arrive from peripheral nerves into spinal cord?
Dorsal roots
How do efferent fibers exit from the spinal cord to peripheral nerves?
Ventral roots
- How are signals carried out of the CNS?
- Divisions?
- Efferent neurons
- Somatic and autonomic
What is the somatic nervous system?
Single neuron connected to skeletal muscle (only excitatory)
- What is the autonomic nervous system?
- 2 divisions?
- 2 neurons between CNS and effector (excitatory and inhibitory)
- Sympathetic and parasympathetic
Sympathetic:
- What is it known as?
- Where do neurons leave the CNS?
- Where are ganglia?
- How does it respond?
- Fight or flight
- Thoracic and lumbar regions
- Close to spinal cord
- As a single unit
Parasympathetic:
- What is it known as?
- Where do neurons leave the CNS?
- Where are ganglia?
- What does it do?
- Rest or digest
- Brainstem and sacral regions
- Close to/within organs
- Activate specific organs
- What is the charge inside a neuron relative to the outside?
- What does the size of resting potential rely on?
- Negative (-70mV resting)
- Differences in specific ion concentrations and membrane permeability of ions
Difference between signals in graded and action potentials?
Graded = short distance
Action = long distance
What is the all or nothing response?
If a change in membrane reaches a specific threshold depolarisation will occur at full strength regardless of size of change as long as it surpasses threshold value (once threshold is reached all the Na+ channels open)
Difference between inhibitory and excitatory synapses?
Inhibitory = hyperpolarises or stabilises
Excitatory = depolarises
2 types of synapses?
Chemical (neurotransmitters)
Electrical (gap junction connections between neurons)
Steps of synaptic transmission?
- Action potential reaches pre-synaptic terminal
- Voltage gated Ca2+ channels open
- Ca2+ enters terminal
- Neurotransmitters released into synapse as Ca2+ causes SNARE docked vesicles to fuse with membrane as Ca2+ binds to synaptoagmins and conformationally changes SNARE proteins
- Neurotransmitter binds to postsynaptic receptors
- Na+ channels open in postsynaptic terminal and action potential is transmitted
What are temporal and spatial summation?
Temporal = impulses in quick succession
Spatial = many neurons activated simultaneously
Difference between between convergent and divergent synapses?
Convergent = many presynaptic impact 1 postsynaptic
Divergent = 1 presynaptic impacts many postsynaptic
2 types of postynaptic receptors?
Ionotropic (in ion channels)
Metabotropic (indirectly influence ion channels)
- Why does the amount of neurotransmitter vary between each response?
- How does the amount of neurotransmitter affect the response?
- Depends on [Ca2+] and activation of membrane receptors
- Affects the amplitude of the membrane potential changes
What are neuromodulators?
Chemical messengers that change postsynaptic cells response to neurotransmitter and the synthesis/release/reuptake/metabolism of neurotransmitter in presynaptic cell
When are neurotransmitters vs neuromodulators used?
Neurotransmitters = rapid communication
Neuromodulators = slower events like learning
7 types of neurotransmitters/neuromodulators?
- Acetylcholine
- Biogenic amines
- Amino acids
- Neuropeptides
- Gases
- Purines
- Lipids
- What is an electroencephalogram (EEG)?
- What is the difference between alpha and beta rhythm?
-Recording of brain electrical activity
- Alpha = less attention, beta = thinking hard