Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

BIOL 273 - Principles of Human Physiology 1 > Unit 1 - Introduction > Flashcards

Unit 1 - Introduction Flashcards

1
Q

What is physiology?

A

study of structure and function of a living organism and its components

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

State the level of organisation of living organisms

A
  • chemical: atoms and mols
  • cellular: neuron, lymphocytes
  • tissue: collection of cells (e.g. connective tissue)
  • organ: collection of tissues (e.g. heart)
  • organ system: group of organs
  • organism: individual form of life
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

How are cells held together?

A

Cell junctions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Name the different types of cell junctions:

A
  • anchoring junctions
  • gap junctions
  • tight junctions
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Name the primary tissue types found in the human body

A
  • epithelial
  • connective
  • muscle
  • neural
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is the function of the epithelia?

A

to protect the internal environment of an individual

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the overarching function of epithelium tissue?

A

to regulate movement of materials between the internal and external environment, everything has to cross an epithelium

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

List the types of epithelia and their functions:

A
  • exchange: rapid exchange of material
  • ciliated: line airways and female reproductive tract
  • secretory: synthesize and release products into the external environment/blood
  • transporting: selective transport of material
  • protective: found on surface of the body
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Name the function of the connective tissue

A

to provide for structural support and barriers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

The connective tissue has extensive extracellular matric (ECM). What does the ECM contain?

A
  • proteoglycans
  • collagen
  • elastin
  • fibronectin
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Name the types of connective tissues and their functions:

A
  • loose: elastic tissue (e.g. skin tissue)
  • dense: strength (e.g. tendons)
  • adipose: contains adipocytes (e.g. white and brown fat)
  • blood: watery matrix lacking insoluble protein fibers
  • supporting: dense substances (e.g. cartilage, bones)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is the function of muscles?

A

contraction to produce force and movement

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Name the types of muscles:

A
  • skeletal: gross body movement
  • smooth: influence movement of substances into/out of/within the body
  • cardiac: only in heart, contraction to move blood
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is the function of neural tissue?

A

to carry info from one part of the body to another

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Name the types of cells in neural tissue and their functions:

A
  • glial cells: supporting cells for neurons

- neurons: carry info as electrical or chemical signals

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Define “function” and “mechanism” as interrelated concepts in physiology:

A
  • function refers to why a system exists, while mechanism refers to how a system works
  • we study the mechanism to understand the function
17
Q

What is homeostasis?

A

maintenance of a stable internal environment

18
Q

Homeostatic control is oscillation around a set-point. How can the set-point change with time?

A
  • acclimatization: e.g. acclimatization to altitude
    environmentally induced change in physiological function w/o genetic change
  • circadian rhythms: daily biological rhythms
    e. g. sleep-wake cycles, hormonal cycles
19
Q

Name the 4 basic mechanisms of cell-to-cell communication:

A
  • gap junctions
  • contact dependent signals
  • local communication
  • long distance communication
20
Q

What are gap junctions also known as?

A

direct cell to cell communication

21
Q

Where are gap junctions found?

A

heart, lungs, liver, neurons

22
Q

How does communication happen in gap junctions?

A
  • via protein channels (connexons) between adjacent cells
23
Q

TRUE OR FALSE:

Gap junctions are capable of opening and closing

A

TRUE

24
Q

What is contact dependent signalling?

A
  • interaction between membrane mols on 2 cells (e.g. surface mol of C1 binds to receptor protein in C2)
25
Q

Where can contact dependent signalling be found?

A
  • immune system
  • during development: neural cells send out long extensions that must grow from central axis to distal ends of developing limbs
26
Q

What is local communication?

A
  • communication with neighbouring cells
  • via autocrine and paracrine signals
  • autocrine: chemicals that act on the cell that produced them
  • paracrine: chemicals secreted that acts on neighbouring cells
27
Q

Give an example of a paracrine signalling molecule

A

histamine: vasodilator

28
Q

What engages in long distance communication?

A
  • nervous and endocrine system
29
Q

How is nervous system different from endocrine system in communication?

A

nervous system: use both electrical and chemical signals (e.g. neurohormones, neurotransmitters)
endocrine system: use only chemical signals: hormones

30
Q

what are the 3 main domains of membrane spanning regions?

A
  • extracellular: involved in binding the ligand
  • transmembrane: hydrophobic
  • intracellular: activates cellular response to ligand binding
31
Q

TRUE OR FALSE:

Any molecule that can bind to a receptor and induce activity will elicit the response of the receptor

A

TRUE

32
Q

membrane proteins act as ____

A

transducers

33
Q

Name and define the 2 types of homeostatic control:

A
  • local control: effects are exerted on neighbouring cells
    e. g. paracrine control of blood vessel diameter in response to low O2
  • reflex control: reaction in one or more organs controlled from elsewhere in the body
    e. g. can be any of the long distance paths of the nervous and/or endocrine systems
34
Q

What are the different types of feedback/control systems to regulate response loops?

A

negative feedback

  • opposes or removes the signal, thus returning the variable to its original value
  • homeostatic
  • keeps the system near or at set-point
  • e.g. blood pressure

Positive feedback

  • reinforces stimulus, sends variable further away from set point
  • needs external factor to turn off response
  • not homeostatic
  • e.g. labour

Feedforward control

  • anticipatory control
  • predicts change is about to happen, starts response loop, prevents change
    e. g. sight or smell of food

BIOL 273 - Principles of Human Physiology 1 (24 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions