Key Concepts in Biology and Physiology 9

Acronym for anterior pituitary hormones

FLAT PiG

Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)

A hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland.

Luteinizing Hormone (LH)

A hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH)

A hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland.

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)

A hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland.

Prolactin

A hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland.

Growth Hormone (GH)

A hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland.

Zymogen

Inactive precursor of an enzyme.

Amylopectin

Branched form of plant starch.

Advantage of compound light microscopes

They can be used to view 2D images of living samples.

Advantage of dark field optical microscopy

Excellent contrast on unstained cells (black background).

Advantage of SEM

High resolution, 3D images of sample surfaces.

Allosteric site

A different location that is not the active site of enzyme catalysis.

Apoenzyme

An enzyme that is lacking (not bound to) its cofactor.

Example of a eukaryotic organism that uses budding

Yeast (fungus).

Example of a condition that may cause hypotonicity in a skeletal muscle

Carpal tunnel (results in weakness/numbness).

Example of a condition that may cause hypertonicity in a skeletal muscle

Stroke.

Example of homologous structures

The forearm of a bird and the forearm of a human.

Example of a haplodiploid organism

Bees.

Example of directional selection for bacteria

Antibiotic resistance.

Example of multiple alleles in humans

The ABO blood typing. A person can be type A, AB, B, or O.

Example of pleiotropy in humans

Cystic fibrosis. A single gene will lead to the expression of different symptoms in different tissues.

Bone remodeling

The back and forth between resorption (osteoclasts) and ossification (osteoblasts).

Calcitonin's effect on the kidneys and intestines

It decreases Ca2+ reabsorption in these areas.

Cardiac output (CO)

Volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute.

Chemotaxis

The process of moving to a location in response to a chemical signal.

Cholecystokinin (CCK)

Hormone secreted by the small intestine that signals for accessory organs to help in the process of digestion.

Characteristic of daughter cells that result from cleavage

They have less cytoplasm than the mother cell.

Dilution

It is the process of decreasing the concentration of a solute in a solution, e.g. adding water to orange juice to make it less sweet.

End-diastolic volume (EDV)

The amount of blood in ventricles before contraction.

End-systolic volume (ESV)

The amount of blood in ventricles after contraction.

Enzyme saturation

All active sites are occupied.

Exocytosis

Process by which materials exit the cell (opposite of endocytosis).

Fertilization

The fusion of 2 haploid gamete nuclei to make 1 diploid zygote.

Erythroblastosis fetalis

Rh- mother gives birth to a Rh+ baby; blood mixing causes mother to develop antibodies against Rh antigens (Rh+ blood).

Function of inhibin (from Sertoli cells)

Inhibits the further release of FSH (peptide hormone) by acting on the anterior pituitary.

Heart rate (HR)

Is how fast or slow the heart beats.

Imbibition

The absorption of water by the seed.

Muscle tone (tonus)

Weak, involuntary twitches of small groups of motor units, which keeps muscles firm.

Organogenesis

Formation of new organs.

Peristalsis

A rhythmic wave-like contraction that moves food boluses.

Carbaminohemoglobin

Hemoglobin bound to CO2.

plasmogamy

the process where two hyphae of filamentous fungi fuse their cytoplasm

increased Ca2+ significance

it causes hyperactivity, making the flagellum beat harder

saltatory propagation

the action potential 'jumps' from one node of Ranvier to the next

simple diffusion

passive movement of dissolved substances due to concentration gradient

speciation

the process that describes how species actually form

taxonomy

the science of classifying organisms

benefit of saltatory propagation

it provides faster conduction than propagating the signal down the entire axon

bundle sheath cells in C4 photosynthesis

they do not contain as much O₂, so photorespiration is less likely to occur

Casparian strip

a fatty, waxy substance that makes it impenetrable

blind spot of the eye

the optic disc (where the optic nerve exits)

central importance of the homeobox

it plays a crucial role during organismal structural organization during development

chemical digestion in the mouth

saliva (salivary amylase)

connective vascular tissue between the sclera and the retina

the choroid

cytoplasm of a muscle fiber

the sarcoplasm

definition of an ecological community

all of the populations living in a certain area where the different species interact

dilution factor

it is the factor by which your original solution was diluted (typically done in factors of 10 or 100)

distance of PNS ganglia from effector organs

close

difference between a B cell receptor (BCR) and an antibody

structurally they are identical; however, a BCR is bound to the B cell membrane, while antibodies are freely floating immunoglobulins

distance of SNS ganglia from effector organs

far

embryonic cleavage of protostomes

spiral and determinate

embryonic development of nematoda

protostome

endomembrane system

group of organelles/membranes that work together to modify, package, and transport proteins and lipids that are entering/exiting a cell

enzyme that breaks hydrogen bonds during DNA replication

DNA helicase

fate of the rest of the hypoblast

it undergoes apoptosis

excitatory neurotransmitter of a neuromuscular junction

acetylcholine

first respiratory structure air makes contact with when inspired

the nasal cavity

first step of growth after formation of the zygote

cleavage

fluid in the lymphatic system

lymph

function of central chemoreceptors

detect the concentration of pH in the cerebrospinal fluid

fluid in the pericardium

serous fluid

function of arachnid book lungs

their flat vascularized sheet membranes provide a large surface area for respiration

function of glucagon secreted from alpha cells

increase blood glucose levels

function of insulin secreted from beta cells

decrease blood glucose level

function of intrapleural pressure

it prevents the lungs from collapsing

function of peripheral chemoreceptors

detect changes in the concentration of O2, CO2, and H+ in arterial blood

function of somatostatin secreted from delta cells

inhibits secretion of somatotropin (GH), glucagon, and insulin

function of the AV node

add a brief delay between atrial and ventricular contractions

Function of the mitochondria

Produce ATP to power flagellar motion.

Function of the nasal cavity

It warms and moistens incoming air.

Function of the stamen anther for male angiosperms

The anther is the site of microspore formation via meiosis.

Function of the sperm midpiece

Contains mitochondria to produce ATP for movement.

Function of the sperm tail

Facilitates movement of sperm.

General mechanism of dizygotic twin creation

The mother ovulates 2 eggs, both are individually fertilized by 2 different sperms, resulting in 2 different zygotes with slightly different genetic material.

Functional unit of a muscle fiber

Sarcomeres; they shorten to facilitate muscle contraction.

Function of the stamen filament for male angiosperms

To support the anther.

General process of the acrosomal reaction

Sperm binds to the egg, leading to membrane fusion and fertilization.

General mechanism of the fast block to polyspermy

Sperm penetration leads to Na+ influx, causing membrane depolarization that repels additional sperm.

General mechanism of the slow block to polyspermy

Cortical reaction releases Ca2+ to egg membrane, leading to fusion between sperm and egg.

Genotypic ratio for a monohybrid cross

1:2:1 for XX : Xx : xx.

Function of the hippocampus (limbic system)

Responsible for learning and long-term memories.

Homeobox

A short sequence of about 180 nucleotides (60 amino acids) that is homologous across many different organisms.

Innermost layer of the eye containing photoreceptors

Retina.

Hypothesis for the creation of the first cell

The RNA world hypothesis.

Insecta symmetry of body plan

Bilateral.

Key function of aldosterone (mineralocorticoid)

Increase blood volume and pressure.

Label for the first generation of offspring in a cross

F1 = filial 1 hybrid = offspring of parental generation.

Label for the parental generation in a cross

P = parental generation.

Label for the second generation of offspring in a cross

F2 = filial 2 hybrid = offspring of F1 generation.