Anatomy, Physiology, and Cellular Biology Review

Flashcards covering levels of body organization, anatomical terminology, body cavities, homeostatic feedback loops, chemical structure, biological macromolecules, cellular organelles, membrane transport, and protein synthesis.

What are the smallest living units in the human body?

Cells are the smallest living units in the body.

What is the difference between supine and prone anatomical positions?

Supine refers to lying down face up, whereas prone refers to lying down face down.

How does a frontal (coronal) plane divide the body?

It is a vertical plane that divides the body into anterior and posterior portions.

What is the structural difference between parietal serosa and visceral serosa?

Parietal serosa lines the body cavity, while visceral serosa covers the internal organ.

How do negative feedback and positive feedback differ in homeostatic regulation?

Negative feedback negates the stimulus to bring the body back into homeostasis and maintain a normal range, whereas positive feedback amplifies the original change in conditions, moving the body away from homeostasis.

What are the three subatomic particles, their electrical charges, and their mass units?

Protons have a positive charge and 1 mass unit; neutrons are neutral and have 1 mass unit; electrons have a negative charge and low mass.

What distinguishes a nonpolar covalent bond from a polar covalent bond?

Nonpolar covalent bonds involve equal sharing of electrons between atoms, while polar covalent bonds involve unequal sharing because one atom has a stronger pull on the electrons.

What is activation energy, and how do enzymes affect it?

Activation energy is the amount of energy needed to start a reaction, and enzymes act as protein catalysts that lower the activation energy.

What defines hydrophilic versus hydrophobic compounds?

Hydrophilic compounds include ions and polar molecules that interact with water, while hydrophobic compounds include nonpolar molecules, fats, and oils that do not interact with water.

What is the normal pH range of human blood?

The pH of human blood ranges from $7.35$ to $7.45$.

What are the four levels of protein structure?

Primary structure (the sequence of amino acids), secondary structure (spirals or pleats formed by hydrogen bonds), tertiary structure (3D shape from coiling and folding), and quaternary structure (final protein complex from interacting polypeptide chains).

What three components make up a nucleotide monomer?

A pentose sugar (deoxyribose or ribose), a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base ($A$, $G$, $T$, $C$, or $U$).

What nitrogenous base replaces thymine ($T$) in RNA?

Uracil ($U$) replaces thymine ($T$) in RNA.

How does the sodium-potassium exchange pump operate in primary active transport?

One ATP molecule moves three sodium ions ($Na^+$) out of the cell and two potassium ions ($K^+$) into the cell.

What are the main functional differences between Smooth ER and Rough ER?

Smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) has no attached ribosomes and synthesizes lipids, whereas Rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) has its surface covered with ribosomes and is active in protein and glycoprotein synthesis.

What roles do transcription and translation play in protein synthesis?

Transcription is the synthesis of RNA from a DNA template using RNA polymerase, while translation is the synthesis of a protein where a tRNA anticodon binds to a complementary mRNA codon.

What are the four phases included in Interphase?

The $G_0$, $G_1$, $S$, and $G_2$ phases.

What is metastasis?

Metastasis is the spread of cancer to other areas.