BIOL 182: Biology II

Assignment 1 – Nervous and Endocrine Systems

Name: _______________

ID Number: _______________

Section Value Your Score

Section I 20
Section II 5
Total Grade 25

Notes: Answer all questions within this document.

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Section I – Nervous and Endocrine Systems (20 marks)

1. Based on your knowledge of nervous systems, explain the term “reflex.” (2 marks)
A reflex is an involuntary response to a stimulation. Reflexes usually do not require the
brain and are produced in the spinal cord because when the brain isn’t involved the
reflexes are faster.

2. You accidentally staple your thumb and you move your hand in agony as you try to remove
the staple. Describe the pathway of the action potentials in this reflex from the pain
sensory neurons to the activation of your muscles. (3 marks)
The staple would stimulate pain receptors in the thumb which would produce action
potentials and relay sensory information through the sensory neurons to the spinal cord.
Interneurons then receive the information and pain is interpreted in cells in the gray part of the
spinal cord. Those cells produce a neurotransmitter which tells the area that is hurting and relay
it to the motor neuron. The motor neuron activates the muscle cell to contract and move your
hand.

3. Describe the functions of the hypothalamus and hippocampus. What part of the brain are
these structures located in? (4 marks)
4.
The functions of the hypothalamus are controlling the release of hormones from the
pituitary and produces two hormones (ADH and oxytocin) as well. It is like the homeostatic
control center and links the nervous and endocrine system and is part of the forebrain. The
functions of the hippocampus process short term memory into long term memory and plays a
role in learning and emotion and is located in the interior cerebrum.

5. Answer these questions regarding the control of blood glucose levels:

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 a. What two hormones are involved in this process? (2 marks)
Insulin and glucagon

b. Explain how both these hormones regulate blood glucose levels, through a negative
feedback loop. (3 marks)
c.

d.

If there are high levels of glucose in the blood it stimulates the pancreas to secrete
insulin. Insulin increase glucose uptake by the liver, which stores it as glycogen and reduces the
glucose levels in blood. If there is low glucose levels then that inhibits the pancreas from
releasing insulin. Glucagon the other hormone is also produced by pancreatic cells and is
released; it stimulates the liver to convert glycogen to glucose and cells to burn fat which
increases glucose levels.

e. In a person with diabetes mellitus, what hormone is lacking? (1 mark)

Insulin

f. Describe the additional health risks of having diabetes mellitus. (1 marks)

Some of the additional health risks include ketoacidosis, kidney disease, high
blood pressure, stroke, eye skin and foot complications

g. What type of treatment would you suggest to a person with diabetes? (1 mark)
Insulin injections or an insulin pump

6. Describe goiter, how the gland in question is affected, what hormone is decreased, and
how someone can contract this disease. What simple prevention strategy can you
suggestion to those who are at risk for developing this condition? (3 marks)

A goiter when the thyroid gland becomes enlarged this is caused by an inadequate
consumption of iodine. Iodine is required for the production of active thyroid hormones so
with low levels of iodine there is an underproduction of thyroid hormones and this drop in
secretion of thyroid hormones causes more and more TSH to be produced which stimulates
the thyroid and enlarges it. A prevention strategy would be adding iodine to table salt.

Virtual Lab Component (5 marks)

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 1. You have recently discovered a new species of birds. They have fantastic dark plumage,
sharp green eyes, and are awake, feed and hunt only at night. Using your knowledge of
the eye, predict whether these birds would have more rods or cones. Are these birds
capable of colour vision? Explain clearly how you determined your answer. (2 marks)

They would have more rods because rods work better in low light and have
higher sensitivity and are used for black and white vision. They would probably have few cones
and would have limited colour vision because they are awake and feet/hunt at night thus would
be adapted to have more rods which allow for better vision in the dark.

2. Consider your own eyesight.

a. Are you nearsighted, farsighted or have normal vision? If you are unsure, pick
the one that describes you best. (1 mark)
Nearsighted

b. Based on your answer above, is your eyeball long, short or neither? (1 mark)

My eyeball is long
c. Based on your answer, where is the image focused in relation to your retina? (1
mark)
The focus is in front of the retina

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