XL3 – Introduction to Physiology Lectures 0.1 and 0.

2
UCLA Extension

1. True/False questions:

a. T | F: Water is polar because the oxygen holds onto electrons more strongly than
hydrogen.

b. T | F: Hydrogen bonds are an important chemical bonds found in DNA molecules

(see slide 8 in Lecture 1.2)

c. T | F: Water is the most abundant organic molecule in the human body (see slide 12
in Lecture 1.2)

d. T | F: Carbohydrates are important source for elemental carbon during anabolic

reactions.

e. T | F: A phospholipid is amphipathic.

f. T | F: Proteins are large, complex molecules comprised of nucleic acids linked in

sequence by covalent peptide bonds. (see slide 41 in Lecture 1.2)

g. T | F: An amino acid’s R-group determines its chemical property such as polarity.

2. Word choice (choose the best answer):

a. Anabolism is the synthesize of macromolecules.

b. Catabolism is breakdown of macromolecules often to harness energy from broken
chemical bonds.
c. The maintenance of a relatively constant environment within the body despite internal
and external stressor is homeostasis.
d. Negative feedback system is when deviation from the set point is resisted.
e. Bonds that result from the sharing of electrons among atoms are called covalent
bonds.
f. An electrostatic force formed by the dipole-dipole moments of an electronegative
atom (nitrogen, oxygen, or fluorine) and a hydrogen atom that is attached covalently
with another electronegative atom (typically oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine) are called
hydrogen bonds.
g. Homeostasis is controlled mainly by the nervous (fast response) and endocrine
(slower response) systems.

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XL3 – Introduction to Physiology Lectures 0.1 and 0.2
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3. List the components of a feedback system and what they do.

Receptor (sensor): detects deviation from set point

Control center: integrates information from many different sensors
Effector: promotes changes to compensate for deviation

4. Why are feedback systems more common in human physiology?

Negative feedback systems(NFS) resist deviation from the set point (i.e., they reverse the
direction of change). Thus, NFS readily maintains homeostasis. In contrast, positive
feedback systems(PFS) amplify the direction of change thus grossly disrupting from
homeostasis. PFS is less common since it is potentially destabilizing with greater risk for
runaway reactions.

5. Give and example of a negative feedback system. A sketch may be helpful.

See slide 25 in Lecture 1.1

6. List four examples of positive feedback systems in the human body.

Blood clotting Pupil dilation

Labor contractions Lactation
Membrane depolarization Cytokine storms

7. Give examples of feedback mechanisms that take this long to occur:

a. Seconds: “Fight of Flight” response / blushing / pain perception

b. Hours: Labor
c. Days: Menstruation / lactation

8. Explain what is meant by “ion asymmetry” in a human cell?

Greater concentration of K+ inside cell and greater concentration Na+ outside cell resulting
from the sodium-potassium pump (Na+-K+ ATPase).

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XL3 – Introduction to Physiology Lectures 0.1 and 0.2
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9. List four examples of connective tissue.

Blood Ligaments Collagen

Bone Tendons Cartilage

10. Identify and briefly describe the characteristics of life:

Organization Parts of the body interact to perform specific functions

Metabolism Ability to use energy to perform essential functions
Ability of organism to sense changes in the environment and make
Responsiveness
adjustments to maintain life
Growth An increase in number, size, and/or mass
Changes an organism undergoes over time. Differentiation is when a
Development
cell structure and function changes from generalized to specialized.
Replication or formation of new cells or particles. Without
Reproduction
reproduction, the organism or particle becomes extinct.
11. What is the difference between a saturated and unsaturated fat? How do double bonds affect
the shape of a macromolecule such as a lipid?

Saturated = no double C bonds (max attached H) / not essential for human health / hard at
room temperature (e.g., lard) | more difficult for the human body to catabolize

Unsaturated = no maximum H attached so ≥ 1 double C bonds so kinks and bends in

chemical structure / liquid at room temperature (e.g., olive oil, safflower oil) / kinks in
structure make it easier for body to catabolize (breakdown)

12. Which two fats are unhealthy to eat even in small quantities? What adverse health effects do
these fats cause?

Saturated and trans fats. Both increase a person’s risk for type 2 diabetes and
cardiovascular disease. Trans fats increase unhealthy LDL cholesterol and decrease healthy
HDL cholesterol.

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XL3 – Introduction to Physiology Lectures 0.1 and 0.2
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13. What is atherosclerosis and how does it arise?

The gradual hardening and narrowing of arteries due to chronic, elevated levels of
cholesterol in the bloodstream.

14. Describe in general terms the following macromolecules and their physiological function:

a. Triglyceride. 3 fatty acid tails covalently bonded to a glycerol backbone. Storage

form of carbohydrates in adipose cells.

b. Phospholipid. 2 fatty acid tails covalently bound toa glycerol backbone plus a
(polar) phosphate head. Major structural component of plasma membranes (i.e., the
lipid bilayer).

15. Identify the important functions of water in human physiology

 A solvent that carries nutrients into and wastes out of body
 Participates in chemical reactions (e.g., digestion)
 Regulates body temperature by absorbing and releasing heat slowly (e.g., evaporative
cooling by sweating)
 Provides lubrication (e.g., moving joints; saliva helps move food bolus down
esophagus)

16. Explain the importance of blood buffer systems.

Chemical reactions occurring in the human blood are extremely sensitive to changes in pH.
So blood pH is kept within a very narrow range. This is accomplished by using buffer
systems consisting of weak acids and weak bases which remove excess protons and excess
hydroxyl ions from blood.

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XL3 – Introduction to Physiology Lectures 0.1 and 0.2
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17. Explain how a mutation in DNA coding for a particular enzyme could result an enzyme’s
inability to catobolize an important chemical reaction.

An enzyme’s ability to properly function is determined by how it foldsor its quarternary

structure.. How the enzyme folds is determined by the sequence of its R-groups in its primary
structure. If a DNA mutation results in removal of an amino acid or a change in an amino
acid’s chemical property, then the enzyme’s quarternary structure will change. This
misfolding will disable the enzyme’s active site – that is, the enzyme can no longer
accommodate the desired substrate. See slide 50 of lecture 1.2.

18. How does RNA differ from DNA?

 The 5-carbon sugar in RNA is a ribose than deoxyribose

 RNA uses uracil in lieu of thymine
 RNA is single stranded
 RNA is used to translate genes into proteins
 RNA comes in multiple forms such as mRNA, rRNA, and tRNA

19. Why is it important that phospholipids be amphipathic?

This enables the phospholipids to self-assemble into a lipid bilayer. The polar phosphate
groups orient to water (facing the cytosol and the extracellular fluid) and the hydrophobic
lipid tails orient to each other. This is essential to form the semi-permeable lipid bilayer.

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