Human A&P 120

May 3, 2008                REVIEW for FINAL EXAM

 

REMINDER:  Exam is semi-comprehensive, covering some introductory material, and some nerve and hormone features, that apply the concepts to the last part of the course. Other systems wonÕt be covered except as noted.

Parts to review from the 1st THREE EXAMS:

BIOETHICAL PRINCIPLES:  be able to apply to topics discussed in class

A. AUTONOMY – individual choice/freedom

B. NON-MALEFICENCE: Above all, do no harm – the first medical principle

C. BENEFICENCE--relationship to others not just self; oft cited as the 2nd medical principle

-- 1. basic version: positive obligation to do good [active]

-- 2. Strong version=PATERNALISM: higher authority enforces its idea of good

D. JUSTICE--equal or fair treatment, equal rights, equal goods:

 

PRINCIPLES of SELF-REGULATION

A. HOMEOSTASIS = REGULATED CONSTANCY

Basic Negative Feedback System! know all diagram components including DISTURBANCE, State Regulated, Receptor/Sensor, Integrator, Effector. KNOW VARIATIONS:

a) DUAL effector control: 2 effectors that have opposite corrective effects (e.g., furnace, air conditioner), or 1 effector that can be boosted or inhibited (e.g., liver as regulated by insulin and glucagon).

b) Effectors may be behaviors, e.g., thirst, hunger + eating, etc

B. REGULATED CHANGE --not everything has a constant optimum. 2 different mechanisms:

1. RESET System: changes the set point of a negative feedback system.

  a) temporary emergencies:   e.g., fever; stress;   b) cyclical ÒclocksÓ: 

2. POSITIVE FEEDBACK System--one which accentuates a change rather than reducing it.  Sometimes this is not adaptive but a dangerous malfunction as in anaphylactic shock. BUT sometimes it can be useful for desired rapid changes: e.g., orgasm, parturition, ovulation

C. ENHANCED REGULATION

1. DELAY PROBLEM: Over and/or Undercompensations!

Delay problems are INHERENT in a simple feedback system because there are always delays in getting a signal from the disturbed state to the effectorÕs response—e.g., first exposure with specific immunity

-- if delays are too long and/or disturbance too fast, the system over and/or under-compensate – e.g., blood glucose with a fast-digesting carbohydrate

-- What to do about delays?  Sometimes nothing can be done, but sometimes there is a way:

 ANTICIPATION system --one which activates a feedback system before the disturbance alters the body; e.g., short-term stress system activated when spotting a predator in the distance. Also, specific / acquired immunity in effect does this with its memory B and T cells ( anticipates future attacks). Smell/taste anticipate food arrival

2. NEW-SITUATION PROBLEM: existing feedback system may not work well at high altitude, with new diet or activity regime, with new diseases, etc. Solution =

ACCLIMATIZATION / "ADAPTATION" system: change effectiveness of feedback component. Example: Acquired immunity!!!!

 

Principles of EVOLUTION

TWO LEVELS of EXPLANATION in Biology:  see lecture & reading examples

   1. "MECHANISTIC" = proximate explanation: Òhow does it workÓ analysis; e.g., how does LEPTIN work

2. "EVOLUTIONARY" = historical/selective reason; Òwhy did it end up this wayÓ analysis; e.g., why a high Body Adipose set point only arose in a feast-or-famine habitat!

B. Essentials of Evolution with Natural Selection

---1. Members of a species reproduce, usually more than needed to replace parents;

---2. Offspring have (semi)random differences in genes due to a) sex and b) mutations and c) Other Genome changes (some newly discovered)

---3. "Survival of the fittest" ensues:  in the long run, those with "better" genes will leave more successful offspring, so the "better" genes eventually dominate the species

SO: Species change, diverge over generations since environments (which include other species that are also evolving) change over millenia, so this is a never-ending process!

DETAILS:

 STEP 2--SEMI-RANDOM VARIATION is Not predictive, cannot anticipate future needs

            a) Sex: new combinations of existing genes in the parents

            b) Mutations: alterations in codes of existing genes

c) Other Genome changes --Pseudogenes, gene shuffling, duplications, etcÉ.

STEP 3--SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

         How?  "Consumption, Competition, Cooperation"--fittest genetic combinations lead to more viable offspring by better ability to eat, avoid being eaten, competing, and/or cooperating.

 

IMPLICATIONS/OUTCOMES OF NATURAL SELECTION

--1) Can produce exquisite ADAPTATIONS: e.g., kidney as a filter --better than any human-made filters

--2) IMPERFECTIONS due to Historical constraints and SLOWness --often evolution is slow relative to one or a few generations, and usually builds on pre-existing features, resulting in:

----- a) Vestigial features:  once-useful adaptations become useless or harmful, usually because environments or other adaptations changed and evolution has not caught up or cannot modify. E.g., human appendix, gill pouches and yolk sac in embryo.

----- b) Compromises: useful adaptations with flaws; e.g. human spine; female birth canal vs size of baby's head; internal disease conditions like sickle-cell anemia that protect from external diseases .

---3) Creates GENETIC DIVERSITY -- diversity is inherent to life, changes each generation, and provides the raw material for natural selection; there is no "perfect/ideal Platonic human" (or any other organism) towards which evolution is aiming! AND--> Species and populations (subgroups of single species) with higher genetic diversity tend to survive better.  EXAMPLES:  IMMUNITY! E.g., Native Americans and European diseases

 

HIERARCHY OF BIOLOGY

I. ATOMS & MOLECULES

B. MOLECULES (atoms join) & COMPOUNDS  (molecules with different atoms joined)

  --BONDS: 

1. COVALENT (STRONG) BONDS  [=atoms SHARE electrons]: 

a) NON-POLAR molecules:  Equal affinities,so equal share;  EXAMPLE: fats, oxygen!

b) POLAR --unequal share:  EXAMPLE: water!!

C. Hydrophobic or Non-polar interaction: apply to lipids/fat in diet!

Non-polar compounds forced out of water as water molecules, unable to bind to non-polar molecules, attract other water molecules. So non-polar compounds are squeezed out of the way into a separate layer--"oil and water do not mix".

D. INORGANIC Ions and Molecules:

1.  Inorganic ions: electrolytes, acids dissolved in water, etc. (know others not shown here such as CALCIUM):

  a) Na+,  plus  b) Cl- dominate extracellularly;

  c) K+ dominates in cells; others later

  d) H+ --determines ACIDITY 

2. Inorganic molecules: many not shown. E.g.,

 a) Water: H2O  or   H-O-H

 b) O2 or  O=O:

 c) CO2 or O=C=O

E. ORGANIC compounds: have C and H, plus usually other atoms.

4 categories of basic types of small unit molecules to macromolecules:
1. CARBOHYDRATES
: made of C, H, O:

   a) Monosaccharide sugars such as GLUCOSE=C6H12O6

USES:  i) energy

ii) make larger molecules---->

b) Disaccharides such as

SUCROSE =glucose+fructose

 USES: mainly for energy

c) Polysaccharides such as

GLYCOGEN in liver, muscle, etc

=large chains of Glucose

 USE--energy storage

 

 2. AMINO ACIDS (AAs) & PROTEINS:

a) AAs:  C, H, O, N in specific array;

--20 different AAs with unique properties according to "R" = side groups

USES: i) energy; ii) neurotransmitters; iii) join in chains to form proteins

b) PROTEINS --specific folded linear chains of AAs: AA sequence yields specific 3-D shape due to attractions and repulsions among various R (side) groups .

Most active cell functions due to proteins with specific binding sites; each type of protein attracts & binds one specific type molecule due to bonds:  Òlock & keyÓ model:

SEE LECTURE; this is a KEY CONCEPT

PROTEIN USES:

i) major cell/tissue/organ STRUCTURES

ii) ENZYMES: catalyze specific REACTIONS [note: enzymes usually have names with Ò-aseÓ suffix]

iii) TRANSPORTERS and other MEMBRANE proteins--—move molecules around

iv) REGULATORS--control other proteins or genes

  3. LIPIDS: dominated by non-polar C-H bonds (hydrophobic!)

   a) Fatty acids etc.

single long C-H chains with acid group

 

Uses: energy, making larger molecules

b) Fats

Triglyceride [TG]= main animal storage: 3 long C-H chains linked together (with a glycerol; a sugar)

Use: energy storage

c) Phospholipids

2 long C-H chains, a sugar, and polar group