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Anatomy & Physiology: Cell, Tissue & Microscopy

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Terms in this set (20)

  • What is cytology?

    Cytology is the study of cellular structure and function.

  • Define histology.

    Histology is the study of normal cell structure and function.

  • What is pathology in relation to cells?

    Pathology is the study of abnormal cell structure and function.

  • What is the purpose of microscopy in anatomy?

    Microscopy allows visualization of cells and tissues, essential for diagnosis, research, and understanding microscopic anatomy.

  • List the main steps in tissue preparation for microscopic examination.

    Tissue collection → Fixation → Dehydration → Clearing → Paraffin infiltration → Embedding → Sectioning → Mounting → Staining → Coverslipping → Microscopic examination.

  • Compare light microscopy (LM) and electron microscopy (EM).

    LM uses visible light, magnifies up to ~1000×, common stains like H&E; EM uses electron beams, magnifies up to millions×, shows ultrastructure (TEM) or surface detail (SEM).

  • What is the resolution difference between LM and EM?

    LM resolution is ~0.2 µm; EM resolution is ~0.2 nm, allowing visualization of finer structural details.

  • What are the main components of a typical human cell?

    Plasma membrane (boundary and transport), cytoplasm (fluid and organelles), and nucleus (genetic control center).

  • Describe the composition of the plasma membrane.

    Phospholipid bilayer with hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails, proteins (channels, carriers, receptors), and cholesterol for membrane fluidity.

  • What are the main functions of plasma membrane proteins?

    Selective transport, communication, enzymatic activity, cell recognition, and structural support.

  • Differentiate passive and active transport across membranes.

    Passive transport requires no ATP (diffusion, facilitated diffusion, osmosis); active transport requires ATP to move substances against concentration gradients.

  • Explain osmosis and its physiological importance.

    Osmosis is water movement through a selectively permeable membrane from low to high solute concentration, crucial for water balance and cell volume regulation.

  • What is tonicity and its effect on cells?

    Tonicity describes extracellular solute concentration effects: isotonic (no volume change), hypertonic (cell shrinks), hypotonic (cell swells and may burst).

  • Describe the sodium-potassium pump function.

    Active transport pump that moves Na+ out and K+ into the cell against their concentration gradients using ATP.

  • What is vesicular transport and its types?

    Transport of substances in vesicles requiring ATP; includes endocytosis (phagocytosis, pinocytosis, receptor-mediated) and exocytosis.

  • What are the four primary tissue types in the human body?

    Epithelial, connective, muscle, and nervous tissues.

  • List key functions of epithelial tissue.

    Protection, absorption, secretion, filtration, and sensory reception.

  • What distinguishes connective tissue from other tissue types?

    Connective tissue has more extracellular matrix than cells and supports, binds, protects, stores energy, and transports nutrients.

  • Compare nervous and muscle tissue functions.

    Nervous tissue transmits electrical impulses; muscle tissue contracts to produce movement.

  • What are the main functions of the cytoskeleton?

    Provides structural support, maintains cell shape, assists in movement, and organizes organelles.