Question 1

A patient presents with abnormally high blood calcium levels. Which hormone is most likely under-secreted, and what is its primary effect on bone?

Accepted Answer

Calcitonin; promotes calcium deposition in bone

Question 2

Which of the following best describes the process of endochondral ossification?

Accepted Answer

Bone forms from hyaline cartilage, with the primary ossification center in the diaphysis

Question 3

A 12-year-old patient is diagnosed with gigantism. Which hormone is in excess, and when did the excess occur?

Accepted Answer

Growth hormone (GH); before puberty

Question 4

During muscle contraction, which event occurs immediately after calcium ions bind to troponin?

Accepted Answer

Tropomyosin shifts, exposing active sites on actin

Question 5

Which muscle tissue type is responsible for involuntary movement in the walls of hollow organs, and what is a key structural feature?

Accepted Answer

Smooth muscle; spindle-shaped, nonstriated cells

Question 6

A patient suffers a spinal cord injury at the cervical enlargement. Which function is most likely to be affected?

Accepted Answer

Control of upper limb movement

Question 7

Which neuroglial cell is responsible for forming the myelin sheath in the peripheral nervous system (PNS)?

Accepted Answer

Schwann cell

Question 8

A patient is unable to distinguish between sweet and salty tastes. Which cranial nerves are most likely involved in this deficit?

Accepted Answer

CN VII and CN IX

Question 9

Which of the following best explains why steroid hormones have longer-lasting effects than nonsteroid hormones?

Accepted Answer

Steroid hormones penetrate the cell and activate gene transcription

Question 10

A patient with Marfan syndrome is at increased risk for which of the following complications due to excess cartilage growth?

Accepted Answer

Cardiovascular issues such as aortic aneurysm

Question 11

Which of the following best describes the difference between the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system?

Accepted Answer

Sympathetic produces a widespread response; parasympathetic produces a localized response

Question 12

Which structure in the eye is responsible for the blind spot, and why does it occur?

Accepted Answer

Optic disc; absence of photoreceptors

Question 13

A patient with hyposecretion of insulin will most likely experience which of the following symptoms?

Accepted Answer

High blood glucose and decreased cellular uptake

Question 14

Which of the following is the correct sequence for a monosynaptic reflex arc?

Accepted Answer

Receptor → sensory neuron → CNS → motor neuron → effector

Question 15

Which of the following best explains why muscle tone is important for posture?

Accepted Answer

Muscle tone is the resting tension that stabilizes joints and maintains posture

Question 16

A patient with fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva would most likely experience which of the following symptoms?

Accepted Answer

Soft tissue ossification leading to immobility

Question 17

Which of the following best describes the role of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in muscle contraction?

Accepted Answer

It stores and releases calcium ions necessary for contraction

Question 18

Which hormone is released from the posterior pituitary and is responsible for water reabsorption in the kidneys?

Accepted Answer

Antidiuretic hormone (ADH)

Question 19

Which of the following is a correct statement about the sliding filament theory of muscle contraction?

Accepted Answer

The I band and H zone shrink, but the A band remains the same length

Question 20

Which of the following best explains why the nervous system can respond more rapidly than the endocrine system?

Accepted Answer

The nervous system uses electrical impulses for fast, short-term responses

BIOL 109 Exam II Study Guide: Skeletal, Muscular, Nervous, Senses, and Endocrine Systems

Study Guide - Practice Questions