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BIOL 236 Exam 6 Short Answer Study Guidance

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Q1. Predict the effect of thymectomy (removal of the thymus gland) on T cell production in a 70-year-old man.

Background

Topic: Immune System – T Cell Development

This question tests your understanding of the role of the thymus gland in T cell maturation and how its removal (thymectomy) affects immune function, especially in older adults.

Key Terms:

  • Thymus gland: Primary lymphoid organ where T cells mature.

  • T cells: Lymphocytes critical for adaptive immunity.

  • Thymectomy: Surgical removal of the thymus.

Step-by-Step Guidance

  1. Recall that T cells originate in the bone marrow but mature in the thymus gland.

  2. Consider the age of the patient (70 years old) and how the thymus changes with age (involution).

  3. Think about whether new T cell production is significant in older adults, and what the main source of T cells is at this age.

  4. Predict how removing the thymus at this age would impact the overall T cell population and immune function.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q2. Discuss the two different types of immunity.

Background

Topic: Immune System – Types of Immunity

This question is about distinguishing between the two main branches of immunity and understanding their characteristics.

Key Terms:

  • Innate immunity: Non-specific, immediate defense mechanisms.

  • Adaptive immunity: Specific, acquired defense mechanisms involving lymphocytes.

Step-by-Step Guidance

  1. Define innate immunity and list its main features (e.g., barriers, phagocytes, inflammation).

  2. Define adaptive immunity and describe its main features (e.g., specificity, memory, lymphocytes).

  3. Compare and contrast the speed and specificity of each type.

  4. Give examples of each type of immunity in action.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q3. Explain the role of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules in T cell activation.

Background

Topic: Immune System – Antigen Presentation and T Cell Activation

This question focuses on how MHC molecules present antigens to T cells and initiate immune responses.

Key Terms:

  • MHC molecules: Proteins on cell surfaces that present antigen fragments.

  • T cell activation: Process by which T cells recognize antigens and become activated.

  • Antigen-presenting cells (APCs): Cells that display antigens via MHC molecules.

Step-by-Step Guidance

  1. Recall the two main classes of MHC molecules (Class I and Class II) and which cells express them.

  2. Describe how MHC molecules bind and present antigen fragments on the cell surface.

  3. Explain how T cells recognize antigens only when presented by MHC molecules.

  4. Discuss the importance of this process for initiating adaptive immune responses.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q4. Explain the role of MHC molecules and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes in organ transplant and rejection.

Background

Topic: Immunology – Transplantation Immunology

This question tests your understanding of how genetic differences in MHC/HLA affect organ transplant compatibility and rejection.

Key Terms:

  • MHC molecules: Proteins that present antigens and are recognized by T cells.

  • HLA genes: Human genes encoding MHC proteins.

  • Transplant rejection: Immune response against transplanted tissue due to MHC mismatch.

Step-by-Step Guidance

  1. Define MHC molecules and their genetic basis (HLA genes in humans).

  2. Explain why matching HLA types between donor and recipient is important for transplantation.

  3. Describe how differences in MHC/HLA can lead to immune recognition and rejection of transplanted organs.

  4. Discuss strategies to minimize rejection (e.g., immunosuppressive drugs, HLA matching).

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q5. For Clark (who received a measles vaccine) and Nicole (who did not and contracted measles), determine if active or passive immunity is involved for each, and explain why Clark benefitted from the vaccine.

Background

Topic: Immunology – Active vs. Passive Immunity

This question asks you to distinguish between active and passive immunity and apply these concepts to real-life scenarios involving vaccination and infection.

Key Terms:

  • Active immunity: Immunity produced by the individual's own immune system after exposure to antigen.

  • Passive immunity: Immunity acquired by receiving antibodies from another source.

  • Vaccine: Preparation that stimulates active immunity without causing disease.

Step-by-Step Guidance

  1. Define active and passive immunity, and give examples of each.

  2. Identify which type of immunity is involved in vaccination (Clark) and natural infection (Nicole).

  3. Explain how the vaccine protected Clark from measles, focusing on immune memory.

  4. Discuss why Nicole, who was not vaccinated, was susceptible to infection.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q6. Explain how smoking impairs the protective features of the epithelium of the respiratory tract.

Background

Topic: Respiratory System – Mucociliary Escalator

This question tests your understanding of the structure and function of the respiratory epithelium and how smoking affects its protective mechanisms.

Key Terms:

  • Respiratory epithelium: Lining of the airways with ciliated cells and mucus-producing cells.

  • Mucociliary escalator: Mechanism that removes debris and pathogens from the airways.

  • Cilia: Hair-like structures that move mucus upward.

Step-by-Step Guidance

  1. Describe the normal protective features of the respiratory epithelium (cilia, mucus).

  2. Explain how cilia and mucus work together to trap and remove particles.

  3. Discuss how smoking damages cilia and affects mucus production.

  4. Predict the consequences of impaired mucociliary function for respiratory health.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q7. What role does surfactant play in preventing atelectasis in infants, and how does a lack of surfactant affect pulmonary ventilation?

Background

Topic: Respiratory Physiology – Surfactant and Lung Function

This question focuses on the importance of surfactant in lung function, especially in premature infants, and the consequences of its deficiency.

Key Terms:

  • Surfactant: Substance that reduces surface tension in the alveoli.

  • Atelectasis: Collapse of alveoli in the lungs.

  • Pulmonary ventilation: Movement of air into and out of the lungs.

Step-by-Step Guidance

  1. Define surfactant and its function in the alveoli.

  2. Explain how surfactant prevents alveolar collapse (atelectasis).

  3. Describe what happens to alveoli and ventilation when surfactant is lacking.

  4. Relate these changes to the breathing difficulties seen in premature infants.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q8. Explain the impact of bronchodilator medication on pulmonary ventilation during an asthma attack.

Background

Topic: Respiratory Pharmacology – Asthma and Bronchodilators

This question tests your understanding of how bronchodilators affect airway resistance and ventilation in asthma patients.

Key Terms:

  • Bronchodilator: Medication that relaxes airway smooth muscle.

  • Pulmonary ventilation: Airflow into and out of the lungs.

  • Asthma attack: Episode of airway constriction and inflammation.

Step-by-Step Guidance

  1. Describe what happens to the airways during an asthma attack (bronchoconstriction, inflammation).

  2. Explain how bronchodilators work to relieve these symptoms.

  3. Discuss the effect of bronchodilation on airway resistance and airflow.

  4. Relate these effects to improvements in pulmonary ventilation.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q9. Summarize the influence of bile salts, cholecystokinin (CCK), and secretin on bile production and release.

Background

Topic: Digestive Physiology – Bile and Hormonal Regulation

This question focuses on the roles of bile salts and digestive hormones in regulating bile production and secretion.

Key Terms:

  • Bile salts: Components of bile that aid in fat digestion.

  • Cholecystokinin (CCK): Hormone that stimulates gallbladder contraction.

  • Secretin: Hormone that stimulates bile production in the liver.

Step-by-Step Guidance

  1. Describe the function of bile salts in digestion and their role in the enterohepatic circulation.

  2. Explain how CCK influences the release of bile from the gallbladder.

  3. Discuss the role of secretin in stimulating bile production by the liver.

  4. Summarize how these factors coordinate to ensure efficient fat digestion.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q10. Predict and explain the effects of proton-pump inhibitor drugs (which block gastric acid secretion) on digestion in the stomach.

Background

Topic: Digestive Pharmacology – Gastric Acid and Digestion

This question tests your understanding of the role of gastric acid in digestion and how inhibiting its secretion affects digestive processes.

Key Terms:

  • Proton-pump inhibitor (PPI): Drug that blocks acid secretion in the stomach.

  • Gastric acid: Hydrochloric acid (HCl) secreted by parietal cells.

  • Digestion: Breakdown of food into absorbable components.

Step-by-Step Guidance

  1. Describe the normal role of gastric acid in protein digestion and defense against pathogens.

  2. Explain how proton-pump inhibitors reduce gastric acid secretion.

  3. Predict how decreased acid affects the activation of digestive enzymes (e.g., pepsin).

  4. Discuss potential consequences for digestion and absorption in the stomach.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

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