Cell Biology
What are the three parts of a general cell?
The plasma membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus
What are genes?
Segment of DNA that encodes a trait
What is cancer?
An uncontrolled division of cells
What is a synapse?
A connection between two neurons
Which organelle contains all of the information of the cell?
The nucleus
What is the difference between genotype and phenotype? Provide an example.
Genotype refers to the genetic makeup of an individual, whereas phenotype is the set of observable characteristics of an individual
> Example: An individual with the genotype (bb) will express ‘blue’ as the trait for the characteristic of eye colour (phenotype, blue eye colour)
What are ways we can minimize the risk of cancer? List three.
1) Use sunscreen (minimizes risk of skin cancer); 2) Maintain healthy exercise, diet practices (minimizes risk of stomach, colon cancer); 3) Stay on top of routine screenings (aids in the early detection of breast, cervical, prostate, blood cancers)
> Other answers: NSAIDS, vaccines, limit alcohol/tobacco intake
What brain region does most sensory input pass through?
Thalamus
How many initial cells does your body develop from?
One
What is meant by ‘Central Dogma’?
DNA -> RNA -> Protein
What are the two genetic mutations leading to cancer?
Loss of tumor suppressor genes, gain of oncogenes
What is one ion important to generating an action potential?
Sodium ions OR potassium ions
Where are large biomolecules broken down into components to be recycled and reused?
In lysosomes/peroxisomes
What is the Law of Dominance?
An organism with alternate forms of a gene will express the form that is dominant
What is a tumor suppressor gene?
A gene that slows down cancer development
Historically, the senses were thought of as hearing, smell, taste, touch, and vision. Can you name another one?
Vestibular sense/system OR Propioception OR Interoception
What is a morphogen, and what do they do/how do they act on cells?
A morphogen is a small molecule that is sent as a chemical signal between cells through developing tissue. They activate different genes in different cells, and based on the amount of signal received, the cell can grow and show different characteristics.
Describe natural selection, provide an example.
> Over time, natural selection results in changes in inherited characteristics of a population which increase a species fitness in its environment
> Example: A population of giraffes originally contains animals with varying neck lengths; however, their habitat has changed and only very tall trees remain. As a result, giraffes with shorter necks gradually die off because they cannot reach the leaves (main food source) – the genetic trait of a long neck is ‘selected for’ which aids in the survival of the species
How is multispectral imaging used to detect cancer?
Multispectral imaging takes very high-resolution images across several specific light wavelengths to detect tissue changes that are invisible to the naked eye.
Improves early diagnosis, maps tumor margins, and reduces the need for repeated surgeries.
How many synapses away from a cortical region is a touch receptor on your finger? Can you name where each synapse is?
Four: Finger -> Spinal Cord -> Brain stem -> Thalamus -> Cortex