Cell Physiology
These "powerhouses" of the cell produce ATP and contain their own DNA.
What are mitochondria?
This region of the brain coordinates balance and fine motor control and is affected in ataxia.
What is the cerebellum?
Opening of these ion channels causes depolarization during an action potential.
What are voltage-gated sodium channels?
This ANS division is responsible for “rest and digest.”
What is the parasympathetic nervous system?
These photoreceptors allow vision in dim light and provide low-acuity black-and-white images.
What are rods?
This type of transport moves molecules down their concentration gradient without energy.
What is passive transport?
These CNS glial cells myelinate axons, and their loss leads to MS.
What are oligodendrocytes?
This period follows an action potential when a neuron cannot fire another, ensuring unidirectional propagation.
What is the absolute refractory period?
Activation of these adrenergic receptors increases heart rate and contractility.
What are β1 receptors?
Pain felt at a location distant from the source—such as left shoulder pain during MI—is described by this phenomenon.
What is referred pain?
This organelle is responsible for packaging, modifying, and sorting proteins, and dysfunction here may impair hormone secretion.
What is the Golgi apparatus?
This relay station transmits nearly all sensory information to the cortex.
What is the thalamus?
Impaired axonal transport contributes to this neurodegenerative disorder characterized by β-amyloid plaques and tau tangles.
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
Preganglionic neurons of both sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions release this neurotransmitter.
What is acetylcholine?
Tingling and numbness in the median nerve distribution due to compression in the carpal tunnel describes this disorder.
What is carpal tunnel syndrome?
This process involves engulfing extracellular fluid and dissolved solutes and is often used by kidney tubule cells.
What is pinocytosis?
Damage to this limbic system structure results in emotional instability, altered fear responses, and impaired threat detection.
What is the amygdala?
A lesion of this limbic structure causes an inability to form new long-term memories.
What is the hippocampus?
A patient presents with ptosis, miosis, and anhidrosis on one side of the face. This syndrome is caused by sympathetic pathway interruption.
What is Horner’s syndrome?
Progressive loss of central vision due to degeneration of the macula describes this condition.
What is age-related macular degeneration?
This vesicular process is essential for synaptic neurotransmitter release and also for transporting cholesterol via LDL internalization.
What is endocytosis (receptor-mediated endocytosis in LDL uptake) and exocytosis (for neurotransmitter release)?
Damage to this brainstem structure disrupts vital autonomic functions such as breathing and cardiovascular control.
What is the medulla oblongata?
A toxin that selectively blocks voltage-gated potassium channels would prolong this phase of the action potential and increase neuronal excitability.
What is repolarization?
Excessive sweating due to overactive sympathetic cholinergic fibers is known as this disorder.
What is hyperhidrosis?
Increased intraocular pressure damages the optic nerve in this disorder, leading to peripheral vision loss.
What is glaucoma?