Anatomy & Physiology II
Exam 1 Review: Chapters 18-20
I can’t possibly put every detail in these reviews, so as a disclaimer please realize you should know all the material in the
chapter unless I specifically say in this review you can skip it. I have the 10th edition of the book, so when I put a section
number it may be different in your edition, but the title should be the same so you can still find it.
Chapter 18: Endocrine System
Chapter 18 tends to drive students crazy b/c there are a lot of hormones and functions to memorize. The endocrine
system works closely with the nervous system to regulate your entire body so it’s very important to basic function and
health. Try to remember that if you get discouraged.
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Make sure you know all the terms in bold. Yes, all of them. You are learning a new language, so you need to
know the vocab. If I ask, what is paracrine communication, you should be able to explain that in your own words
without looking at notes. Practice your definitions out loud as if you were explaining them to someone else.
Notice there is a difference between being familiar with material and memorizing it. If I tell you to memorize
something, that means you know it without looking at notes. If I tell you to be familiar with something, you may
not have every detail memorized, but you understand the basic concept and can answer a question about it if
given some background info. Being familiar with the concept of a phone number is different than memorizing
the digits in the phone number. Make sense?
I recommend practicing with questions in the back of the chapter for every chapter.
Know the hormone groups (amino acid derivatives, peptide hormones, lipid derivatives), but you do not need to
know all the details about each group (spotlight structural classification of hormones). You should know how
each group binds to a receptor (intracellular or extracellular).
Make sure you know the pathway G proteins and the second messenger cAMP (spotlight).
HORMONES- you have to know which organ produces the hormone, a specific cell if it is listed, why is the
hormone released (what is the stimulus), what is the target of the hormone and what is its function. Make a list
to get all the info organized, then try drawing it out or finding tricks to memorize it all.
In the adrenals make sure you know the zones and what each produces.
You do not need to know how T3 and T4 are made. You need to know the pathway from TRH to TSH to T3/T4 to
target organs, but not specifically how to make T3/T4.
You do not need to know the spotlight section on General Adaptation Syndrome, but it’s interesting information
if you want to check it out.
Chapter 19: Blood
This chapter begins our section on the cardiovascular system. Ch 19 is blood, 20 is the heart and 21 is the vessels (ch 21
is on exam 2).
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Definitions of course
Make sure you know the structure of hemoglobin (what is it composed of). What is its function?
You don’t need to know numbers of cells in the blood like 4.5-6.3 million RBCs. You should know which cells are
most/least abundant.
Make sure you know the composition of blood, again you don’t need to know specific numbers but should know
most/least abundant. You do need to know the pH of blood and the temperature.
You need to know blood typing questions. Why is AB+ the universal recipient and why is O- the universal donor?
Make sure you know your definitions here (antigens, agglutinogens, etc.).
Know your cells and their functions.
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There are some blood clotting pathways you have to memorize, they aren’t bad, but they are similar and can
easily be confused. Look for what is the same and what is different. Make sure you know what enzyme is
activating what.
Chapter 20: The Heart
This is the first chapter with some really heavy physiology. The recorded lecture will help you understand those concepts
(like how the heart beats). This is a long chapter, give yourself some time with this one.
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Definitions, definitions, definitions. It never ends, but think how smart you are becoming with this new vocab!
There is a lot of anatomy to know here. Knowing the anatomy of the heart is critical to understanding the
physiology.
Right off the bat, you need to know the circulation of the blood through the heart (two circuits, pulmonary and
systemic), know the valves (all the names, they have more than one), know the chambers, the big vessels (aorta,
pulmonary artery, superior/inferior vena cava).
You need to know what the different waves represent on the ECG, the nursing school specifically asked that I
include that. I was previously cutting it out because they teach it, but they want you to know the basics. I don’t
put the cardiac arrhythmias on the exam (spotlight), but it is interesting to learn about, especially if you think
that is the direction you’re heading (cardio) after nursing school.
Coronary artery disease is not on the exam, but again a good read, good info to at least be informed about.
Physiology concepts- you need to tackle the conducting system, the action potential in the contractile cells, the
cardiac cycle, cardiac output, stroke volume/effects. Again watch the recorded lecture to help you navigate
through if you get confused.
Today we expect quick, immediate results. We want everything yesterday. That is not how learning works, so
pump the brakes, take a deep breath (or two or three) and prepare to put in the work, which takes lots of time.
The better you can organize the material when studying, the better your brain can store it and retrieve the
information during the exam.