Part 1 - Multiple Choice – 30 Questions.
Circle one answer only. If you change your mind, cross out the original choice
and circle the new answer
1.
The motor division of the Peripheral Nervous System is divided into two
branches. They are:
A.
B.
C.
D.
central and peripheral
brain and spinal cord
somatic and autonomic
sympathetic and parasympathetic
2.
The middle layer of the meninges is the:
A.
B.
C.
D.
pia mater
arachnoid mater
dura mater
cerebral mater
3.
The division of the nervous system responsible for maintaining homeostasis is
A.
B.
C.
D.
somatic nervous system
motor nervous system
autonomic nervous system
sensory nervous system
4.
The four major regions of the brain are the:
A.
B.
C.
D.
cerebral hemispheres, cerebellum, brain stem and diencephalon
midbrain, pons, hypothalamus and medulla oblongata
dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater and CSF
thalamus, epithalamus, myothalamus and hypothalamus
5.
The part of the nervous system responsible for the ‘fight or flight’ response is:
A.
B.
C.
D.
somatic nervous system
motor nervous system
sympathetic nervous system
parasympathetic nervous system
6.
Which division of the brain is responsible for regulating body temperature, water
balance and metabolism?
A.
B.
C.
D.
the hypothalamus
the midbrain
the medulla oblongata
the cerebellum
7.
The part of the motor nerve that conducts messages away from the cell body is
the:
A.
B.
C.
D.
dendrite
axon
hillock
terminal
8.
The Nervous System is responsible for:
A.
B.
C.
D.
sensory input, migration and cardiac function
affectant input, integration and effective output
sensory input, integration and motor output
receptor, effector and axons
9.
Chemicals that cross the synapse are known as:
A.
B.
C.
D.
protein receptors
neurotransmitters
beta blockers
synaptic transmitters
10. The thyroid gland produces a hormone called calcitonin that:
A.
B.
C.
D.
stimulates the formation of white blood cells
increases the level of calcium in the blood
decreases the level of calcium in the blood
none of these
11. Which type of hormones can enter the cell and interact directly with the cell’s
DNA?
A.
B.
C.
D.
steroid hormones
antidiuretic hormones
insulin and glucagon
growth hormones
12. The hormone that raises blood glucose levels in the blood by directing the liver
to release stored glycogen is:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Oxytocin
Insulin
Glucagon
Epinephrine
13. Thyrocalcitonin is a hormone produced by the:
A.
B.
C.
D.
thyroid gland
pineal gland
pancreas
parathyroid gland
14. Chemical messengers that are released directly into the bloodstream are called:
A.
B.
C.
D.
hormones
neurotransmitters
axons
dendrites
15. Type I Diabetes Mellitus is caused by a deficiency of
A.
B.
C.
D.
glucagon
glycogen
insulin
glucose
16. When receptors in the blood register low blood Ca+ levels and the parathyroids
are stimulated to release PTH, this is known as:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Neural control
Humoral control
Hormonal control
Positive feedback
17. Waves of muscular contractions that propel the contents of the digestive tract
from one point to another are called:
A.
B.
C.
D.
segmentations
pendulum movements (like a clock)
peristalsis
churning movements
18. The partially digested bolus of food that resembles lumpy cream which leaves
the stomach and enters the small intestine is called:
A.
B.
C.
D.
bile
gastrin
chyme
pepsin
19. The small intestine is made up of:
A.
B.
C.
D.
cecum, duodenum and appendix
duodenum, jejunum and ileum
ascending colon, transverse colon and descending colon
duodenum jejunum and colon
20. The fingerlike projections which increase the absorption of food products in the
small intestine are called:
A.
B.
C.
D.
cillia
digestive enzymes
villi
pyloric sphincters
21. Regions of the colon include the:
A.
B.
C.
D.
ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon and sigmoid colon
cecum, bowel, duodenum and jejunum
transverse colon, rectum, duodenum and jejunum
cecum, descending colon, sigmoid colon and duodenum
22. Most absorption of nutrients occurs in the:
A.
B.
C.
D.
mouth
transverse colon
stomach
small intestine
23. The three sections of the small intestine are:
A.
B.
C.
D.
the duodenum, the pylorus and the jejunum
the jejunum, the cecum and the colon
the duodenum, the jejunum and the ilium
the pylorus, the cecum and the ilium
24.
The parotid, sublingual and submandibular are all:
A.
B.
C.
D.
subdivisions of the tonsils
salivary glands
names of the Peyer’s patches in the small intestine
regions of the large intestine
25.
The major function of the large intestine is:
A.
B.
C.
D.
digestion of proteins
water reabsorption
vitamin C synthesis
bacterial absorption
26.
Digestion of simple carbohydrates, such as fruit, begins in the:
A.
B.
C.
D.
mouth
transverse colon
stomach
small intestine
27.
Proteins cannot be absorbed by the body until they are broken down into:
A.
B.
C.
D.
fatty acids
polysaccharides and monosaccharides
amino acids
acetic acids and glucose
28.
Which structure produces bile?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The stomach
The liver produced by the liver and stored in the gall bladder
The salivary glands
The pancreas
29
Which of the follow are considered accessory organs of the digestive system?
A.
B.
C.
D.
the stomach, small intestine and colon
the pancreas, salivary glands and the liver
the kidneys, lungs and heart
the thymus, lymph nodes and spleen
30.
The enzyme amylase is produced by which structures?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The liver and duodenum
duodenum and pancreas
salivary glands and liver
pancreas and salivary glands
Part 2 – Short Answers. Please attempt all questions.
What is the difference between the CNS and the PNS?
The CNS stands for the Central Nervous System and is comprised of the brain
and the spinal cord. The PNS stands for Peripheral Nervous System and is
comprised of the cranial nerves, spinal nerves, motor & sensory neurons and
receptors throughout the body
What is myelin and what does it do?
It is a white fatty substance that forms a sheath around a nerve cell, protecting
and insulating the nerve, and allowing electrical impulses to travel faster along
the axon.
Explain how a nerve impulse crosses the synaptic cleft:
A neurotransmitter is released when the nerve impulse arrives at the axon
terminal. The neurotransmitter crossed the synapse and binds onto a protein
receptor on the receiving cell. This causes the sodium channels to open and
the nerve impulse can continue.
What are the names of the three layers of connective tissue membranes that protect
the brain?
The meninges – dura mater (outermost), arachnoid mater (middle layer) and
pia mater (innermost).
What does cerebrospinal fluid do?
Cerebrospinal Fluid is a watery medium that circulates around the ventricles of
the brain and around the spinal cord. It cushions and protects fragile brain
issue and it also helps get rid of wastes from brain tissue.
What is the difference between the autonomic nervous system and the somatic
nervous system?
The Autonomic Nervous System is involuntary and involves cardiac and
smooth muscle function and glandular function. The Somatic Nervous System
is under voluntary control and involves skeletal muscle function.
What is the difference between exocrine and endocrine glands? Give examples of
each.
Endocrine glands are ductless and they secrete their products (hormones)
directly into the blood stream. The thyroid gland and the anterior pituitary
gland are examples of endocrine glands.
Exocrine glands have ducts and their secretions are stored in the ducts before
being secreted. The sebaceous glands (oil) and sudoriferous glands (sweat)
are examples of exocrine glands
What is the difference between circulating hormones and local hormones? Give an
example of each:
Circulating hormones are released from the anterior pituitary gland and
circulate though the blood until they attach to their target cells. They cause a
response within their target cells, which may include secretion of a local
hormone. Examples of circulating hormone include FSH, TSH & ACTH.
What are target cells and receptors? Do hormones affect all cells? Give a reason
for your answer:
Hormones circulate throughout the body in the blood but they only affect a
certain cell type or organ – this is called the target cell or target organ.
Circulating hormones are chemically attracted to their target organs by
receptors on the plasma membrane of the cells of those organs. Thus, folliclestimulating hormone is attracted to the cells of the ovaries, their target organ
and will not affect or attach to any other organs.
What is the difference between a steroid hormone and a protein hormone?
The major difference is that a steroid hormone can enter its target cell and
interact with the DNA of that cell. A protein hormone cannot do that, it has to
bind onto the plasma membrane of its target cell and this causes an enzyme to
enter the cell and make ‘something’ happen.
What two hormones are released by the adrenal medulla? Epinephrine and
norepinephrine
Is the pancreas an exocrine or an endocrine gland? Give a reason for your answer.
It is a mixed gland, because it performs both endocrine and exocrine
functions. So it produces both hormones (endocrine) and digestive enzymes
(exocrine).
What hormones does the pancreas produce and what are their functions?
It produces insulin which decreases blood sugar by enhances the uptake of
glucose from the blood by the cells of the body; and it produces glucagon,
which raises blood sugar, by causing the liver to break down glycogen stores
into glucose and releasing that glucose into the blood.
How does thyrocalcitonin and parathyroid hormone oppose each other?
One lowers blood calcium levels (thyrocalcitonin) and the other raises blood
calcium levels (PTH).
How does the body regulate blood glucose levels? Explain the hormones involved.
If blood glucose levels are too high, the pancreas secretes insulin. Insulin
targets the cells of the body and the liver and encourages them to take up
glucose from the blood, causing the blood glucose levels to drop. The liver
stores glucose as glycogen. When blood glucose levels are too low, the
pancreas secrets glucagon, a hormone that targets the liver, encouraging it to
release stored glycogen as glucose into the blood, and this causes blood
glucose to rise.
Briefly describe the six basic activities of the digestive system:
Ingestion – taking food into the mouth;
Propulsion – swallowing, peristalsis and segmentation – all designed to move
food along the digestive tract;
Mechanical Digestion – chewing in the mouth and pummeling and churning in
the stomach both aiding mechanical breakdown of nutrients;
Chemical Digestion – breaking down of food molecules by digestive enzymes
into digestible substances, such as amino acids, sugars, fatty acids and
glycerol;
Absorption – transport of digested substances to the blood or lymph;
Defecation – elimination of indigestible substances in the form of faeces.
What is a bolus? How is it formed?
A bolus is a lump of food that has been mixed with saliva. It is formed by the
chewing motion of the teeth and helped by the tongue.
What is the name of the process that moves food along the gastrointestinal tract?
Peristalsis
What is chyme?
Chyme is a white substance with the consistency of thick lumpy cream. It is
the partially digested food that has been mixed with gastrin and pepsinogen in
the stomach and is what is moved into the duodenum.
How do the secretions produced by the accessory structures enter the
gastrointestinal tract?
Bile enters the GIT via the common bile duct. It is produced by the liver and
stored in the gallbladder until it is needed. Pancreatic enzymes enter the GIT
via the pancreatic duct.
What is the peritoneum?
The peritoneum is the serous membrane lining the interior of the abdominal
cavity and it lines the surfaces of the abdominal organs
What is the mesentery?
This is the double-layered membrane of the peritoneum that supports most
organs in the abdominal cavity. It is full of blood and lymph vessels that
absorb nutrients from the small intestine.
Where does most nutrient absorption occur? In the small intestine.
Where in the digestive system does protein digestion begin? In the stomach.
What are the two major functions of the large intestine?
Feces production and water resorption. Vitamin K is produces by bacteria
residing in the large intestine, and it is absorbed from the large intestine into
the bloodstream.
What is the difference between mechanical digestion and chemical digestion?
Mechanical digestion is the physical breakdown of food into smaller particles,
achieved by chewing with the teeth and pummeling by the muscular layers in
the stomach. Chemical digestion is the breakdown of food into absorbable
nutrients – this is done by the salivary amylase in the mouth, gastrin and
pepsinogen in the stomach and bile and pancreatic enzymes in the small
intestine
How does the stomach protect itself from being digested?
Mucous neck cells in the gastric glands of the stomach produce a thick,
alkaline mucus that clings to the stomach mucosa and protects it from the
acidic environment.
Diagrams
1 Nucleus
5 Axon
2 Dendrite
6 Schwan cell nucleus
3 Axon hillock
7 Node of Ranvier
4 Schwann cell
8 Axon terminal
1 Tongue
6 Esophagus
2 Submandibular salivary gland
7 Stomach
3 Liver
8 Pancreas
4 Gall bladder
9 Small intestine
5 Ascending colon
10 Rectum