BIO 1007 Seminar #4: General and Special Senses, Endocrine System
Ch. 9 The General and Special Senses
1. Describe the following
receptor types according to the nature of the stimuli that excites them: nociceptors;
thermoreceptors; mechanoreceptors (tactile receptors, baroreceptors, and proprioceptors); chemoreceptors; photoreceptors.
2. Describe the basic process involved in exciting the olfactory receptors. Trace the structures involved in conducting an olfactory nerve impulse beginning with the olfactory receptors (bipolar neurons in the nasal cavity) to the olfactory area of the cerebral cortex. There is an excellent diagram of the olfactory organ in your text you can use to get started. Richard Axel and Linda Buck, scientists from two different Universities shared the Nobel Prize for Physiology in 2004 for determining the mechanism of olfaction: http://nobelprize.org/medicine/laureates/2004/press.html.
3. Name the six (6) taste sensations known to date, and describe the patterns in which these sensations are distributed across the tongue and pharynx. Trace the nerve impulse pathway beginning with the gustatory cells located within the taste buds of the tongue and pharynx to the gustatory cortex of the brain.
4. Describe the anatomy and general functions of the three layers ("tunics") of the eye wall: 1) Fibrous tunic; 2) Vascular tunic; and 3) Neural tunic. Include other important structures that belong to each of these layers.
5. Explain how the iris functions in regulating the size of the pupil.
6. Trace all of the structures and fluids through which light passes as it moves from the cornea to the retina of the eye, and the nerve impulse pathway from the retina to the visual cortex of the brain.
7. Explain how the lens functions in accommodation. Define the following terms and conditions related to accommodation: emmetropia, myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia, and astigmatism. What is photorefractive keratectomy (PRK)?
8. Distinguish between dynamic equilibrium and static equilibrium. Which specific parts of the inner ear are responsible for these two special senses and what is their general mechanism of action?
9. Trace the pathway of sound waves beginning with the pinna/auricle and mechanical vibrations that result in establishing fluid vibrations within the cochlea of the inner ear. Trace the pathway of nerve impulses from the Organ of Corti to the auditory interpreting centers of the cerebral cortex.
Ch. 10 The Endocrine System
Note: For additional help with these questions, consult your Interactive
Physiology CD - Endocrine System section.
10. Describe the mechanism of action for nonsteroid hormones. Describe the
mechanism of action for steroid hormones. How are these mechanisms
similar? How do they differ?
11. Describe how the hypothalamus regulates the secretion of hormones from both the anterior and posterior pituitary.
12. Name and describe the general functions of the anterior pituitary hormones.
13. What particular molecules are necessary for the production of thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3)? Where are these hormones stored within the thyroid and how are they transported once they are in the bloodstream? Explain what is meant by the "calorigenic effect" produced by these hormones.
14. Describe the hormonal regulation of blood calcium ion levels.
15. List the general functions of the following hormones from the adrenal cortex: a) aldosterone; b) cortisol (hydrocortisone); and c) androgens. What are the functions of the adrenal medulla hormones, epinephrine and norepinephrine?
16. Explain some possible functions of the hormone melatonin.
17. What is the name given to the endocrine portion of the pancreas? Name the cells that produce insulin and glucagon and explain how these hormones regulate blood glucose levels.
18. Distinguish between type I and type II diabetes mellitus in terms of their causes, symptoms, and treatments.
Last Updated 06/10/06
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