WK4 ANSWERS

Objectives:
● Understand membrane structure and function, including membrane proteins
● Understand modes of movement of molecules across the plasma membrane
● Identify the key steps in spermatogenesis and oogenesis
● Describe the early steps in human development
● Describe the defining properties of a stem cell

MCQ:
1) Which of the following is correct regarding transport?
a) Facilitated diffusion requires ATP
b) Symports transport molecules in one direction
c) The Na/K ATPase actively transports sodium into the cell
d) Osmosis is the movement of water from high to low solute concentration
2) Identify the correct statement about plasma membranes
a) Phospholipid ‘flip-flop’ occurs more often than lateral movement
b) Extrinsic proteins are embedded in the membrane
c) During osmosis, water diffuses straight through the phospholipid bilayer
i) Aquaporin required - facilitated diffusion
d) Electrogenic pumps generate voltage and concentration gradients

3) What is ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection)?

a) Injecting sperm with serum to increase motility
b) Form of IVF to treat female infertility
c) Injecting multiple sperm into a mature egg
d) Injecting a single sperm into a mature egg
4) During which phase of meiosis are sister chromatids pulled apart to opposite poles?
a) Telophase I
b) Anaphase II
c) Metaphase I
d) Prophase II
5) When is meiosis arrested in oogenesis?
a) At prophase 1 and metaphase 2
b) Only at anaphase 1
c) At metaphase 1 and anaphase 2
d) Only at metaphase 1
6) Which of the following is not derived from the mesoderm?
a. Muscle
b. Heart vessels
c. Kidneys
d. Skin
 7) Which of the following is an example of a pluripotent cell population?
a. Embryonic stem cells
b. Endodermal cells
c. Spermatogonia
d. All of the above
8) The image depicts a photograph of a human embryo at blastocyst stage just prior to
implantation. The cellular structure indicated by the arrow is?
a. The polar body
b. The trophectoderm
c. The blastocoel
d. The inner cell mass

Short Answer:
1) What are the 4 ways membrane proteins can be regulated?

2) Draw the fluid mosaic model of a membrane and label/describe as many components as you
know can be found here
● Phospholipids - saturated/unsaturated
● Other lipids

○
● Cholesterol

3) Fill in the following table

Diffusion Facilitated Active Transport Endo/Exocytosis
Diffusion

Energy Passive Passive Energy required Expensive

requirement

Molecules Small non-polar Small charged Various Various

undergoing molecules ions and polar
transport molecules

Description of Passive Passive Energy intensive Energy intensive

transport movement movement process against process where cell
process down a down a a concentration membrane
concentration concentration gradient through changes
gradient. gradient through protein channels conformation to
 Osmosis is protein channels export/import
across a certain substances
semipermeable
membrane

4) lllustrate how the Na/K co-transport system works

5) Using a flowchart, illustrate the key steps in the spermatogenesis. Include the state of each
cell (haploid/diploid) and key stages and terms (eg. spermatid, primary spermatocyte etc.)
 6) Using a flowchart, illustrate the key steps in the oogenesis. Include the state of each cell
(haploid/diploid) and key stages and terms (eg. secondary oocyte, polar body etc.)

7) Create a
diagram of the
blastocyst and
label the
different cell
types present.
Blastocyst =
“hollow ball of
cells” – 4 days
after

fertilisation, after rapid cleavage

Inner cell mass (forms embryo proper i.e. ICM —> epiblast —> 3 germ layers)
Trophoblasts (outer layer, forms placenta)

8) Define gastrulation and name the 3 embryonic germ layers and the tissues derived from them.
● Gastrulation = rapid cell movement and proliferation whereby the single-layered epiblast
gives rise to the 3 germ layers
● Derivatives of the 3 germ layers:
○ Ectoderm = skin, neural tissue, some connective tissue
○ Mesoderm = muscle, skeleton, kidneys, gonads, heart vessels, blood, connective
tissue
○ Endoderm = epithelium lining the gut, respiratory tract bladder, pancreas, liver,
thymus

9) Define the terms pluripotent and multipotent. Provide an example of a stem cell type that has
these properties.
● Stem cells = undifferentiated cells that can self renew via mitosis and differentiate into
one or more specialised cell types
● Defined by their “potency” = ability to differentiate into many or all other cell types
○ Totipotent = can produce an entire organism (e.g. Zygote)
 ○ Pluripotent = gives rise to cell derivatives of all three germ layers (e.g. ES cells)
○ Multipotent = gives rise to multiple cell types but does not normally generate cell
types from all germ layers (e.g. Haematopoietic stem cells, give rise to various
blood cells)

10) Create a table or venn diagram comparing embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotent
stem (iPS) cells.

Discussion ES Cells iPS Cells

Points
How are they Inner cell mass of the blastocyst Transforming adult differentiated cells (i.e,
derived? somatic cells, e.g. skin cells) “back” to
stem cells by “reprogramming” them

Properties/P Pluripotent Pluripotent

otency
Potential ES cells —> lineage specific stem
uses cells —> different culture conditions
—> heart cell precursor / neural cell
precursor / blood cell precursor /
lymphocyte precursor —>
transplantation therapy
Advantage
Potential use of iPSC technology in
regenerative medicine
● Disease modelling
● Cell therapy
iPS cells avoid the ethical concerns
regarding the use of human embryos

Extension:
1) Define and draw examples of intrinsic, extrinsic and membrane anchored proteins
2) Describe 4 methods in which membrane protein activity is regulated and give examples of
tissues in which these methods would occur
3) Create a diagram that illustrates how iPS cells are derived.