Chapter 3 Cells and Tissues

Critical Thinking

1.   Two examples of chemotherapeutic drugs (used to treat cancer) and their cellular
actions are given below. Explain why each drug could be fatal to a cell.

·         Vincristine: damages the mitotic spindle

- Vincristine inhibits the normal development of the microtubules that drive the centrioles
toward the opposing poles of the cell by disrupting the mitotic spindle. If you don't
accomplish this, the cell will die since it won't be able to finish its mitotic division process.

·         Doxorubicin: binds to DNA and blocks messenger RNA synthesis

- Adriamycin effectively suppresses protein synthesis by binding to DNA and preventing

mRNA translation. When this process is stopped, the cell is unable to replace enzymes
and other proteins that are essential for survival.

2.   Hydrocortisone is an anti-inflammatory drug that stabilizes lysosomal membranes.

Explain how this effect reduces cell damage and inflammation.

- Stabilizing lysosomal membranes is vital because they become weak when deprived of
oxygen in circumstances of homeostatic imbalances, resulting in cell self-digestion. You
can keep the cell from consuming itself by increasing the lysosomal membrane.

3.   John has severely injured his knee during football practice. He is told that he has a torn
knee cartilage and to expect that recovery and repair will take a long time. Why will it take a long
time?

- No, because cartilage lacks the blood supply required for healing, it takes a long time to
recover. Cartilages are avascular, which means they have a lower likelihood of
regeneration due to a lack of food availability, which can lead to chondrocyte death.
Mineral depositions cause the cartilage to become calcified, similar to bone, and cell
divisions are detected. As a result, he cannot expect a quick recovery.

4.   Three patients in an intensive care unit are examined by the resident doctor. One patient
has brain damage from a stroke; another had a heart attack that severely damaged his heart
muscle, and the third has a severely damaged liver (a gland) from a crushing injury in a car
accident. All three patients have stabilized and will survive, but not only one will have full
functional recovery through regeneration. Which one and why?

- The patient with liver damage will most likely make a full recovery first since the liver is a
gland. Glandular epithelium are under the epithelial tissue classification, and a
characteristic of epithelial cells is that they quickly regenerate with lots of nourishment.

5.   Michael had a nervous habit of chewing on the inner lining of his lip with his front teeth.
The lip grew thicker and thicker from years of continual irritation. Michael’s dentist noticed his
greatly thickened lip then told him to have it checked to see if the thickening was a tumor. A
biopsy revealed hyperplasia but no evidence of neoplasia. What do these terms mean? Did
Michael have a cancer of the mouth?
 - Hyperplasia is the enlargement of tissues due to an irritant. Michael has been constantly
chewing on the inner lining of his lip with his front teeth, this irritated his lip, so
overgrowth occurred. There was also dysplasia, which is the presence of cells of
abnormal type in a tissue. Michael doesn't have cancer, but should be closely monitored
for signs of cancer.

6.   Think carefully about the chemistry of the plasma membrane, and then answer this
question: Why is minor damage to the membrane usually not a problem?

- The plasma membrane is a lipid bilayer. It means that it is made of phospholipis and
cholesterol that act as barriers of the cell. The reason why a minor damage to the
membrane is not a problem is because it has another layer to protect it.

7.   Lisa, an elderly lady is overweight and has a sedentary lifestyle. She has recently
develop puffy ankles. What is this condition called and how do you think this has developed?

- Edema is a condition that Lisa is suffering from. Lisa's edema is most likely the result of
her being overweight and leading a sedentary lifestyle. Fluid can build up in the feet,
legs, and ankles due to poor blood circulation caused by excess body mass. Gravity is
able to store surplus fluids in her feet and ankles since her heart isn't performing
properly.