AP 2100 Study Guide Spring 2017

Exam – 1 review
Chapter 01
1) Be sure you understand the central idea of homeostasis by being able to restate the concept in
your own words.
2) Name the basic components of a functional negative feedback loop in the order in which they are
activated. Explain how internal sensors (or sensory receptors) are essential to the normal
function of negative feedback loops.
3) Explain positive feedback and why it is used sparingly by organisms.
4) What is the “set point” of a feedback loop? How is the normal range of values for a body
parameter or vital sign (important quantitative measurements) related to the set point for that
parameter?
5) How are cells, tissues, organs and organ systems related to each other? Which is the “lower”
level of organization? Explain how the function of an organ (or organ system) depends on the
function(s) of the tissues and cells that make up a given organ.
Chapter 02
1) Explain the basic properties of living organisms.
2) Describe the structure of the plasma membrane (cell membrane) according to the fluid
mosaic model of the membrane. Which two fluids are separated from each other by the plasma
membrane?
3) List the organelles found within a cell and what their function(s) is/are.
4) List the location(s) and Describe in detail the processes, substrate(s) and end products of:
a. Glycolysis
b. Citric Acid Cycle
c. Electron Transport System
5) List the location(s) and describe in detail the process of converting a gene to a functional protein.
Include transcription, translation, mRNA processing, protein sorting, and post-translational
modification.
6) Describe how old and non-functional proteins are removed from the cell.
7) Describe the importance of the cytoskeleton (structure and functions) and each of its structural
components.
Chapter 03
1) What is the cell/plasma membrane and why is it arguably the most important feature of a cell?
2) What is special about the proteins embedded within the cell membrane? (E.g. What functions
may they perform that free floating proteins may not perform?)
3) Describe the different types of junctions/adhesions that may exist in a cell membrane and what
their primary functions are?
4) Describe the main differences between diffusion across a selectively permeable membrane and
osmosis across a selectively permeable membrane. What sorts of substances move by diffusion?
What is the only substance moving by osmosis across the membranes of human body cells?
5) How can sodium ions or glucose molecules be osmotically active if they do not cross cell
membranes by osmosis?
6) What is the osmotic pressure of a solution? In a system of two solutions with different osmotic
pressures, does water tend to move toward or away from the solution with the higher osmotic
pressure?
AP 2100 Study Guide Spring 2017

7) Describe diffusion. What are some of the rules for diffusion? What is Fick's law (including each
factor involved) and what does it tell us about molecular movement?
8) Compare and Contrast Osmolarity and Tonicity.
9) Compare and Contrast passive and active transport.
10) Describe both primary and secondary active transport? Why are these called "active"?
11) Describe how the Na-K-ATPase works and why it is so important to cells.
12) Describe the mechanisms for bulk transport (phagocytosis/pinocytosis).
13) Describe the processes of endocytosis and exocytosis.
14) Be able to describe all of the methods of membrane transport and their characteristics.
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1) Describe what a membrane potential is and how it may be established.
2) What are the two primary factors responsible for establishing and maintaining a resting
membrane potential?
3) Commit to memory the normal ECF and ICF values/ranges of sodium, potassium, chloride, and
calcium.
4) How does the Nernst equation help us understand the movement of ions across a cell membrane?
5) Define ‘permeability’ and explain its importance in relation to membrane potentials.
Chapter 04
1) What is a graded potential? Define polarization, depolarization, repolarization, and
hyperpolarization.
2) Compare and contrast graded and action potentials.
3) List and explain the steps involved in generating an action potential.
a. Explain in detail what is happening at each step (1-8).
4) Describe in detail the mechanism of propagation of an action potential along an unmyelinated
axon.
5) Compare and contrast action potential propagation in unmyelinated and myelinated axons.
6) Compare and contrast absolute and relative refractory periods. What does the absolute refractory
period ensure regarding propagation?
7) What is the ‘all-or-none law’ and why is it important?
8) Compare and contrast electrical and chemical synapses. Describe in detail what happens at a
synaptic terminal/knob when the action potential arrives (steps 1-5).
9) Compare and contrast EPSPs and IPSPs.
10) Commit to memory the major neurotransmitters and their functions.
11) Compare and contrast temporal and spatial summation.
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1) Describe the mechanisms of direct and indirect cell-to-cell communication.
2) List and define the four classes of extracellular chemical messengers.
3) Describe in detail signal transduction via chemically gated receptor channels, receptor enzymes,
and G-protein coupled receptors.
4) Compare and contrast the three classes of hormones.
5) Describe in detail the mechanism of:
a. cAMP second messenger pathway
b. IP3/DAG second messenger pathway
c. Steroid hormone pathway
d. Receptor enzyme pathways
6) Compare and contrast neural and endocrine control mechanisms.