Neurobiology and Immunology

    Cards (108)

    • What is cellular differentiation?

      Cellular differentiation is the process by which a cell expresses certain genes to produce proteins characteristic for that type of cell
    • What type of stem cells can differentiate into all cell types?
      Embryonic stem cells
    • What are the therapeutic uses of stem cells?

      Therapeutic uses involve the repair of damaged or diseased organs or tissues
    • What are the research uses of stem cells?

      Research uses involve studying how diseases develop or drug testing
    • Why do cancer cells divide excessively?

      Cancer cells divide excessively because they do not respond to regulatory signals
    • What is the structure of DNA composed of?
      Nucleotides, sugar-phosphate backbone, and base pairing
    • What is the role of DNA polymerase in DNA replication?

      DNA polymerase adds DNA nucleotides to the 3' end of the new DNA strand
    • What is the purpose of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)?

      PCR amplifies DNA using complementary primers for specific target sequences
    • What is the function of mRNA in gene expression?

      mRNA carries a copy of the DNA code from the nucleus to the ribosome
    • What is the role of tRNA in translation?

      tRNA carries specific amino acids to the ribosome
    • What happens during RNA splicing?

      Introns are removed and exons are joined to form a mature mRNA transcript
    • What determines the phenotype of an organism?

      Phenotype is determined by proteins produced as a result of gene expression
    • What are mutations?
      Mutations are changes in the DNA that can result in no protein or an altered protein being synthesized
    • What are single gene mutations?

      Single gene mutations involve the alteration of a DNA nucleotide sequence
    • What are chromosome structure mutations?

      Chromosome structure mutations include duplication, deletion, inversion, and translocation
    • What is the genome of an organism?

      The genome is its entire hereditary information encoded in DNA
    • What is the role of pharmacogenetics in human genomics?

      Pharmacogenetics analyzes an individual's genome to predict the likelihood of developing certain diseases
    • What are metabolic pathways?

      Metabolic pathways are integrated and controlled pathways of enzyme-catalysed reactions within a cell
    • What are anabolic reactions?
      Anabolic reactions build up large molecules from small molecules and require energy
    • How are metabolic pathways controlled?

      Metabolic pathways are controlled by the presence or absence of particular enzymes
    • What is glycolysis?

      Glycolysis is the breakdown of glucose to pyruvate in the cytoplasm
    • What is the citric acid cycle?

      The citric acid cycle involves the conversion of citrate back to oxaloacetate, generating ATP and releasing carbon dioxide
    • What is the role of ATP in cellular respiration?

      ATP is produced during glycolysis and the citric acid cycle, providing energy for cellular processes
    • What happens during lactate metabolism?

      During vigorous exercise, pyruvate is converted to lactate due to insufficient oxygen
    • What are the types of skeletal muscle fibers?

      Slow-twitch fibers contract slowly and sustain contractions, while fast-twitch fibers contract quickly for short bursts
    • Where are sperm produced in males?
      Sperm are produced in the seminiferous tubules of the testes
    • What hormone is produced in the interstitial cells of the testes?

      Testosterone
    • What happens during fertilisation?

      Mature ova are released into the oviduct where they may be fertilised by sperm to form a zygote
    • What is the menstrual cycle's duration?

      The menstrual cycle takes approximately 28 days
    • What is the role of FSH in the menstrual cycle?

      FSH stimulates the development of a follicle and the production of estrogen
    • What triggers ovulation in the menstrual cycle?
      A surge in LH triggered by peak levels of estrogen
    • What is the function of progesterone in the menstrual cycle?

      Progesterone promotes further development and vascularisation of the endometrium
    • What is the biological basis of physical methods of contraception?

      Physical methods prevent sperm from reaching the egg
    • What is the role of the oral contraceptive pill?

      The oral contraceptive pill mimics negative feedback preventing the release of FSH and LH
    • What is the purpose of antenatal screening?

      Antenatal screening identifies the risk of a disorder for further tests and prenatal diagnosis
    • What is the purpose of ultrasound imaging during pregnancy?

      Ultrasound imaging determines pregnancy stage and detects physical abnormalities in the fetus
    • What is amniocentesis used for?

      Amniocentesis is used to obtain cells for karyotyping to diagnose conditions
    • What is the significance of genetic screening and counselling?

      Genetic screening analyzes patterns of inheritance in genetic disorders
    • What is phenylketonuria (PKU)?

      PKU is a condition caused by a substitution mutation affecting metabolism
    • What is the role of the prostate gland in male reproduction?

      The prostate gland secretes fluids that maintain the mobility and viability of sperm
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