Test Hints
Chapters 11, 45, 48

The test will follow my lectures so study them all well. If you know these lectures and any reading that accompanies them from the book, and/or CD ROM you should be fine. If it isn’t in my lectures you don’t need to know it unless noted below.

In terms of the free response, know FR #2 and FR #3. It will be one of those. And if you are feeling rather nervous that should give you an additional clue. . .

You definitely need to be able to understand the FR question on parathyroid hormone and calcitonin to show how they homeostatically regulate calcium levels in the body. If there isn't a FR question on this there could be a variety of multiple choice questions that probe your knowledge of this in great detail.

You definitely need to be able to preproduce the FR question on insulin and glucose to show how they homeostatically regulate glucose levels in the blood. If there isn't a FR question on this there could be a variety of multiple choice questions that probe your knowledge of this in great detail.

Know the three different kinds of molecules that can be hormones and how they act.

Know what a tropic hormone is and be able to give examples of them.

Know the relationship between the hypothalamus and the posterior pituitary and the hormones that are released.

Know the relationship between the hypothalamus and the anterior pituitary and the hormones that are released.

Be able to draw and explain the negative feedback loop in the thyroid hormone system.

Know the difference between the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system.

Be able to explain the knee-jerk reflex and how it works.

Be able to describe all the parts of a neuron and how they function: cell body, dedrites, axon hillock, axon, schwann cell, myelin sheath, nodes of Ranvier, synaptic terminals.

Be able to explain how information is transmitted from one neuron to another across teh chemical synapse beginning with the arrival of an action potential at the synaptic terminal and ending with the opening or closing of ion gated channels on the post-synaptic membrane.

Be able to explain the importance of acetylcholine.

Be able to explain how curare stops the transmission of nervous information.

Be able to explain how nerve gas works, why it works, and how the effects of nerve gas might be reversed using atropine (hint: watch this animation).

A few things you might not have picked up. . .

Know the generic name of the hormones that are released from the hypothalamus that influence the anterior pituitary are called “releasing hormones” (read the first column page 900- good overview).

There is a chemical which is both a hormone and a neurotransmitter. Because of its unique role in both systems I want you to know its name- norepinephrine. Read about its role in the endocrine system (page 907 and first column of 908). Note that it also appears as a neurotransmitter on page 974 and in the table on page 975.

Know why myelinated neurons have signal transmission that is faster than unmyelinated neurons.

Since an action potential is always the same, how can a single neuron communicate an increase in the strength of a stimulus? For example, if you hit your hand with a hammer lightly and then you hit it hard, you “feel” a difference. All the action potentials are all the same but you “feel” a difference in the stimulus. Think about why this is so. . .

Know the basics of the brain as described in your brain assignment.

Be able to describe quorum sensing in bacteria to the level described in Bonnie Bassler's TED Talk.

Chapter 11 part of the exam

1. Be able to explain the Sutherland experiment (in detail) and answer questions that relate to it. Be able to explain what he discovered (the existence of a second messenger) and the three step process in cell signaling.

2. Be able to explain, in detail, how G-Protein Linked Receptors work.

3. Be able to explain, in general, how Tyrosine-Kinase Receptors work.

4. Be able to explain, in general, how Ion Channel Receptors work.

5. Make sure you have a good understanding of the use of cAMP as a second messenger.

6. Make sure you have a good understanding of the use of calcium ions and IP3 as second messengers.

7. Be able to explain what protein kinase is, how it works, and it's function in the phosphorylation cascade. Why is there a phosphorylation cascade during signal transduction? Be able to explain the importance of protein phosphatases in this process.

8. Be able to describe all the steps of the epinephrine cell signaling pathway from epinephrine binding to a receptor to the final release of glucose into the blood. What is the importance of epinephrine? What is its other name? Where is it released from? Where is this gland located? What is the "fight or flight" response and how does this cell signaling work in this system?

9. Be able to describe how growth factors stimulate transcription and the importance of transcription factors? What does this all mean?

10. Skim re-read the chapter for the main ideas.

Study Hints
1. Review the CD ROM, chapter 11, activities (this is an excellent resource!).
2. Review the CD ROM, chapter 11, quiz. Take the 20 question quiz (answers are provided).
3. Do the 10 quiz questions at the end of Chapter 11 in your book (answers are at the back of the book).
4. Do the 10 quiz questions at the end of Chapter 11 in your student study guide for biology book (answers are at the back of the study guide).