NEET MDS Lessons
Physiology
Typical Concentration Gradients and Membrane Potentials in Excitable Cells
The Na Pump is Particularly Important in the Kidney and Brain
- All cells have Na pumps in their membranes, but some cells have more than others
- Over-all Na pump activity may account for a third of your resting energy expenditure!
- In the kidney the Na pump activity is very high because it is used to regulate body salt and water concentrations
- Kidneys use enormous amounts of energy: 0.5% of body weight, but use 7% of the oxygen supply
- Pump activity is also high in the brain because Na and K gradients are essential for nerves
- The brain is another high energy organ; it is 2% of body weight, but uses 18% of the oxygen supply
In the Resting State Potassium Controls the Membrane Potential of Most Cells
- Resting cells have more open K channels than other types
- More K+ passes through membrane than other ions- therefore K+ controls the potential
- Blood K+ must be closely controlled because small changes will produce large changes in the membrane potentials of cells
- Raising K will make the membrane potential less negative (depolarization)
- High blood K+ can cause the heart to stop beating (it goes into permanent contraction)
During an Action Potential Na Channels Open, and Na Controls the Membrane Potential
- Whichever ion has the most open channels controls the membrane potential
- Excitable cells have Na channels that open when stimulated
- When large numbers of these channels open Na controls the membrane potential
Proteinuria—Protein content in urine, often due to leaky or damaged glomeruli.
Oliguria—An abnormally small amount of urine, often due to shock or kidney damage.
Polyuria—An abnormally large amount of urine, often caused by diabetes.
Dysuria—Painful or uncomfortable urination, often from urinary tract infections.
Hematuria—Red blood cells in urine, from infection or injury.
Glycosuria—Glucose in urine, due to excess plasma glucose in diabetes, beyond the amount able to be reabsorbed in the proximal convoluted tubule.
SPECIAL SOMATIC AFFERENT (SSA) PATHWAYS
Hearing
The organ of Corti with its sound-sensitive hair cells and basilar membrane are important parts of the sound transducing system for hearing. Mechanical vibrations of the basilar membrane generate membrane potentials in the hair cells which produce impulse patterns in the cochlear portion of the vestibulocochlear nerve (VIII)
Special somatic nerve fibers of cranial nerve VIII relay impulses from the sound receptors (hair cells) in the cochlear nuclei of the brainstem
These are bipolar neurons with cell bodies located in the spiral ganglia of the cochlea.
Vestibular System
The vestibulocochlear nerve serves two quite different functions.
The cochlear portion, conducts sound information to the brain,
The vestibular portion conducts proprioceptive information.
It is the central neural pathways
Special somatic afferent fibers from the hair cells of the macula utriculi and macula sacculi conduct information into the vestibular nuclei on the ipsilateral side of the pons and medulla.
These are bipolar neurons with cell bodies located in the vestibular ganglion.
Some of the fibers project directly into the ipsilateral cerebellum to terminate in the uvula, flocculus, and nodulus, but most enter the vestibular nuclei and synapse there.
Vision
The visual system receptors are the rods and cones of the retina.
Special somatic afferent fibers of the optic nerve (II) conduct visual signals into the brain
Fibers from the lateral (temporal) retina of either eye terminate in the lateral geniculate body on the same side of the brain as that eye.
SSA II fibers from the medial (nasal) retina of each eye cross over in the optic chiasm to terminate in the contralateral lateral geniculate body.
Area 17 is the primary visual area, which receives initial visual signals.
Neurons from this area project into the adjacent occipital cortex (areas 18 and 19) which is known as the secondary visual area. It is here that the visual signal is fully evaluated.
The visual reflex pathway involving the pupillary light reflex - in which the pupils constrict when a light is shined into the eyes and dilate when the light is removed.
Some SSA II fibers leave the optic tract before reaching the lateral geniculates, terminating in the superior colliculi instead.
From here, short neurons project to the EdingerWestphal nucleus (an accessory nucleus of III) in the midbrain, which serves as the origin of the preganglionic parasympathetic fibers of the oculomotor nerve (GVE III).
The GVE III fibers in turn project to the ciliary ganglia, from which arise the postganglionic fibers to the sphincter muscles of the iris, which constrict the pupils.
Factors , affecting glomerular filtration rate :
Factors that may influence the different pressure forces , or the filtration coefficient will affect the glomerular filtration rate .
1. Dehydration : Causes decrease hydrostatic pressure , and thus decreases GFR
2- Liver diseases that may decrease the plasma proteins and decrease the oncotic pressure , and thus increases glomerular filtration rate .
3- Sympathetic stimulation : will decrease the diameter of afferent arteriole and thus decreases glomerular filtration rate.
4- Renal diseases : Nephrotic syndrome for example decreases the number of working nephrons and thus decreases the filtration coefficient and thus decreases the glomerular filtration rate.
Glomerulonephritis will causes thickening of the glomerular basement membrane and thus decreases the glomerular filtration rate by decreasing the filtration coefficient too.
Cystic Fibrosis
→ Thick mucus coagulates in ducts, produces obstruction, Too thick for cilia to move
→ Major Systems Affected: Respiratory System, G. I. Tract,Reproductive Tract
→ Inherited, autosomal recessive gene, most common fatal genetic disorder
→ Major characteristic, Altered electrolyte composition (Saliva & sweat Na+, K+, Cl-)
→ Family history of Cystic Fibrosis
→ Respiratory Infections & G.I.Tract malabsorption
→ Predisposes lung to Secondary infection (Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas)
→ Damages Respiratory Bronchioles and Alveolar ducts, Produces Fibrosis of Lungs, Large cystic dilations)
Functions of the nervous system:
1) Integration of body processes
2) Control of voluntary effectors (skeletal muscles), and mediation of voluntary reflexes.
3) Control of involuntary effectors ( smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, glands) and mediation of autonomic reflexes (heart rate, blood pressure, glandular secretion, etc.)
4) Response to stimuli
5) Responsible for conscious thought and perception, emotions, personality, the mind.
4. Emphysema
1. Permanent enlargement of airways with distension of alveolar walls
Thickened Bronchial Submucosa, Edema & Cellular Infiltration (loss of elasticity), Dilation of Air spaces, due to destruction of alveolar walls (Air trapped by obstruction)
2. Lower Respiratory tree destruction
Respiratory Bronchioles, Alveolar ducts, & Alveolar sacs
Types of Emphysema:
1. Centrilobular (Centriacinar) = Respiratory Bronchioles
Rarely seen in non Smokers, More in Men than Women, Found in Smokers with Bronchitis
2. Panlobular (Panacinar)
Hereditary, Single autosomal recessive gene. Deficient in 1-globulin (1-antitrypsin), Protects respiratory tract from neutrophil elastase (Enzyme that distroys lung connective tissue) , Aged persons, Results from Bronchi or Bronchiolar constriction
NOTE: Smoking = Leading cause of Bronchitis, Emphysema