PSL 310 Exam 1 Study Guide
Questions and All Correct Answers
2026 Updated.
How many organ systems comprise the human body? - Answer 11
Explain systems integration using the example of thermoregulation in response to being cold -
Answer In response to a cold stimulus, thermoregulation involves multiple body systems
working together to conserve and generate heat.Temperature sensors in the skin
(integumentary system) and brain(nervous system) detect the drop in temperature and send
nerve signalsto the hypothalamus (nervous system), which has the setpoint for
bodytemperature. The nervous system triggers vasoconstriction to reduceblood flow to the skin
(muscular system and cardiovascular system),minimizing heat loss. It also initiates shivering,
which generates heatthrough muscle contractions (muscular system). The endocrine
systemreleases thyroid hormone and adrenaline to increase metabolic rate andheat production
(endocrine system). These coordinated responses helpmaintain core body temperature by
conserving heat and producingadditional warmth, illustrating how multiple systems integrate to
maintainhomeostasis
explain what an emergent property is. - Answer An emergent property is a complex function
or behavior thatarises from the coordinated interaction of multiple individual systems
andcannot be predicted by looking at each system separately. As Aristotlesaid, "the whole is
more than the sum of its parts," meaning that whensystems work together, new properties
emerge that do not exist in anysingle part alone
Many individuals erroneously say that the heart is located inside thepericardial cavity. How
would you correctly describe the heart in relation to thepericardial cavity? - Answer The
pericardial cavity surrounds the heart and contains serousfluid
A cardiothoracic surgeon cracks open a patient's thoracic cavity. Thesurgeon needs access to the
heart and, therefore, needs to cut through thepericardial sac with her scalpel. List the proper
sequence of the pericardial layersshe must cut through to get to the surface of the heart -
Answer Fibrous pericardium serous pericardium (parietal pericardialmembrane visceral
pericardial membrane).
How many layers will she cut through until serous fluid starts to ooze out? - Answer 2 (fibrous
pericardium and parietal pericardial membrane
Three different cavities surround three major organs of the human body; theheart, the lungs,
and the viscera. What are these three cavities named? - Answer Heart - pericardial cavity;
lungs - pleural cavity; viscera -peritoneal cavity.
,What is a mesentery? - Answer A mesentery is a double layer of visceral peritoneum. It
containsconnective tissue, vasculature and nerve fibers
During general surgery, a hack surgeon made a mistake and cut a majormesentery. What future
complications may this patient experience if it's notrepaired? - Answer The motility function
of their GI tract will be reduced asperistalsis cannot occur without nerve innervation. They
would not be ableto absorb vital nutrients to keep themselves alive or deliveroxygen/nutrients
to the small intestines to keep them alive. Their intestineswould have impaired structural
support within the abdominal cavity aswell
Total body water is approximately 35-40 liters. Where is most of this waterlocated in the body? -
Answer The intracellular compartment (i.e., the inside of your cells -intracellular fluid (ICF)
What are the approximate volumes of each fluid compartment within thehuman body
(interstitial fluid (ISF), extracellular fluid (ECF), intracellular fluid(ICF), and intravascular fluid
(IVF))? - Answer Plasma (IVF) = 3 L; Interstitial fluid (ISF) = 11 L; Extracellularfluid (ECF) = 14 L;
Intracellular fluid (ICF) = 28 L.
What literally is extracellular fluid (ECF)? - Answer ECF = ISF + IVF
Explain how the fluid compartments would change, in volume, if someone withhypertension
was directed by their physician to decrease their salt intake. - Answer The solute
concentration of the plasma would decrease. Thiswould cause water to leave the bloodstream
and enter the ISF
An alien was discovered to vasoconstrict in response to an increase in itsbody temperature. Is
this response human-like? - Answer In a human, an increase in body temperature leads
tovasodilation. Therefore, this response in the alien is not human-like
What type of feedback does this represent and how do you know? - Answer This response is
positive feedback because it works to increaseconditions away from homeostasis. As the body
temperature of the alienincreases, vasoconstriction occurs which brings blood away from
thesurface of the skin in order to conserve heat. This will increase its totalbody temperature,
which continues this process.
You spent the last 12 years living in Antarctica where the temperature rangesfrom -60ºF to 10ºF.
You travel to Florida for spring break. As soon as you stepout of the airport you instantly feel a
heat wave of the 90ºF weather and your skinfeels hot. Your body senses this change and sends
signals to your brain, nervecells and skin. In attempts to get your body temperature back to
normal, younotice your forehead is wet with sweat. What process is your body going throughto
prevent you from overheating - Answer Negative feedback
, In response to an acute hyperglycemic episode (blood glucose >100 mg/dl),what is the sensory
information? - Answer glucose
What is the receptor? - Answer The pancreatic beta cell
What is the control center (integrator)? - Answer The pancreatic beta cell
What is the afferent information? - Answer Downstream signaling pathways inside the beta
cell
What is the efferent information - Answer Insulin
What are the effector cells? (hyper) - Answer Fat cells (adipocytes), liver cells (hepatocytes),
and skeletalmuscle cells (myocytes
What do each of these effector cells do to drop blood glucose levels - Answer Adipocytes
remove glucose from the blood and convert it toglycerol to eventually form triglycerides
(lipogenesis). Hepatocytes andmyocytes remove glucose from the blood and store it as
glycogen(glycogenesis)
Which of these cells is/are insulin-sensitive that require insulin stimulationfor them to uptake
glucose? - Answer Adipocyte and skeletal muscle cell (myocyte).
How do these cells uptake glucose from the ISF? - Answer Facilitated diffusion via glucose
transporters (GLUTs)
In response to an acute hypoglycemic episode (blood glucose <70 mg/dl),what is the sensory
information? - Answer Glucose
What is the receptor? - Answer The pancreatic alpha cell
What is the control center? - Answer The pancreatic alpha cell
What is the afferent information? - Answer Downstream signaling pathways inside the alpha
cell
What is the efferent information? - Answer glucagon
Questions and All Correct Answers
2026 Updated.
How many organ systems comprise the human body? - Answer 11
Explain systems integration using the example of thermoregulation in response to being cold -
Answer In response to a cold stimulus, thermoregulation involves multiple body systems
working together to conserve and generate heat.Temperature sensors in the skin
(integumentary system) and brain(nervous system) detect the drop in temperature and send
nerve signalsto the hypothalamus (nervous system), which has the setpoint for
bodytemperature. The nervous system triggers vasoconstriction to reduceblood flow to the skin
(muscular system and cardiovascular system),minimizing heat loss. It also initiates shivering,
which generates heatthrough muscle contractions (muscular system). The endocrine
systemreleases thyroid hormone and adrenaline to increase metabolic rate andheat production
(endocrine system). These coordinated responses helpmaintain core body temperature by
conserving heat and producingadditional warmth, illustrating how multiple systems integrate to
maintainhomeostasis
explain what an emergent property is. - Answer An emergent property is a complex function
or behavior thatarises from the coordinated interaction of multiple individual systems
andcannot be predicted by looking at each system separately. As Aristotlesaid, "the whole is
more than the sum of its parts," meaning that whensystems work together, new properties
emerge that do not exist in anysingle part alone
Many individuals erroneously say that the heart is located inside thepericardial cavity. How
would you correctly describe the heart in relation to thepericardial cavity? - Answer The
pericardial cavity surrounds the heart and contains serousfluid
A cardiothoracic surgeon cracks open a patient's thoracic cavity. Thesurgeon needs access to the
heart and, therefore, needs to cut through thepericardial sac with her scalpel. List the proper
sequence of the pericardial layersshe must cut through to get to the surface of the heart -
Answer Fibrous pericardium serous pericardium (parietal pericardialmembrane visceral
pericardial membrane).
How many layers will she cut through until serous fluid starts to ooze out? - Answer 2 (fibrous
pericardium and parietal pericardial membrane
Three different cavities surround three major organs of the human body; theheart, the lungs,
and the viscera. What are these three cavities named? - Answer Heart - pericardial cavity;
lungs - pleural cavity; viscera -peritoneal cavity.
,What is a mesentery? - Answer A mesentery is a double layer of visceral peritoneum. It
containsconnective tissue, vasculature and nerve fibers
During general surgery, a hack surgeon made a mistake and cut a majormesentery. What future
complications may this patient experience if it's notrepaired? - Answer The motility function
of their GI tract will be reduced asperistalsis cannot occur without nerve innervation. They
would not be ableto absorb vital nutrients to keep themselves alive or deliveroxygen/nutrients
to the small intestines to keep them alive. Their intestineswould have impaired structural
support within the abdominal cavity aswell
Total body water is approximately 35-40 liters. Where is most of this waterlocated in the body? -
Answer The intracellular compartment (i.e., the inside of your cells -intracellular fluid (ICF)
What are the approximate volumes of each fluid compartment within thehuman body
(interstitial fluid (ISF), extracellular fluid (ECF), intracellular fluid(ICF), and intravascular fluid
(IVF))? - Answer Plasma (IVF) = 3 L; Interstitial fluid (ISF) = 11 L; Extracellularfluid (ECF) = 14 L;
Intracellular fluid (ICF) = 28 L.
What literally is extracellular fluid (ECF)? - Answer ECF = ISF + IVF
Explain how the fluid compartments would change, in volume, if someone withhypertension
was directed by their physician to decrease their salt intake. - Answer The solute
concentration of the plasma would decrease. Thiswould cause water to leave the bloodstream
and enter the ISF
An alien was discovered to vasoconstrict in response to an increase in itsbody temperature. Is
this response human-like? - Answer In a human, an increase in body temperature leads
tovasodilation. Therefore, this response in the alien is not human-like
What type of feedback does this represent and how do you know? - Answer This response is
positive feedback because it works to increaseconditions away from homeostasis. As the body
temperature of the alienincreases, vasoconstriction occurs which brings blood away from
thesurface of the skin in order to conserve heat. This will increase its totalbody temperature,
which continues this process.
You spent the last 12 years living in Antarctica where the temperature rangesfrom -60ºF to 10ºF.
You travel to Florida for spring break. As soon as you stepout of the airport you instantly feel a
heat wave of the 90ºF weather and your skinfeels hot. Your body senses this change and sends
signals to your brain, nervecells and skin. In attempts to get your body temperature back to
normal, younotice your forehead is wet with sweat. What process is your body going throughto
prevent you from overheating - Answer Negative feedback
, In response to an acute hyperglycemic episode (blood glucose >100 mg/dl),what is the sensory
information? - Answer glucose
What is the receptor? - Answer The pancreatic beta cell
What is the control center (integrator)? - Answer The pancreatic beta cell
What is the afferent information? - Answer Downstream signaling pathways inside the beta
cell
What is the efferent information - Answer Insulin
What are the effector cells? (hyper) - Answer Fat cells (adipocytes), liver cells (hepatocytes),
and skeletalmuscle cells (myocytes
What do each of these effector cells do to drop blood glucose levels - Answer Adipocytes
remove glucose from the blood and convert it toglycerol to eventually form triglycerides
(lipogenesis). Hepatocytes andmyocytes remove glucose from the blood and store it as
glycogen(glycogenesis)
Which of these cells is/are insulin-sensitive that require insulin stimulationfor them to uptake
glucose? - Answer Adipocyte and skeletal muscle cell (myocyte).
How do these cells uptake glucose from the ISF? - Answer Facilitated diffusion via glucose
transporters (GLUTs)
In response to an acute hypoglycemic episode (blood glucose <70 mg/dl),what is the sensory
information? - Answer Glucose
What is the receptor? - Answer The pancreatic alpha cell
What is the control center? - Answer The pancreatic alpha cell
What is the afferent information? - Answer Downstream signaling pathways inside the alpha
cell
What is the efferent information? - Answer glucagon
