FUNDAMENTALS OF HUMAN
PHYSIOLOGY EXAM II--UNIVERSITY
OF IOWA FALL 2025 EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
2025/2026
,Central Nervous System - ANSWERS-brain and spinal cord
-Control and integration
Peripheral Nervous System - ANSWERS-cranial and spinal nerves
-communication--connects CNS to receptors, glands, etc.
Neuron - ANSWERS-conducts electrical signals
-basic unit of nervous system
Neuroglia - ANSWERS-majority of all nerve tissue cells
-support neurons
Structure of a neuron - ANSWERS-dendrites
-cell body
-axonal hillock
-axon
-axon terminal
myelin - ANSWERSsheath around axon providing insulation and works to speed up
electrical signals
Afferent neurons - ANSWERSSignal goes to CNS
Location of sensory receptors of afferent neurons - ANSWERSsensory receptor in PNS
Efferent neurons - ANSWERSsignal goes to PNS
-somatic
-Autonomic Nervous System
somatic nervous system - ANSWERSPart of PNS related to skeletal muscle and
voluntary movement
Interneurons - ANSWERSboth body and receptors in CNS
-association
Schwann Cells - ANSWERScells in the peripheral nervous system that produce the
myelin sheath around neuronal axons.
Oligodendrocytes - ANSWERSproduction of myelin in the central nervous system
Astrocytes - ANSWERSprovide physical and metabolic support for neurons
, microglia - ANSWERS-located throughout the brain and spinal cord.
-account for 10-15% of all cells found within the brain
-they act as the first and main form of active immune defense in the central nervous
system (CNS).
Ependymal cells - ANSWERSline CFS filled cavities
Regeneration of Cut Neurons - ANSWERS-regeneration tubes formed by schwann cells
Regeneration in CNS - ANSWERS-oligodendrocytes do not create tubes for regrowth
excitable tissues - ANSWERS-nerve tissue
-muscle tissue
What are excitable tissues capable of? - ANSWERS-undergo rapid changes in
membrane potentials
-can change resting potentials into electrical signals
average resting membrane potential - ANSWERS-70 mV
Polarization - ANSWERSmembrane potential other than 0mV
Depolarization - ANSWERSless negative than resting membrane potential
Repolarization - ANSWERSmembrane returns to resting potential after depoliarization
Hyperpolarization - ANSWERSmore negative than resting membrane potential
Leaky channels - ANSWERSnon-gated
always open
Ligand-gated channels - ANSWERSextracellular ligands and intracellular ligands attach
to channels to open/close channel
Voltage-gated channel - ANSWERSelectrical signals open and close channels
What causes voltage-gated channels to open? - ANSWERSchanges in membrane
potential (depolarization)
Types of channels for K+ - ANSWERS-leaky
-voltage-gated
Types of channels for Na+ - ANSWERSvoltage-gated channel
-opens at -55 mV
Two types of electrical signals - ANSWERS-graded potential
PHYSIOLOGY EXAM II--UNIVERSITY
OF IOWA FALL 2025 EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
2025/2026
,Central Nervous System - ANSWERS-brain and spinal cord
-Control and integration
Peripheral Nervous System - ANSWERS-cranial and spinal nerves
-communication--connects CNS to receptors, glands, etc.
Neuron - ANSWERS-conducts electrical signals
-basic unit of nervous system
Neuroglia - ANSWERS-majority of all nerve tissue cells
-support neurons
Structure of a neuron - ANSWERS-dendrites
-cell body
-axonal hillock
-axon
-axon terminal
myelin - ANSWERSsheath around axon providing insulation and works to speed up
electrical signals
Afferent neurons - ANSWERSSignal goes to CNS
Location of sensory receptors of afferent neurons - ANSWERSsensory receptor in PNS
Efferent neurons - ANSWERSsignal goes to PNS
-somatic
-Autonomic Nervous System
somatic nervous system - ANSWERSPart of PNS related to skeletal muscle and
voluntary movement
Interneurons - ANSWERSboth body and receptors in CNS
-association
Schwann Cells - ANSWERScells in the peripheral nervous system that produce the
myelin sheath around neuronal axons.
Oligodendrocytes - ANSWERSproduction of myelin in the central nervous system
Astrocytes - ANSWERSprovide physical and metabolic support for neurons
, microglia - ANSWERS-located throughout the brain and spinal cord.
-account for 10-15% of all cells found within the brain
-they act as the first and main form of active immune defense in the central nervous
system (CNS).
Ependymal cells - ANSWERSline CFS filled cavities
Regeneration of Cut Neurons - ANSWERS-regeneration tubes formed by schwann cells
Regeneration in CNS - ANSWERS-oligodendrocytes do not create tubes for regrowth
excitable tissues - ANSWERS-nerve tissue
-muscle tissue
What are excitable tissues capable of? - ANSWERS-undergo rapid changes in
membrane potentials
-can change resting potentials into electrical signals
average resting membrane potential - ANSWERS-70 mV
Polarization - ANSWERSmembrane potential other than 0mV
Depolarization - ANSWERSless negative than resting membrane potential
Repolarization - ANSWERSmembrane returns to resting potential after depoliarization
Hyperpolarization - ANSWERSmore negative than resting membrane potential
Leaky channels - ANSWERSnon-gated
always open
Ligand-gated channels - ANSWERSextracellular ligands and intracellular ligands attach
to channels to open/close channel
Voltage-gated channel - ANSWERSelectrical signals open and close channels
What causes voltage-gated channels to open? - ANSWERSchanges in membrane
potential (depolarization)
Types of channels for K+ - ANSWERS-leaky
-voltage-gated
Types of channels for Na+ - ANSWERSvoltage-gated channel
-opens at -55 mV
Two types of electrical signals - ANSWERS-graded potential
