BIO 235 MIDTERM 1 EXAM SCRIPT 2026
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
⩥ Absolute Refractory period. Answer: time during which an excitable
membrane cannot generate an action potential in response to any
stimulus
⩥ Acetylcholine (ACh). Answer: a neurotransmitter released by pre- and
postganglionic parasympathetic neurons, preganglionic sympathetic
neurons, somatic neurons, and some CNS neurons
⩥ Acetylcholinesterase. Answer: enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine
into acetic acid and choline 22
⩥ Actin. Answer: polymers of G-actin that form part of the cell
cytoskeleton and are part of the contractile apparatus of muscle cells;
also called microfilaments
⩥ Action potential. Answer: electrical signal propagated by neurons and
muscle cells; an all-or-none depolarization of membrane polarity; has a
threshold and refractory period and is conducted without decrement
,⩥ Active Zone. Answer: region within an axon terminal where
neurotransmitter vesicles are clustered prior to secretion
⩥ Aerobic metabolism. Answer: in presence of oxygen
⩥ Afferent neuron. Answer: neuron that carries information from
sensory receptors at its peripheral endings to CNS; cell body lies outside
CNS
⩥ Alzheimer's Disease. Answer: Degradation of neurons associated with
the Ach system. Associated with a decreased amount of Ach in certain
areas of the brain. Loss of postsynaptic neurons that responded to Ach.
Results in declining language and perceptual abilities, confusion, and
memory loss
⩥ Anaerobic metabolism. Answer: in the absence of oxygen
⩥ Apical membrane. Answer: the surface of an epithelial cell that faces a
lumen, such as that of the intestines
⩥ Astrocyte. Answer: a form of glial cell that regulates composition of
extracellular fluid around neurons and forms part of the blood-brain
barrier
,⩥ ATP. Answer: nucleotide that transfers energy from metabolism to cell
functions during its breakdown to ADP and release of Pi
⩥ Autocrine. Answer: chemical messenger secreted into extracellular
fluid that acts upon the cell that secreted it; compare paracrine substance
⩥ Axon. Answer: chemical messenger secreted into extracellular fluid
that acts upon the cell that secreted it; compare paracrine substance
⩥ Axon terminal. Answer: end of axon; forms synaptic or neuroeffector
junction with postjunctional cell
⩥ Basolateral membrane. Answer: sides of epithelial cell other than
luminal surface; also called serosal or blood side of cell
⩥ Botulinum toxin (Botox®). Answer: clostridium botulinum bacilli
toxin (botulism). Interferes with SNARE proteins at excitatort synapses
that activate muscles. Botilusm is characterized as muscle paralysis.
Botox injections can help treat face wrinkles, severe sweating, and
uncontrollable blinking
⩥ Cell. Answer: the functional unit of living organisms; four broad
classes included epithelial, connective, nervous, and muscle
, ⩥ Cell body dendrite. Answer: receive info, direct info towards the cell
body. Short branching, dendritic spines where axons can synapse
⩥ Central nervous system (CNS). Answer: brain and spinal cord
⩥ Chemical synapse. Answer: synapse at which neurotransmitters
released by one neuron diffuse across an extracellular gap to influence a
second neuron's activity
⩥ Circadian rhythm. Answer: occurring in an approximately 24 h cycle
⩥ Connective tissue. Answer: one of the four major categories of tissues
in the body; major component of extracellular matrices, cartilage, and
bone
⩥ Contraction phase:. Answer: the activation of tension generating sites
within muscle fibers.
⩥ Convergence. Answer: (neuronal) many presynaptic neurons
synapsing upon one postsynaptic neuron;
⩥ Creatine phosphate. Answer: molecule that transfers phosphate and
energy to ADP to generate ATP
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
⩥ Absolute Refractory period. Answer: time during which an excitable
membrane cannot generate an action potential in response to any
stimulus
⩥ Acetylcholine (ACh). Answer: a neurotransmitter released by pre- and
postganglionic parasympathetic neurons, preganglionic sympathetic
neurons, somatic neurons, and some CNS neurons
⩥ Acetylcholinesterase. Answer: enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine
into acetic acid and choline 22
⩥ Actin. Answer: polymers of G-actin that form part of the cell
cytoskeleton and are part of the contractile apparatus of muscle cells;
also called microfilaments
⩥ Action potential. Answer: electrical signal propagated by neurons and
muscle cells; an all-or-none depolarization of membrane polarity; has a
threshold and refractory period and is conducted without decrement
,⩥ Active Zone. Answer: region within an axon terminal where
neurotransmitter vesicles are clustered prior to secretion
⩥ Aerobic metabolism. Answer: in presence of oxygen
⩥ Afferent neuron. Answer: neuron that carries information from
sensory receptors at its peripheral endings to CNS; cell body lies outside
CNS
⩥ Alzheimer's Disease. Answer: Degradation of neurons associated with
the Ach system. Associated with a decreased amount of Ach in certain
areas of the brain. Loss of postsynaptic neurons that responded to Ach.
Results in declining language and perceptual abilities, confusion, and
memory loss
⩥ Anaerobic metabolism. Answer: in the absence of oxygen
⩥ Apical membrane. Answer: the surface of an epithelial cell that faces a
lumen, such as that of the intestines
⩥ Astrocyte. Answer: a form of glial cell that regulates composition of
extracellular fluid around neurons and forms part of the blood-brain
barrier
,⩥ ATP. Answer: nucleotide that transfers energy from metabolism to cell
functions during its breakdown to ADP and release of Pi
⩥ Autocrine. Answer: chemical messenger secreted into extracellular
fluid that acts upon the cell that secreted it; compare paracrine substance
⩥ Axon. Answer: chemical messenger secreted into extracellular fluid
that acts upon the cell that secreted it; compare paracrine substance
⩥ Axon terminal. Answer: end of axon; forms synaptic or neuroeffector
junction with postjunctional cell
⩥ Basolateral membrane. Answer: sides of epithelial cell other than
luminal surface; also called serosal or blood side of cell
⩥ Botulinum toxin (Botox®). Answer: clostridium botulinum bacilli
toxin (botulism). Interferes with SNARE proteins at excitatort synapses
that activate muscles. Botilusm is characterized as muscle paralysis.
Botox injections can help treat face wrinkles, severe sweating, and
uncontrollable blinking
⩥ Cell. Answer: the functional unit of living organisms; four broad
classes included epithelial, connective, nervous, and muscle
, ⩥ Cell body dendrite. Answer: receive info, direct info towards the cell
body. Short branching, dendritic spines where axons can synapse
⩥ Central nervous system (CNS). Answer: brain and spinal cord
⩥ Chemical synapse. Answer: synapse at which neurotransmitters
released by one neuron diffuse across an extracellular gap to influence a
second neuron's activity
⩥ Circadian rhythm. Answer: occurring in an approximately 24 h cycle
⩥ Connective tissue. Answer: one of the four major categories of tissues
in the body; major component of extracellular matrices, cartilage, and
bone
⩥ Contraction phase:. Answer: the activation of tension generating sites
within muscle fibers.
⩥ Convergence. Answer: (neuronal) many presynaptic neurons
synapsing upon one postsynaptic neuron;
⩥ Creatine phosphate. Answer: molecule that transfers phosphate and
energy to ADP to generate ATP
