UBC BIOL 155 SPRING FINAL
EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2026 - 2027
What is metabolism
The sum of all chemical and physical changes that occur in bo day
tissue
What is basal metabolic rate (BMR)?
Basal metabolic rate is an estimate of the number of calories the entire
body requires to produce enough ATP to maintain all basic functions
at rest
What is the direct effect of thyroid hormone on BMR
It up-regulates the rate of Mitochrondria activity increasing ATP
production at rest
Hormones that affect metabolism rate by mobilizing the nutrient
pool
Epinephrine/Glucagon- mobilize glucose and fatty acids from the live
and adipose tissue
Glucocorticoids/Growth hormone- mobilize fatty acids from adipose
tissue and promote lipid uptake as well as gluconeogenesis
Describe Type 2 diabetes Mellitus and how it is treated
type 2 diabetes is an endocrine disorder that is caused by insulin
resistance
Type 2 is typically manged with insulin, oral med, diet and excercise
what is stress and stress response
,stress is a physical or emotional threat to homeostasis
stress response is the set of predictable changes that the body
organizes to deal with any situation it classifies as stressful
what are the three phases of stress and the hormones or neural
systems involved in each phase
Alarm phase - principally the result of sympathetic activation
Resistance phase- release of ACTH and then glucocorticoids
Exhaustion phase-
what is chronic stress
chronic stress is when the stress response is repeatedly activated,
cortisol levels become persistently elevated and leads to alterations in
stress responses
how does chronic stress affect the HPA axis
during chronic stress, hippocampal neuron lose whole dendritic
branches which can lead to memory loss. with this damage to the
hippocampus, there is also less inhibition on CRH secreting neurons
to blancr the excitatory signalling from the amygdala
how is sex defined?
gonadal and morphological sex
how does SRY gene expression influence hormone production and
sex determination in a growing fetus
SRY gene is a precusor for a testes determining factor, the SOX9.
without S0X9 there will be no testis formation and the fetus will have
ovaries instead
how are testosterone and estrogen produces and what is their role
in sex development
,the hypothalamus release Gn releasing hormone into the pituitary
gland and it release follicle stimulating hormone that will be sent to
ovary and will be used for estrogen release that will prompt female
secondary sex characteristics.
- for males, the pituitary gland releases luteinzing hormone that will
be sent to the testis that will also lead to the secondary development
predict how chromosomal aneuploidy, gene mutation or hormonal
disruption can influence sex development in an intersex
individual
-chromosomal aneuploidy like klinefelter syndrome which results in
XXY, testis does mot. develop, feminizing males
- gene mutation- adrenal hyperplasia which increases androgen
mutation. this impairs puberty and masculines XX individuals
- hormonal disruptions like androgen insensitivity which impairs
testosterone activity and feminizes XY individuals
what is the role of the testes, ducts/glands and the penis
the testes: makes the sperm
The ducts and glands: contribute to the maturation of sperm and keep
the sperm viable
the Urethra/penis: delivers the sperm in the female reproductive
system
what is spermatogenesis
the process of generating sperm from spermatogonia
where is sperm formed in the testis
it is formed in the germ cells within the seminiferous tubules of the
testes
explain the steps of spermatogenesis
, 1. mitosis of spermatogonium to primary spermatocytes
2. meiosis 1- the replication of primary spermatocyte into secondary
spermatocytes
3. meiosis 2- division into four spermatids
4. Physical differentiation into sperm cells
how long does the process of spermatogenesis take
2 months
where is sperm stored
in the Vas deferens/ ductus deferens
what is capacitation
is the process by which sperm becomes motile and they become
capable of fertilization
describe the role of the parasympathetic nervous system in the
male sexual response
innervate the erectile tissue during arousal, they release nitric oxide
which reaxes the smooth muscle in the tissue allowing increased
blood flow causing erection
what is the role of the sympathetic nervous system in sexual
response
innervates the epididymis, vas deferens and seminal vesicles and
allows sperm and secretion are moved into the urethra
How do the somatic motor neurons affect the male sexual
response?
innervates the skeletal muscles at the base of the penis, so that during
ejaculation, a spinal reflex produces rhythmic contraction aka
orgasms in the muscles, which helps push semen out of the urethra
what is the role of sertoli cells and what are their regulatory
hormone
EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2026 - 2027
What is metabolism
The sum of all chemical and physical changes that occur in bo day
tissue
What is basal metabolic rate (BMR)?
Basal metabolic rate is an estimate of the number of calories the entire
body requires to produce enough ATP to maintain all basic functions
at rest
What is the direct effect of thyroid hormone on BMR
It up-regulates the rate of Mitochrondria activity increasing ATP
production at rest
Hormones that affect metabolism rate by mobilizing the nutrient
pool
Epinephrine/Glucagon- mobilize glucose and fatty acids from the live
and adipose tissue
Glucocorticoids/Growth hormone- mobilize fatty acids from adipose
tissue and promote lipid uptake as well as gluconeogenesis
Describe Type 2 diabetes Mellitus and how it is treated
type 2 diabetes is an endocrine disorder that is caused by insulin
resistance
Type 2 is typically manged with insulin, oral med, diet and excercise
what is stress and stress response
,stress is a physical or emotional threat to homeostasis
stress response is the set of predictable changes that the body
organizes to deal with any situation it classifies as stressful
what are the three phases of stress and the hormones or neural
systems involved in each phase
Alarm phase - principally the result of sympathetic activation
Resistance phase- release of ACTH and then glucocorticoids
Exhaustion phase-
what is chronic stress
chronic stress is when the stress response is repeatedly activated,
cortisol levels become persistently elevated and leads to alterations in
stress responses
how does chronic stress affect the HPA axis
during chronic stress, hippocampal neuron lose whole dendritic
branches which can lead to memory loss. with this damage to the
hippocampus, there is also less inhibition on CRH secreting neurons
to blancr the excitatory signalling from the amygdala
how is sex defined?
gonadal and morphological sex
how does SRY gene expression influence hormone production and
sex determination in a growing fetus
SRY gene is a precusor for a testes determining factor, the SOX9.
without S0X9 there will be no testis formation and the fetus will have
ovaries instead
how are testosterone and estrogen produces and what is their role
in sex development
,the hypothalamus release Gn releasing hormone into the pituitary
gland and it release follicle stimulating hormone that will be sent to
ovary and will be used for estrogen release that will prompt female
secondary sex characteristics.
- for males, the pituitary gland releases luteinzing hormone that will
be sent to the testis that will also lead to the secondary development
predict how chromosomal aneuploidy, gene mutation or hormonal
disruption can influence sex development in an intersex
individual
-chromosomal aneuploidy like klinefelter syndrome which results in
XXY, testis does mot. develop, feminizing males
- gene mutation- adrenal hyperplasia which increases androgen
mutation. this impairs puberty and masculines XX individuals
- hormonal disruptions like androgen insensitivity which impairs
testosterone activity and feminizes XY individuals
what is the role of the testes, ducts/glands and the penis
the testes: makes the sperm
The ducts and glands: contribute to the maturation of sperm and keep
the sperm viable
the Urethra/penis: delivers the sperm in the female reproductive
system
what is spermatogenesis
the process of generating sperm from spermatogonia
where is sperm formed in the testis
it is formed in the germ cells within the seminiferous tubules of the
testes
explain the steps of spermatogenesis
, 1. mitosis of spermatogonium to primary spermatocytes
2. meiosis 1- the replication of primary spermatocyte into secondary
spermatocytes
3. meiosis 2- division into four spermatids
4. Physical differentiation into sperm cells
how long does the process of spermatogenesis take
2 months
where is sperm stored
in the Vas deferens/ ductus deferens
what is capacitation
is the process by which sperm becomes motile and they become
capable of fertilization
describe the role of the parasympathetic nervous system in the
male sexual response
innervate the erectile tissue during arousal, they release nitric oxide
which reaxes the smooth muscle in the tissue allowing increased
blood flow causing erection
what is the role of the sympathetic nervous system in sexual
response
innervates the epididymis, vas deferens and seminal vesicles and
allows sperm and secretion are moved into the urethra
How do the somatic motor neurons affect the male sexual
response?
innervates the skeletal muscles at the base of the penis, so that during
ejaculation, a spinal reflex produces rhythmic contraction aka
orgasms in the muscles, which helps push semen out of the urethra
what is the role of sertoli cells and what are their regulatory
hormone
