NU 545
Unit 1 Study Guide
Advanced Pathophysiology
University of South Alabama.
This document provides a focused
study guide
It summarizes key concepts, lecture highlights, and
exam-relevant material to support efficient last-minute
review. The guide is structured to help students
reinforce understanding, identify weak areas, and prepare
confidently for the assessment.
, Study Guide Unit 1 NU 545
McCance & Huether: Chapters 1-3; 7-11
1. What is metabolic absorption? (page 3)
a. Cells take in and use nutrients from surroundings
i. Kidney cells & Intestinal epithelial cells - reabsorb fluid & absorb protein
2. What uses oxygen to remove hydrogen atoms in an oxidative reaction? (page 8)
a. Peroxisomes
i. Contain enzymes that use oxygen to remove hydrogen from substrates in an
oxidative reaction to produce hydrogen peroxide
ii. Peroxisomes also important in synthesis of special phospholipids which is
important for nerve cell myelination
1. Impairment of peroxisomes leads to disease
3. During cell injury what is released that is capable of cellular autodigestion?
a. Lysosomal enzymes
i. Tay-sachs
ii. Gout – undigested uric acid accumulates with lysosomes
4. Where is the genetic info contained in the cell?
a. Nucleus
i. 2 major functions:
1. Cell division
2. Control of genetic info
5. Cell membranes contain which major chemical components? (page 12)
a. Lipid bilayer – 2 continuous opposing leaflets and proteins, mostly impermeable to
water soluble molecules
i. Lipids
1. Phospholipids- most abdundant
a. Key to repairing the membrane
2. Amphipathic molecule
a. Hydrophobic – “water fearing”
b. Hydrophilic – “water loving”
3. Bilayer allows diffusion of water and hydrophilic substances and
lipid soluble molecules
ii. Proteins (page 14-15)
1. Perform most of the membrane tasks
2. Made up of polypeptides
3. “workhorse of the cell”
6. What allows potassium to diffuse in and out of cells? (page 15)
a. Proteins – receptors, enzymes, and transporters
i. Specific enzymes that drive active pumps that promote certain enzymes like
K+ within cell while keeping other ions (Na) below concentration found in
extracellular environment
7. How is the cell protected from injury? (page 47-48)
a. Cells adapt
b. Adaptive changes:
i. Atrophy – decrease in cell size
, ii. Hypertrophy – increase in cell size
1. Kidneys & heart
iii. Hyperplasia – increase in cell number
iv. Metaplasia – reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another less
mature cell type or a change in the phenotype
v. Dysplasia – deranged cellular growth
8. In cirrhosis, what does cholesterol have to do with the erythrocytes?
a. in cirrhosis- cholesterol content of RBC plasma membrane increases decrease in
membrane fluidity & affects cells ability to produce O2
9. What is platelet-derived growth factor?
a. Mitogen – substance that stimulates or induces mitosis
i. When blood clots, platelets in the clot release contents such as PDGF
ii. Liberated PDGF stimulates clotting at site of tissue damage
10. What is cell communication? How does it occur? (page 19)
a. Cells communicate in 3 main ways:
i. Display plasma membrane bound signaling molecules that affect the cell and
cells in direct contact
ii. Affect receptor proteins inside target cell and signal the molecule has to
enter the cell to bind them
iii. form protein channels that coordinate activity w/ adjacent cells
b. Primary modes of intracellular signaling
i. Contact dependent
1. Cells need to be in close membrane contact
ii. Paracrine
1. Local chemical mediators are secreted that are absorbed, destroy,
immobilized
2. Mostly involves different cells
3. Autocrine signaling – when they do respond to them selves
a. How cancer cells communicate
iii. Hormonal
1. Specialized endocrine cells that secrete chemicals & hormones
a. Example: thyroid stimulating hormone
2. Released by one set of cell that travels through tissue into blood to
produce response in other cells
iv. Neurohormonal
1. Released into blood by nuerosecretory neurons
2. Blood borne chemical messengers
v. Neurotransmitter
1. Communicate directly with cells that they innervate by relseasing
neurotransmitters at special junctions (chemical synapses)
11. What is chemical signaling?
a. Signal transduction – incoming signals or instructions from extracellular chemical
messengers that are conveyed to cells interior for execution
b. Cells respond to external stimuli by activating signal transduction pathways
i. Signal cell produces
ii. Target cell receives via receptor protein
Unit 1 Study Guide
Advanced Pathophysiology
University of South Alabama.
This document provides a focused
study guide
It summarizes key concepts, lecture highlights, and
exam-relevant material to support efficient last-minute
review. The guide is structured to help students
reinforce understanding, identify weak areas, and prepare
confidently for the assessment.
, Study Guide Unit 1 NU 545
McCance & Huether: Chapters 1-3; 7-11
1. What is metabolic absorption? (page 3)
a. Cells take in and use nutrients from surroundings
i. Kidney cells & Intestinal epithelial cells - reabsorb fluid & absorb protein
2. What uses oxygen to remove hydrogen atoms in an oxidative reaction? (page 8)
a. Peroxisomes
i. Contain enzymes that use oxygen to remove hydrogen from substrates in an
oxidative reaction to produce hydrogen peroxide
ii. Peroxisomes also important in synthesis of special phospholipids which is
important for nerve cell myelination
1. Impairment of peroxisomes leads to disease
3. During cell injury what is released that is capable of cellular autodigestion?
a. Lysosomal enzymes
i. Tay-sachs
ii. Gout – undigested uric acid accumulates with lysosomes
4. Where is the genetic info contained in the cell?
a. Nucleus
i. 2 major functions:
1. Cell division
2. Control of genetic info
5. Cell membranes contain which major chemical components? (page 12)
a. Lipid bilayer – 2 continuous opposing leaflets and proteins, mostly impermeable to
water soluble molecules
i. Lipids
1. Phospholipids- most abdundant
a. Key to repairing the membrane
2. Amphipathic molecule
a. Hydrophobic – “water fearing”
b. Hydrophilic – “water loving”
3. Bilayer allows diffusion of water and hydrophilic substances and
lipid soluble molecules
ii. Proteins (page 14-15)
1. Perform most of the membrane tasks
2. Made up of polypeptides
3. “workhorse of the cell”
6. What allows potassium to diffuse in and out of cells? (page 15)
a. Proteins – receptors, enzymes, and transporters
i. Specific enzymes that drive active pumps that promote certain enzymes like
K+ within cell while keeping other ions (Na) below concentration found in
extracellular environment
7. How is the cell protected from injury? (page 47-48)
a. Cells adapt
b. Adaptive changes:
i. Atrophy – decrease in cell size
, ii. Hypertrophy – increase in cell size
1. Kidneys & heart
iii. Hyperplasia – increase in cell number
iv. Metaplasia – reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another less
mature cell type or a change in the phenotype
v. Dysplasia – deranged cellular growth
8. In cirrhosis, what does cholesterol have to do with the erythrocytes?
a. in cirrhosis- cholesterol content of RBC plasma membrane increases decrease in
membrane fluidity & affects cells ability to produce O2
9. What is platelet-derived growth factor?
a. Mitogen – substance that stimulates or induces mitosis
i. When blood clots, platelets in the clot release contents such as PDGF
ii. Liberated PDGF stimulates clotting at site of tissue damage
10. What is cell communication? How does it occur? (page 19)
a. Cells communicate in 3 main ways:
i. Display plasma membrane bound signaling molecules that affect the cell and
cells in direct contact
ii. Affect receptor proteins inside target cell and signal the molecule has to
enter the cell to bind them
iii. form protein channels that coordinate activity w/ adjacent cells
b. Primary modes of intracellular signaling
i. Contact dependent
1. Cells need to be in close membrane contact
ii. Paracrine
1. Local chemical mediators are secreted that are absorbed, destroy,
immobilized
2. Mostly involves different cells
3. Autocrine signaling – when they do respond to them selves
a. How cancer cells communicate
iii. Hormonal
1. Specialized endocrine cells that secrete chemicals & hormones
a. Example: thyroid stimulating hormone
2. Released by one set of cell that travels through tissue into blood to
produce response in other cells
iv. Neurohormonal
1. Released into blood by nuerosecretory neurons
2. Blood borne chemical messengers
v. Neurotransmitter
1. Communicate directly with cells that they innervate by relseasing
neurotransmitters at special junctions (chemical synapses)
11. What is chemical signaling?
a. Signal transduction – incoming signals or instructions from extracellular chemical
messengers that are conveyed to cells interior for execution
b. Cells respond to external stimuli by activating signal transduction pathways
i. Signal cell produces
ii. Target cell receives via receptor protein
