Explain the concept of selective toxicity
What will be an ideal response?
Selective toxicity is the underlying principle supporting Ehrlich's idea of the "magic bullet." This simply means that the most effective antimicrobial drugs are those that target some difference in a cellular structure or metabolic process between the host/patient cell and the target microbe. Conversely, the more similar the host cell and the microbe are, the harder it is to selectively attack just the microbe. Drugs that do not differentiate very well between types of cells are generally more toxic to the host than those that are more selective. This is most striking in the case of antiviral drugs, which are generally poor magic bullets because the virus is dependent on the host cell for all aspects of its growth. Those drugs that successfully inactivate the virus sometimes also end up damaging or even killing the cell.
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In mammals, which of the following aids in thermoregulation and communication?
a. Sudoriferous glands b. Sebaceous glands c. Cutaneous respiration d. Adrenal glands
What did R. H. Whittaker base his five kingdom classification upon?
a. DNA sequencing analysis b. The size and color of cells c. The biochemical make-up of an organism d. Cell structure and how an organism derived its nutrition e. The ability to for an organism to reproduce and develop
Fats provide more energy than carbohydrates because they ____.
A. can be stored inside the cell for long periods of time B. require more oxidation reactions to break down, thus releasing more electrons C. are hydrophilic, thus entering cells easily D. are liquid, thus requiring less energy for reactions E. are partially oxidized initially, thus requiring less ATP for oxidation
What viral disease has been successfully eradicated?
A. smallpox B. cowpox C. vaccinia D. varicella E. erythrovirus