Nociceptors can respond to nearby tissue damage by sensing cytosolic factors released by damaged cells. Such "algogenic agents" can cause pain sensation even in the absence of tissue damage. What might be a practical use for such an agent?

Question

A.  a nonlethal riot control measure
B.  an anesthetic drug
C.  a treatment for damaged tissue
D.  a tasty food additive


Clarify Question
What is the key concept addressed by the question?
What type of thinking is required?

Gather Content
What do you already know about nociceptors? What other information is related to the question?

Choose Answer
Given what you now know, what information is most likely to produce the correct answer?

Reflect on Process
Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
 

Answer 1

A.  a nonlethal riot control measure

Clarify Question
What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        · What is a use for algogenic agents?
What type of thinking is required?
            o This is an analyze question because you have to identify key factors that qualify something as a nociceptor.

Gather Content
What do you already know about nociceptors? What other information is related to the question?
        · You already know that nociceptors are pain receptors. They are usually free nerve endings that are sensitive to noxious substances as well as tissue damage since specific cytostolic factors are released by damaged cells. Such factors, called algogenic agents, can cause a pain sensation even in the absence of tissue damage.

Choose Answer
Given what you now know, what information is most likely to produce the correct answer?
        · What might be the practical use of an agent that would cause pain? An anesthetic drug blocks pain, so that cannot be the answer. A tasty food additive does not make much sense although capsaicin in spicy foods can produce a heat and pain sensation. There is evidence that factors that are released during damage produce vasodilation and attract white blood cells to the area and promote healing, but how could someone practically inject such agents into a wound? Since algogenic agents produce pain without injury, it makes sense that they could be used as a nonlethal riot control measure, and in fact, they are.

Reflect on Process
Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
        · Answering this question correctly depended not only on understanding the function of nociceptors, but on your ability to analyze potential uses of agents that would activate them. If you got an incorrect answer, did you remember that capsaicin can produce a painful sensation, and knowing that is a component of peppers, think that a tasty food additive was the correct answer? Did you think that because cytostolic factors are released during tissue damage that they would a good treatment for tissue damage? Did you forget that anesthetics block pain instead of produce it?