The prospect of inhibiting myostatin and growing larger muscles may be tempting to a great many people. Is there any
danger to increasing muscle mass? Explain your answer. What will be an ideal response?
ANSWER: Compared to carrying excess weight as fat, having increased muscle mass is a far healthier
option. However, it must be remembered that our body has evolved to operate within
relatively narrow parameters. The increase in body size will stress the heart as it will have
more tissue to supply with blood. As well, the increased mass will result in increased stress
to the knees, hips, and back, possible resulting in painful joints later in life.
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A biologist discovers a new species of organism adapted to living in a deep underground cavern that provides no source of free water. The organism is eyeless and covered by fur, and it has a four chambered heart with a closed circulatory system. What excretory system adaptations to this extreme environment might the biologist expect to find?
A. very long malpighian tubules B. very short malpighian tubules C. metanephridia with a large number of nephridiopores D. nephrons with long loops of Henle E. nephrons with short loops of Henle
When a muscle fiber receives an action potential from a neuron, how many sarcomeres in the fiber contract?
A) The number that contracts is directly proportional to the strength of the action potential. B) The number that contracts is inversely proportional to the strength of the action potential. C) Approximately one half of the sarcomeres in the fiber contract. D) All of the sarcomeres in the fiber contract.
A newly-generated T cell can recognize MHCs and is not self-reactive. What is its fate?
A) It is signaled for destruction via apoptosis. B) It will migrate to the lymphoid tissues to await activation by its antigen. C) It will undergo genetic shuffling to change its receptor to increase self-tolerance. D) It will become part of an autoimmune attack in the body's tissues at some time in the future. E) It will migrate to the bone marrow for screening for the ability to make antibodies against self-antigens.
Explain how ESTs are identified and how they aid in finding the genes within an organism's genome
What will be an ideal response?