Cells, cytoplasm, and organelles:

• Cytoplasm consists of a gelatinous solution and contains microtubules (which serve as a cell's cytoskeleton) and organelles

• Cells also contain a nucleus within which is found DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) in the form of chromosomes plus nucleoli (within which ribosomes are formed)

• Organelles include:

1. Endoplasmic reticulum : 2 forms: smooth and rough; the surface of rough ER is coated with ribosomes; the surface of smooth ER is not , Functions include: mechanical support, synthesis (especially proteins by rough ER), and transport
2. Golgi complex consists of a series of flattened sacs (or cisternae) functions include: synthesis (of substances likes phospholipids), packaging of materials for transport (in vesicles), and production of lysosomes
3. Lysosome : membrane-enclosed spheres that contain powerful digestive enzymes , functions include destruction of damaged cells & digestion of phagocytosed materials
4.  Mitochondria : have double-membrane: outer membrane & highly convoluted inner membrane
   1. inner membrane has folds or shelf-like structures called cristae that contain elementary particles; these particles contain enzymes important in ATP production
   2. primary function is production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
5. Ribosome-:composed of rRNA (ribosomal RNA) & protein , primary function is to produce proteins
6. Centrioles :paired cylindrical structures located near the nucleas , play an important role in cell division
7. Flagella & cilia - hair-like projections from some human cells
   1. cilia are relatively short & numerous (e.g., those lining trachea)
   2. a flagellum is relatively long and there's typically just one (e.g., sperm)

• • Villi  Projections of cell membrane that serve to increase surface area of a cell (which is important, for example, for cells that line the intestine)

 Acute Obstructive Disorders
 1.    Heimlich maneuver
 2.    Bypass, tracheostomy w/catheter to suck up secretion

Cardiac Output:

Minute Volume = Heart Rate X Stroke Volume

Heart rate, HR at rest = 65 to 85 bpm  

Each heartbeat at rest takes about .8 sec. of which .4 sec. is quiescent period.

Stroke volume, SV at rest = 60 to 70 ml.

Heart can increase both rate and volume with exercise. Rate increase is limited due to necessity of minimum ventricular diastolic period for filling. Upper limit is usually put at about 220 bpm. Maximum heart rate calculations are usually below 200. Target heart rates for anaerobic threshold are about 85 to 95% of maximum.

Terms:

End Diastolic Volume, EDV - the maximum volume of the ventricles achieved at the end of ventricular diastole. This is the amount of blood the heart has available to pump. If this volume increases the cardiac output increases in a healthy heart.

End Systolic Volume, ESV - the minimum volume remaining in the ventricle after its systole. If this volume increases it means less blood has been pumped and the cardiac output is less.

EDV - ESV = SV

SV / EDV = Ejection Fraction The ejection fraction is normally around 50% at rest and will increase during strenuous exercise in a healthy heart. Well trained athletes may have ejection fractions approaching 70% in the most strenuous exercise.

Isovolumetric Contraction Phase - a brief period at the beginning of ventricular systole when all valves are closed and ventricular volume remains constant. Pressure has risen enough in the ventricle to close the AV valves but not enough to open the semilunar valves and cause ejection of blood. 

Isovolumetric Relaxation Phase - a brief period at the beginning of ventricular diastole when all valves are closed and ventricular volume is constant. Pressure in the ventricle has lowered producing closure of the semilunar valves but not opening the AV valves to begin pulling blood into the ventricle.

Dicrotic Notch - the small increase in pressure of the aorta or other artery seen when recording a pulse wave. This occurs as blood is briefly pulled back toward the ventricle at the beginning of diastole thus closing the semilunar valves.

Preload - This is the pressure at the end of ventricular diastole, at the beginning of ventricular systole. It is proportional to the End Diastolic Volume (EDV), i.e. as the EDV increases so does the preload of the heart. Factors which increase the preload are: increased total blood volume, increased venous tone and venous return, increased atrial contraction, and the skeletal muscular pump.

Afterload - This is the impedence against which the left ventricle must eject blood, and it is roughly proportional to the End Systolic Volume (ESV). When the peripheral resistance increases so does the ESV and the afterload of the heart. 

The importance of these parameters are as a measure of efficiency of the heart, which increases as the difference between preload and afterload increases

The Sliding Filament mechanism of muscle contraction.

When a muscle contracts the light I bands disappear and the dark A bands move closer together. This is due to the sliding of the actin and myosin myofilaments against one another. The Z-lines pull together and the sarcomere shortens

The thick myosin bands are not single myosin proteins but are made of multiple myosin molecules. Each myosin molecule is composed of two parts: the globular "head" and the elongated "tail". They are arranged to form the thick bands.

It is the myosin heads which form crossbridges that attach to binding sites on the actin molecules and then swivel to bring the Z-lines together

Likewise the thin bands are not single actin molecules. Actin is composed of globular proteins (G actin units) arranged to form a double coil (double alpha helix) which produces the thin filament. Each thin myofilament is wrapped by a tropomyosin protein, which in turn is connected to the troponin complex. 

The tropomyosin-troponin combination blocks the active sites on the actin molecules preventing crossbridge formation. The troponin complex consists of three components: TnT, the part which attaches to tropomyosin, TnI, an inhibitory portion which attaches to actin, and TnC which binds calcium ions. When excess calcium ions are released they bind to the TnC causing the troponin-tropomyosin complex to move, releasing the blockage on the active sites. As soon as this happens the myosin heads bind to these active sites.

The pituitary gland is pea-sized structure located at the base of the brain. In humans, it consists of two lobes:

• the Anterior Lobe and
• the Posterior Lobe

The Anterior Lobe

The anterior lobe contains six types of secretory cells All of them secrete their hormone in response to hormones reaching them from the hypothalamus of the brain.

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)

TSH (also known as thyrotropin) is a glycoprotein The secretion of TSH is

• stimulated by the arrival of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) from the hypothalamus.
• inhibited by the arrival of somatostatin from the hypothalamus.

 TSH stimulates the thyroid gland to secrete its hormone thyroxine (T₄).

Some develop antibodies against their own TSH receptors making more T₄ causing hyperthyroidism. The condition is called thyrotoxicosis or Graves' disease.

Hormone deficiencies

A deficiency of TSH causes hypothyroidism: inadequate levels of T₄ (and thus of T₃ )..

Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH)

FSH is a heterodimeric glycoprotein Synthesis and release of FSH is triggered by the arrival from the hypothalamus of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH).

FSH in females :In sexually-mature females, FSH (assisted by LH) acts on the follicle to stimulate it to release estrogens.

FSH in males :In mature males, FSH acts on spermatogonia stimulating (with the aid of testosterone) the production of sperm.

Luteinizing Hormone (LH)

LH is synthesized within the same pituitary cells as FSH and under the same stimulus (GnRH). It is also a heterodimeric glycoprotein

LH in females

In sexually-mature females, LH

• stimulates the follicle to secrete estrogen in the first half of the menstrual cycle
• a surge of LH triggers the completion of meiosis I of the egg and its release (ovulation) in the middle of the cycle
• stimulates the now-empty follicle to develop into the corpus luteum, which secretes progesterone during the latter half of the menstrual cycle.

LH in males

LH acts on the interstitial cells (also known as Leydig cells) of the testes stimulating them to synthesize and secrete the male sex hormone, testosterone.

LH in males is also known as interstitial cell stimulating hormone (ICSH).

Prolactin (PRL)

Prolactin is a protein of 198 amino acids. During pregnancy it helps in the preparation of the breasts for future milk production. After birth, prolactin promotes the synthesis of milk.

Prolactin secretion is

• stimulated by TRH
• repressed by estrogens and dopamine.

Growth Hormone (GH)

• Human growth hormone (also called somatotropin) is a protein
• The GH-secreting cells are stimulated to synthesize and release GH by the intermittent arrival of growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) from the hypothalamus. GH promotes body growth

In Child

• hyposecretion of GH produces dwarfism
• hypersecretion leads to gigantism

In adults, a hypersecretion of GH leads to acromegaly.

ACTH — the adrenocorticotropic hormone

ACTH acts on the cells of the adrenal cortex, stimulating them to produce

• glucocorticoids, like cortisol
• mineralocorticoids, like aldosterone
• androgens (male sex hormones, like testosterone

Hypersecretion of ACTH cause of Cushing's disease.

Bile contains:

• bile acids. These amphiphilic steroids emulsify ingested fat. The hydrophobic portion of the steroid dissolves in the fat while the negatively-charged side chain interacts with water molecules. The mutual repulsion of these negatively-charged droplets keeps them from coalescing. Thus large globules of fat (liquid at body temperature) are emulsified into tiny droplets (about 1 µm in diameter) that can be more easily digested and absorbed.

• bile pigments. These are the products of the breakdown of hemoglobin removed by the liver from old red blood cells. The brownish color of the bile pigments imparts the characteristic brown color of the feces.