Biology II Final Assignment: Durham College, Pre-Health Sciences

This Biology II assignment from Durham College, Winter 2018, explores various concepts related to homeostasis and the endocrine system within the context of a student's stressful exam period. The assignment consists of multiple parts, each presenting a scenario followed by related questions. Topics covered include the effects of long-term stress on the body, hormonal regulation of calcium and glucose levels, the autonomic nervous system's response to stressful situations, and the function of anterior pituitary hormones. The assignment also delves into the pathophysiology of Type I diabetes, its management through insulin injections, and the roles of insulin and glucagon in glucose homeostasis. The student is required to apply their knowledge to analyze the scenarios and answer the questions, demonstrating their understanding of key biological principles.The document is available on Desklib, a platform offering study tools and resources for students.

Name: _____________________ CRN#: _____________________
Student ID: _____________________ Date: _____________________
PHS – Pre-Health Sciences
FINAL ASSIGNMENT
Biology II Adv/Std, Pre-Health Sciences - Durham College, Winter 2018
/50 marks (10% of final grade)
PART 1
Scenario: Final test week was quickly approaching at Durham
College. Students were busy finishing classes, working on final
projects and studying for final tests. Though it was a lot of
work, students felt proud of how hard they had worked and how
much they had accomplished.
Taylor, a student enrolled in the Pre-Health Sciences program,
knew she was going to have a very busy next few weeks. As a
single parent working 20 hours a week, she knew that her
success hinged on making a study schedule that would help her
manage her time effectively. She also knew that she would need
to form study groups with her classmates and rely on resources
such as SALS tutorials, practice pages posted on DC Connect,
and her course outlines. Despite her excellent planning and
organization, it was a stressful time in Taylor’s life.
Questions: Answer directly on the page
. (2 marks) Multiple Choice – What effect would the long-term stress of exams have on Taylor’s
body?
a. Cortisol would be released from the adrenal cortex into the blood
b. Aldosterone would be released from the anterior pituitary gland
c. Blood glucose levels would be slightly higher than normal
d. Epinephrine would be released from the adrenal medulla
e. (a) and (c)
. (1 mark) True or False – Mineralcorticoids + glucocorticoids are released from the adrenal gland
e
ae
August10th,2018

Name: _____________________ CRN#: _____________________
Student ID: _____________________ Date: _____________________
PHS – Pre-Health Sciences
PART 2
Scenario: It was a lonely Tuesday night. Taylor decided to make tonight a productive study night and
began lugging a bag full of books, paper, highlighters and coloured pens to the library. She found a
great spot to study that overlooked the Polonsky Commons. Books out, paper ready, and highlighters
lined up, Taylor set out to study. Unfortunately, no sooner did she open Chapter 1 when her stomach
began to rumble. It was then that she realized, with frustration, that she hadn’t eaten anything since
breakfast that morning. She was famished.
Questions: Answer directly on the page
3. (2 marks) Multiple Choice – As Taylor sat there hungry and thirsty, her body was working to
restore homeostasis. Which of the following would be happening inside her body?
Glucagon would be released from the pancreas
Aldosterone would be released into the blood
Renin would be released from the kidney
Parathyroid hormone would be released from the parathyroid gland
All of the above
4. (2 marks) Multiple Choice – What is one way a hungry/thirsty body maintains homeostasis?
Small intestine would stop absorbing calcium
Kidneys would excrete high amounts of water
Urine would be sweet-tasting
Liver would be converting glucose into glycogen
Osteoclasts would be destroying bone
5. (6 marks) If calcium levels became low in Taylor’s blood, what effect would this have on her
body? To answer this, SELECT the correct word in each sentence below.
a. Cross-bridges would be (able/unable) form in skeletal muscle
b. Synapses within the CNS would (start/stop) functioning
c. (Osteoclasts/osteoblasts) would act on bone tissue to restore homeostasis
d. Bones would become brittle/strong)
e. Kidneys would (excrete/reabsorb) calcium
f. The small intestine would (absorb/not absorb) calcium from the diet
unable
stop
Osteoclasts
brittle
reabsorb
not absorb

Name: _____________________ CRN#: _____________________
Student ID: _____________________ Date: _____________________
PHS – Pre-Health Sciences
PART 3
Scenario: Luckily, Taylor remembered that the
Market Place had extended hours during exams.
She decided to take a quick break and grab a
snack. As soon as she got to the cafeteria, she
noticed her favourite exam snacks – chocolate
milk and plain Lays chips. She grabbed 3
cartons of chocolate milk and 3 bags of chips,
quickly paid, and raced back to the library to
study. What happened next was not pretty -
over the course of 30 minutes, Taylor proceeded
to drink all 3 cartons of chocolate milk and all 3
bags of chips. While it wasn’t her finest hour, it
made her feel more relaxed and ready to tackle
the challenges ahead.
NOTE: For the questions below, assume that
the chocolate milk is high in calcium, glucose,
and water and that the chips are high in salt.
Questions: Answer directly on the page
6. (3 marks) After snacking, several hormones were released into Taylor’s blood to control the high
levels of calcium, glucose, water and salt that were now present in her blood. Using the list
below, SELECT the 3 hormones that would be released.
Calcitonin
Parathyroid hormone
Insulin
Glucagon
AN
Aldosterone
Renin
ADH
7. (2 marks) True or False – After snacking, the parasympathetic system would be the primary
system used by the autonomic nervous system.
e
ae

Name: _____________________ CRN#: _____________________
Student ID: _____________________ Date: _____________________
PHS – Pre-Health Sciences
PART 4
Scenario: Taylor studied until midnight at the library before calling it a night – she had made good
progress and was ready for a break. She packed up her bags and headed over to Commencement Lot
to drive home. As she was walking, an unknown object appeared from the corner of her eye – a
Canadian goose had spied some crumbs (most likely from the chips she had eaten so fast) on her
shoulder and was dive-bombing her head trying to get them. Taylor rushed to protect herself. A panic
began to set in – she had an extreme fear of large birds. Luckily, just as a second goose was about to
show up, a Durham College security guard helped her escape to a nearby building. As soon as they
got inside, they both began laughing and joking. I mean, what were the odds of that happening?
Taylor waited 5 more minutes (until the geese had vanished) and made a second attempt out to the
parking lot. As she walked to her car, she couldn’t help but think – life is never dull at Durham
College. She hoped tomorrow would be just as exciting.
Questions: Answer directly on the page
. (3 marks) Upon being startled by the swooping goose, which of the following events would be
taking place within Taylor’s body? Choose ALL that apply.
Epinephrine would cause glucose levels to increase
The reflex arc would be employed
The medulla oblongata would coordinate voluntary movement in skeletal muscles
The occipital lobe would allow her to see a clear path for which she could escape
. (2 marks) True or False – During the “attack,” the sympathetic system would be the primary
system used by the autonomic nervous system.
e
ae

Name: _____________________ CRN#: _____________________
Student ID: _____________________ Date: _____________________
PHS – Pre-Health Sciences
PART 5
Scenario: After a long few weeks of studying, it was almost time for Taylor to write her final test in
Biology. The night before she was set to write the test, however, she realized that she forgot to study
the hormones produced by the anterior pituitary gland. With a groan, she quickly pulled up one of the
practice pages on DCConnect. Luckily there was one that summarized the endocrine glands, the
hormones they secrete, the organ that the hormone targets and the effect that the hormone has on the
body. She immediately began to study.
Questions: Answer directly on the page
10. (15 marks) Help Taylor learn these hormones by filling in the blank boxes in the chart below:
Endocrine
gland
Hormone(s)
released Target(s) General function
Anterior
pituitary
gland
Milk production after childbirth
Growth of mammary glands during pregnancy
Growth hormone
Regulates blood glucose levels via cortisol release
Regulates cholesterol levels in the blood
Thyroid
Follicle
stimulating
hormone
Males –
Females –
Males – produces testosterone
Females – triggers ovulation which leads to
progesterone production
Prolactin (PRL) Mammary
glands
Promotes growth (indirectly)Liver, adipose
tissue
control of protein, lipid and carbohydrate
metabolism
Adrenocorticotro
phic hormone
(ACTH)
Adrenal gland
Thyroid-stimulati
ng hormone
(TSH)
Stimulates secretion of thyroid hormones
stimulate sperm production
Control of reproductive function
Ovary and
testis stimulates the growth of ovarian
follicles in the ovary before the
release of an eggLuteinising
hormone (LH)
ovary and
testis

Name: _____________________ CRN#: _____________________
Student ID: _____________________ Date: _____________________
PHS – Pre-Health Sciences
PART 6
Scenario: Taylor wrote her Final Test and was very happy with the mark that she received. All of
that studying had been worth it! Oddly though, even after the stress of the semester had died down,
Taylor still found herself feeling lousy – she had constant fatigue, always seemed to be thirsty, and
even found that her vision was often blurry. She decided to visit the doctor at the Campus Recreation
and Wellness Centre on campus. After explaining her symptoms, Taylor’s doctor completed an A1c
test - a blood test that measures a person’s average sugar levels over the past several months.
Unfortunately the results came back positive. Taylor had Type I diabetes.
Questions: Answer directly on the page
11. (4 marks) Help Taylor understand what Type I diabetes is by reading the following paragraph
and selecting the correct option in the brackets below. [Hint: Textbook Section 16.6]
“Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disease that affects the ________________[beta or alpha]
islet cells of the ________________ [endocrine or exocrine] portion of the pancreas. The
destruction of these cells limits the body’s ability to produce the hormone ________________
[insulin or glucagon]. If left untreated, this causes glucose levels within the blood to be
________________ [high or low].”
12. (3 marks) As part of her treatment plan, Taylor learned that she would be responsible for
giving herself daily injections of insulin. Describe THREE ways in which insulin is able to
lower blood glucose levels within the blood. Be as specific as possible.
In liver
In muscle
In adipose tissue
beta
exocrine
insulin
high
by lowering the level of glucogen during the meal and
promting the storage of glucose to glucogen
by drawing glucose from the blood and thus loweing the
blood sugar level
by reducing adepocyte and muscle glucose uptake

Name: _____________________ CRN#: _____________________
Student ID: _____________________ Date: _____________________
PHS – Pre-Health Sciences
13. Taylor remembered from her studies of the endocrine system that both insulin AND glucagon
contribute to glucose homeostasis. She starts to wonder what would happen if healthy people
or people with diabetes were given regular shots of insulin or glucagon.
a. (4 marks) Fill in the table below by writing NORMAL, HIGH or LOW in the “blood
glucose levels” column. The first and last have been done for you.
# Diagnosis Treatment Blood glucose levels
1 Healthy None NORMAL
2 Healthy Insulin injection ________________
3 Healthy Glucagon injection ________________
4 Type I diabetes None ________________
5 Type I diabetes Insulin injection ________________
6 Type I diabetes Glucagon injection VERY HIGH
b. (1 mark) Which of the people in Question 12 would have “sweet” urine? Use your
knowledge of both the endocrine system and the urinary systems to answer this
question.
high
low
normal
high
People suffering from type 1 diebetes evidence sweet smelling urine.