HS Anatomy & Physiology practice questions and exam guide

The functional unit of the kidney that filters blood is the:

1. Nephron
2. Hepatocyte
3. Cardiac myocyte
4. Sarcomere

Answer: A — Nephron

A) Glomerulus, Bowman's capsule, tubules, collecting duct. B) Liver cell. C) Heart muscle cell. D) Muscle unit.

Most chemical digestion AND absorption of nutrients occurs in the:

1. Stomach
2. Large intestine
3. Esophagus
4. Small intestine

Answer: D — Small intestine

D) Small intestine — pancreatic enzymes + bile + huge villus surface area. A) Stomach: protein begins, limited absorption. B) Large intestine: water/electrolyte absorption. C) Esophagus: transport only.

Antibiotic resistance:

1. Growing concern — bacteria evolving resistance to antibiotics through overuse (medical, agricultural), incomplete courses, antibiotic spread to environment; threatens future infection treatment; requires stewardship (appropriate use), new antibiotics development, hygiene
2. Doesn't exist
3. Not a concern
4. Random

Answer: A — Growing concern — bacteria evolving resistance to antibiotics through overuse (medical, agricultural), incomplete courses, antibiotic spread to environment; threatens future infection treatment; requires stewardship (appropriate use), new antibiotics development, hygiene

A) Standard. B/C/D) Each is incorrect.

ABO blood typing:

1. Has no clinical relevance
2. Only one type
3. Type A (A antigen), B (B antigen), AB (both, universal recipient), O (neither, universal donor) — type compatibility matters for transfusions due to antibodies against missing antigens
4. Random

Answer: C — Type A (A antigen), B (B antigen), AB (both, universal recipient), O (neither, universal donor) — type compatibility matters for transfusions due to antibodies against missing antigens

C) Standard. A/B/D) Each is incorrect.

Healthcare team:

1. Random
2. Only doctors
3. Has no team
4. Physicians (MD/DO), nurses (RN, NP), physician assistants, pharmacists, physical/occupational therapists, dietitians, social workers, paramedics, technicians, specialists; collaborative care improves outcomes; many entry points and education paths

Answer: D — Physicians (MD/DO), nurses (RN, NP), physician assistants, pharmacists, physical/occupational therapists, dietitians, social workers, paramedics, technicians, specialists; collaborative care improves outcomes; many entry points and education paths

D) Standard. A/B/C) Each is incomplete.

Innate vs. adaptive immunity:

1. Same thing
2. Adaptive is non-specific
3. Just antibodies
4. Innate is slow
5. Innate: rapid, non-specific (skin, inflammation, phagocytes, NK cells, complement); Adaptive: slower but specific (B cells produce antibodies, T cells; memory)

Answer: E — Innate: rapid, non-specific (skin, inflammation, phagocytes, NK cells, complement); Adaptive: slower but specific (B cells produce antibodies, T cells; memory)

Two arms: innate (born with, immediate, broad) and adaptive (acquired, slower first time, specific, memory for next time). Vaccines exploit adaptive memory. Antibodies: produced by B cells. Cell-mediated: T cells. White blood cells central to both.

Which type of tissue forms glands and covers body surfaces?

1. Connective
2. Muscle
3. Nervous
4. Epithelial

Answer: D — Epithelial

Epithelial tissue lines surfaces, cavities, and tubes, and forms most glands. Connective supports/binds; muscle moves; nervous transmits signals.

Anatomy and physiology differ in that anatomy studies:

1. The body's structure (parts and how they are arranged), while physiology studies how those parts function
2. Only diseases
3. Only the nervous system
4. Only chemistry

Answer: A — The body's structure (parts and how they are arranged), while physiology studies how those parts function

A) Structure vs. function distinction. B/C/D) Each is far too narrow.

Cortisol is released primarily by the:

1. Pancreas
2. Posterior pituitary
3. Adrenal cortex
4. Adrenal medulla

Answer: C — Adrenal cortex

C) Adrenal cortex secretes cortisol (and aldosterone). A) Pancreas = insulin/glucagon. B) Posterior pituitary = ADH/oxytocin. D) Adrenal medulla = epinephrine/norepinephrine (commonly confused).

Endocrine vs exocrine glands:

1. Both release into ducts
2. Same
3. Only one type exists
4. Endocrine release hormones into the bloodstream (e.g., thyroid, adrenals). Exocrine release secretions through ducts to surfaces or cavities (e.g., sweat, salivary, sebaceous glands). Pancreas does both.

Answer: D — Endocrine release hormones into the bloodstream (e.g., thyroid, adrenals). Exocrine release secretions through ducts to surfaces or cavities (e.g., sweat, salivary, sebaceous glands). Pancreas does both.

D) Standard distinction. A/B/C) Each is incorrect.

Special senses include:

1. Vision (eye — rods, cones, retina, optic nerve), hearing and balance (ear — cochlea, vestibular system), smell (olfactory receptors), taste (taste buds with five basic qualities), each with specialized receptors and neural pathways
2. Only vision
3. Only hearing
4. Only one sense

Answer: A — Vision (eye — rods, cones, retina, optic nerve), hearing and balance (ear — cochlea, vestibular system), smell (olfactory receptors), taste (taste buds with five basic qualities), each with specialized receptors and neural pathways

A) Standard senses. B/C/D) Each is incomplete.

The functional unit of the kidney is the:

1. Neuron
2. Nephron
3. Alveolus
4. Hepatocyte

Answer: B — Nephron

Nephrons filter blood and produce urine; each kidney contains about 1 million nephrons.

Bone cells?

Osteoblasts (build), osteoclasts (break down), osteocytes (mature).

Pituitary gland?

'Master gland.' Controls others. Anterior + posterior lobes.

Taste buds?

On tongue. Detect sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami.

Pregnancy timeline?

About 40 weeks (9 months). Three trimesters.

Spine — identify the highlighted vertebra.

C7 (vertebra prominens) — seventh and last cervical vertebra. Has a distinctively long, non-bifid spinous process you can feel at the base of the neck (the most prominent bump). Often used as a landmark for counting vertebrae during physical exams.

Layers of skin?

Epidermis (outer), dermis (blood vessels, nerves, glands), hypodermis (fat, insulation).