Facts/Trivia

The Microscope and Animal Cells

                In anatomy or in any science related studies, it is important to have microscopes. The invention of the microscope has opened up a whole new dimension in science. By using microscopes, scientists were able to discover the existence of microorganisms, study the structure of the cells, and see the smallest parts of the plants, animals, and fungi. Today, the microscopes is still a commonly used tool to diagnosis illness in hospitals and clinics all over the world.

Homoestatic Imbalance:

                One rare disease that can affect muscles during adulthood is myasthenia gravis (mi"as-the'ne-ah gra'vis; asthen = weakness; gravi = heavy), a disease characterized by drooping of the upper eyelids, difficulty in swallowing and taking, and generalized muscles weaknessand fatigability. The disease involves a shortage of acetylcholine receptors at the neuromuscular juncion. The blood of many of these patients contains antibodies to acetylcholine receptors, which suggests that myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease. Although the receptors may initially be present in normal numbers, they appear to be destroyed as the disease progresses. Whatever the case, the muscle cells are not stimulated properly and get progressively weaker. Death usually occurs as an result of inability of the respiratory muscle to function. This is called respiratory failure.(for muscular system)
Source: Human Anatomy & Physiology 8th Edition by Elaine N. Marieb


Other Trivias/ Facts:

                Since their original invention, microscopes have moved beyond the simple visible light refracting lenses. Electrons, x-rays, and infrared rays are used by far more sophisticated microscopes to detect even smaller and smaller structures. Scanning electron microscopes are able to resolve viruses, which are are smaller than any cell. The cell is the basic unit of life. All organisms are made up of cells (or in some cases, a single cell). Most cells are very small; most are invisible without using a microscope. Cells are covered by a cell membrane and come in many different shapes. The contents of the cell are called the protoplasm. Understanding the study of cells is important because things happen on cellular levels- infections, cancer, transplant rejection, regrowth. In class, We saw different parts of a cell which We found interesting in so many ways. Knowing that if anything abnormal happened to your cells wold be a problem in the human body, not just us human body but also animals and other living things. If We were to want to know more about cells, We'd like to learn more about cells that make plants grow. Other than we have learned a lot in class during laboratory sessions.

 If the cerebellum is damaged (for example, by a blow to the head, a tumor, or a stroke), movements become clumsy and disorganized - a condition called ataxia. Victims cannot keep their balance and many appear to be drunk because the loss of muscle coordination. They are no longer able to touch their finger to their nose with eyes closed - a feat that normal individuals accomplish easily. (for nervous system)

                Meningitis, an inflammation of the meninges, is a serious threat to the brain because bacterial or viral meningitis may spread to the nervous tissue of the CNS. This condition of brain inflammation is called encephalitis. Meningitis is usually diagnosed by taking sample of cerebro spinal fluid from the subarachnoid space. (for nervous system)

                Certain events can cause hair to gray or fall out prematurely. For example, many people have claimed that they turned gray  nearly overnight because of some emotional crisis in their life. In addition, we know that anxiety, protein-deficient diets, therapy with certain chemicals (chemotherapy), radiation, excessive vitamin A, and certain fungal diseases (ringworm) can cause both graying and hair loss. However, when the cause of theses is not genetic, hair loss is usually not permanent. (Skin & Body Membranes)

Integumentary System

        The integumentary system consists of the skin, or integument, and its acessory structures which are the hair, nails, exocrine glands and smooth muscles. It functions to protect our body from external harm, vitamin D synthesis, sensation and temperature regulation.

The Skin is the organ that covers the external surface of the body. It consists of two layers, the epidermis which is the superficial layer and the dermis which is the underlying layer. Under the dermis is the subcutaneous tissue or hypodermis which consists of adipose tissues.

In our activity, we magnify the tissues of the thick and thin skin. We also determine the differences between the two of it. Their differences in location, epidermal layers, hair, sweat glands and oil glands.

In our second activity we determine the density of sweat glands, the two-point discrimination where we distinguish the most and least sensitive part of the body, the adaptation of tactile receptors and termoreception.

Senses: Vision (Cow's Eye)

                The visual system consists of the eyes, accessory structures and sensory neurons. We obtain much of our information about many things through the visual system. Each parts of the eye has its functions.

                There are also functions of the eye like the light refraction and focusing Images on the retina. The important characteristic of light is that it can be bended or refracted. Light that passes through a concave surface diverges while light passing through a convex surface surges. The converging light rays cross at the focal point and are said to be focused.

                The activity that we did in vision is the dissection of the cow’s eye. The cow’s eye is somehow similar to the human eye. In dissecting the eye, we saw the different parts of it like the optic nerve, pupil, lens, cornea and many more. We also used the lens of the cow’s eye and placed it on a paper with letters. When we placed it, the letters or the text became big and the lens of the cow looks like a magnifying lens.

Here are some pictures from the activity:

Senses

                Sensation is the conscious awareness of stimuli received by sensory receptors. Sense is the ability to perceive stimuli. Senses is divided into two groups, the general and special senses.

General senses have receptors distributed over a large part of the body. They are also divided into two groups, somatic and visceral senses. The somatic senses provide information about the body and environment while the visceral senses provide information about the internal organs, pain and pressure.

Special Senses are localized to specific parts of the body. The special senses are smell, sight, hearing, and balance.

We also did an activity to test for the different special senses. First is the color blindness test, color blindness is the absence of perception of one or more colors. Color perception may be decreased or completely lost. We used the Ishihara test which consists of mosaic figures where numbers or objects are hidden. Fortunately, all of us passed this test.

Next is the Visual Acuity Test, it is a test used to determine if you could read the big and small letters from a specific distance. It could determine if you have a normal vision.  We used the Snellen chart in this test. Some of our group mates find it hard to read some small letters in the Snellen chart.

Next is the Test for hearing. We did the Weber Test and Rinne Test using the tuning fork. Weber test is a test using a vibrating tuning fork which is held various points along the midline of the skull and face while Rinne Test is a test for evaluating loss of hearing in one ear.

The last test is the knee-jerk reflex test. It is for determining the reflex of the person. We used a hammer and tap it on the patellar tendon.

Muscular System

                The Muscular system is the one that is responsible for the movement of our body. The functions of the muscular system are:

• ·         Movement of the body
• ·         Maintenance of Posture
• ·         Respiration
• ·         Production of body heat
• ·         Communication
• ·         Constriction of organs and vessels
• ·         Contraction of the heart

There are three types of muscles, these are the skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscles. Skeletal muscles are the muscles that are attached to the skeletal system. Cardiac muscles are located in our heart. Smooth muscles are located in walls or hollow organs, blood vessels and glands.

The activity that we have done is determining the time of the muscle fatigue in Isometric Contractions and Isotonic Contractions. In the Isometric Contractions we first put the book in one arm and recorded the time of the muscle fatigue. We also repeat it in the other arm and both arms. We also done it using 2 books for the left arm, right arm and both arms. The result is that the time of the onset of fatigue is longer when we put 1 or 2 books in our both arms.

In the Isotonic Contractions, we stroll, brick walking and running for five minutes and rate the sensation of muscle fatigue in each activity. We repeat it again, this time doing the exercise up and down a staircase. The most painful is running in the staircase up and down for five minutes. 

Animal Tissues

                The second activity that we did is about Animal Tissues. Tissues refer to the third level of organization of the body. It covers the surface areas. Tissues can be classified into different categories. The Epithelial Tissue, Connective Tissue, Muscular Tissue, Nervous Tissue and Reproductive Tissue.

                Epithelial tissues act as a protective covering. They also reduce friction between parts or organs of the body. Some of its functions are absorption, synthesis and secretion of various proteins, excretion, sensation and thermoregulation. There are also many classifications of epithelial tissues that differ in their shape and location.

                Connective Tissues are the most abundant of all the primary tissues. The functions of connective tissues are they are mechanical and protective, transport of nutrients, metabolites and signalling factors, storage of energy-rich lipids, water, and electrolytes and others. They are also classified in different types.

                Muscle Tissue has the ability to contract. There are three types of muscle tissues. These are skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscles. The functions of the muscle tissue depends on their type.

                Nervous Tissues control and coordinate body activities. They make up the major parts of the nervous system.

                Reproductive Tissues consists of ovaries and testes. They are responsible for the production of egg cells or sperm cells.

                In our activity, we observed the cells of the different specimens in each stations. We were asked to draw and label the type of tissue that we observed.  

The Microscope and Animal Cells

                In order for us to be able to understand more about the lessons that we have discussed, we are required to do an experiment or a laboratory activity. These experiments/activities helps us to enhance our knowledge the topic that we have discussed. In every chapter that we’ve studied, there are laboratory activities that are needed to be done.

                We started in the chapter about “Animal Cells”. Cells refer to the second level of organization in our body. They are the smallest units of the body that exhibit the characteristics of life. Cells also have different parts like the cell membrane, nucleus, ribosomes and etc. These parts have their certain functions in a cell.
               Our first activity is the “Microscope and Animal Cells”. We were taught on how to use the microscopes. We also discussed the parts and functions of the microscope. After that, we observed the cheek cells. We took a sample from our member and placed it on a glass slide and covered it with a cover slip. We used the microscope in order for us to examine the cheek cells.

                We also observed the three (3) colored little threads using the microscope. The colors of those threads are blue, yellow and red. We compared it on how it looks like before and when we observe it in the microscope.

                The second activity is entitled, “Transport Process”. In the three (3) glass slides, we put one drop of blood each. At the first slide, we added distilled water while at the second slide, we added 0.3% of NaCl and lastly at the third slide, we added 0.9% of NaCl. We compared the cells of each blood samples.

              

               Our last activity in this chapter is Mitosis. Mitosis is the cell division in somatic cells. There are 5 stages in Mitosis, these are the interphase, prophase, metaphase and anaphase. We observed the cells of the fish blastula where we can see the different stages in Mitosis.

GRADES AREN'T EVERYTHING. LEARNING IS

     Most courses related to the field of medicine experience the wonderful world of Anatomy. A subject that some would define it as their worst nightmare, but to us ,as nursing students it is a privileged. An honour to gain most of the information we need relevant to our course. From the beginning as we entered the semester a challenging subject has faced us where on the first two meetings of the class we were obliged to read 3 chapters: The Human Organism, The Chemical Basis of Life and The Cell Structure and its Functions.

     On the first chapter, we have learned what Anatomy and Physiology is. “Human Anatomy and Physiology is the study of the structure and function of the human body”. We have learned the structural and functional organization of the human body from chemical forms a cell and from a cell forms a tissue, an organ, organ system until it becomes an organism. Our very smart professor also explained to us the importance of homeostasis and the mechanisms that happen inside our body to maintain it. He also thought us about the different cavities inside our body. It was also that time when we were discussing on the first chapter that we got familiar with the terms used in this subject such as the anterior, posterior, proximal and distal terms which were very new to us at that point.

     On the second and third chapter, we have learned about Chemicals and Cells. He discussed about the four macromolecules: carbohydrates, proteins , lipids and the nucleic acid. On the third chapter, he thought us the different structures and functions of the cell and the different types and movements across the cell membrane such as Diffusion, Osmosis, Active Transport, Exocytosis and Endocytosis. It was on that chapter he discussed to us about the cell division and it has gotten a lot interesting when we were able to see the different phases of cell division under the microscope “ Prophase, Metaphase , Anaphase and Telophase” during our laboratory time.

     On the fourth chapter, we discussed about Tissues. He thought us about the four basic types of tissues: Epithelial, Connective , Nerves and Muscle Tissues and its classifications. He pointed to us where each type and classification can be found. On that chapter, during our laboratory time we were able to see what each tissue looks like under the microscope. It was really fascinating, there were different colors of it, different location of the nucleus and shapes of each.

     On the fifth Chapter, we have learned about Integumentary chapter. He discussed about the different layers of skin, Diseases of skin and sensory receptors. We also had an activity about the two-point discrimination, adaptation of tactile receptors and thermorception.

     On the sixth Chapter, we have learned about the skeletal system. We were able to learn the different parts of the skeletal system and its locations. It was on this chapter that we had our very first long quiz at the same time moving exam where we were given 30 seconds to identify the part of a bone then move on when the buzzer buzzes. On the muscular system, he had discussed us the structure of the muscle. It was more on about the tendon attached to the skeletal muscle, a muscle fasiculi surrounded by an epimysium and muscle fibers surrounded by perimysium. He thought us about the ion channels and action potentials then after it the nomenclature of muscles and location.

     On the eighth Chapter, he thought us about the Nervous System, we have learned the different types of Neurons, Division of the Nervous System, The Peripheral Nervous System, Autonomic Nervous System and the component of each system. On Senses, we have learned about the different sensory receptors: Mechanoreceptors , Chemoreceptors , Photoreceptors, and Thermoreceptors. The Special Senses and its functions. In this chapter, we had an activity where we were to test our eyes with the use of ishihara chart and snellen chart. We also dissected a cow’s eye and locate each part of it. Anatomy was really an amazing subject where you could learn a lot of surprising and more detailed things than what we have learned in highschool and elementary.