Anatomy
1 questionsWhich type of glial cell is derived from mesodermal origin?
NEET-PG 2015 - Anatomy NEET-PG Practice Questions and MCQs
Question 331: Which type of glial cell is derived from mesodermal origin?
- A. Macroglial cells
- B. Microglial cells (Correct Answer)
- C. Oligodendrocytes
- D. Ependymal cells
Explanation: ***Microglial cells*** - **Microglial cells** are unique among glial cells as they originate from **mesoderm**, specifically from **monocyte/macrophage precursors** in the bone marrow [1]. - They function as the **immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS)**, scavenging for plaques, damaged neurons, and infectious agents [1]. *Macroglial cells* - This is a broad category that includes **astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and ependymal cells**, all of which are derived from **neuroectoderm**, not mesoderm [1]. - They perform various supportive roles but are distinct in origin from microglial cells [1]. *Oligodendrocytes* - **Oligodendrocytes** are derived from **neuroectoderm** and are responsible for forming the **myelin sheath** around axons in the CNS [2]. - Myelination is crucial for rapid and efficient nerve impulse conduction. *Ependymal cells* - **Ependymal cells** are derived from **neuroectoderm** and line the **ventricles of the brain** and the **central canal of the spinal cord**. - They play a role in the production and circulation of **cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)**.
Biochemistry
8 questionsWhich of the following statements about Niemann-Pick disease is false?
Bile acids consist of all of the following except -
Which of the following statements is true regarding the functions of cAMP and cGMP?
How many molecules of Acetyl CoA are produced from β-oxidation of palmitic acid?
Which of the following proteins is primarily responsible for marking other proteins for degradation?
What primarily forms the core of chylomicrons?
Prolyl hydroxylase requires which cofactor?
Which of the following is the most reactive free radical?
NEET-PG 2015 - Biochemistry NEET-PG Practice Questions and MCQs
Question 331: Which of the following statements about Niemann-Pick disease is false?
- A. Due to deficiency of sphingomyelinase.
- B. CNS symptoms are present in type A.
- C. Type B Niemann-Pick disease is characterized by severe neurological symptoms. (Correct Answer)
- D. Histiocytes show PAS positive inclusions, and Type A is more severe.
Explanation: ***Type B Niemann-Pick disease is characterized by severe neurological symptoms.*** - This statement is **false** because **Type B Niemann-Pick disease** generally presents with **visceral involvement** (e.g., hepatosplenomegaly, lung disease) with **minimal to no neurological symptoms**. - **Severe neurological symptoms** are characteristic of **Type A Niemann-Pick disease**, which involves widespread CNS degeneration and a more rapidly progressive course. *Due to deficiency of sphingomyelinase.* - This statement is **true**. - Niemann-Pick disease (Types A and B) is caused by a deficiency of the enzyme **acid sphingomyelinase**, leading to the accumulation of sphingomyelin within lysosomes, particularly in macrophages. *CNS symptoms are present in type A.* - This statement is **true**. - **Type A Niemann-Pick disease** is the most severe form and is characterized by significant **neurodegeneration** in addition to visceral involvement. - Patients typically present with **developmental regression**, **ataxia**, and **spasticity** due to extensive sphingomyelin deposition in the central nervous system. *Histiocytes show PAS positive inclusions, and Type A is more severe.* - This statement is **true**. - The characteristic "foam cells" (lipid-laden macrophages/histiocytes) found in tissues of Niemann-Pick patients stain positive with **periodic acid–Schiff (PAS)** due to accumulated sphingomyelin. - **Type A Niemann-Pick disease** is indeed the most severe form, with a rapidly progressive course and early fatality, usually by early childhood.
Question 332: Bile acids consist of all of the following except -
- A. Lithocholic acid
- B. Deoxycholic acid
- C. Bilirubin (Correct Answer)
- D. Chenodeoxycholic acid
Explanation: ***Bilirubin*** - **Bilirubin** is a pigment formed from the breakdown of **heme**, not a bile acid. - It is excreted in bile but does not aid in **lipid digestion** or **absorption**. *Lithocholic acid* - **Lithocholic acid** is a **secondary bile acid** formed in the colon by bacterial dehydroxylation of chenodeoxycholic acid. - It is still considered a bile acid, despite its secondary nature. *Deoxycholic acid* - **Deoxycholic acid** is a **secondary bile acid** formed by bacterial action on cholic acid in the colon. - Like other bile acids, it plays a role in **fat digestion** and **absorption**. *Chenodeoxycholic acid* - **Chenodeoxycholic acid** is a **primary bile acid** synthesized in the liver from cholesterol. - It is one of the main bile acids directly involved in **emulsifying dietary fats**.
Question 333: Which of the following statements is true regarding the functions of cAMP and cGMP?
- A. All of the above statements are true
- B. They act on membrane receptors.
- C. They are both second messengers. (Correct Answer)
- D. They act by post-translational modification.
Explanation: ***They are both second messengers.*** - **cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophosphate)** and **cGMP (cyclic guanosine monophosphate)** are crucial intracellular signaling molecules. - They relay signals from **first messengers** (like hormones or neurotransmitters) received at the cell surface to intracellular targets, thus acting as second messengers. *They act on membrane receptors.* - **cAMP** and **cGMP** are *produced* in response to activation of **membrane receptors** by first messengers, but they themselves do not act directly on these receptors. - Their action is primarily *intracellular*, binding to and activating various enzymes and proteins like **protein kinases**. *All of the above statements are true* - This statement is incorrect because the claim that they act on membrane receptors is false. - Only one of the statements provided is accurate regarding the functions of cAMP and cGMP. *They act by post-translational modification.* - While cAMP and cGMP can lead to **post-translational modification** (e.g., phosphorylation by protein kinases A and G), they are not themselves the direct modifiers. - They act as **allosteric regulators** of enzymes, which then catalyze the modifications.
Question 334: How many molecules of Acetyl CoA are produced from β-oxidation of palmitic acid?
- A. 3 acetyl CoA
- B. 16 Acetyl CoA
- C. 6 acetyl CoA
- D. 8 acetyl CoA (Correct Answer)
Explanation: ***8 acetyl CoA*** - Palmitic acid is a **16-carbon saturated fatty acid (C16:0)**. During β-oxidation, each cycle cleaves two carbons as **acetyl CoA**. - The formula for acetyl CoA produced is **n/2**, where n = number of carbons. For palmitic acid: 16/2 = **8 acetyl CoA molecules**. - Alternatively: Palmitic acid undergoes **7 cycles of β-oxidation** [(n/2) - 1 = 7], each producing 1 acetyl CoA (7 total), plus the final 2-carbon fragment forming the 8th acetyl CoA. *3 acetyl CoA* - This number is too low for a 16-carbon fatty acid. **Short-chain fatty acids** would produce fewer acetyl CoA molecules. - This value corresponds to β-oxidation of a **6-carbon fatty acid** (hexanoic acid), not palmitic acid. *6 acetyl CoA* - This number is also too low for a 16-carbon fatty acid. - This quantity would be produced from a **12-carbon fatty acid** (lauric acid), not palmitic acid. *16 Acetyl CoA* - This number is too high and would incorrectly imply that each carbon forms an acetyl CoA independently. - Sixteen acetyl CoA molecules would be produced from a **32-carbon fatty acid**, which is extremely rare in biological systems.
Question 335: Which of the following proteins is primarily responsible for marking other proteins for degradation?
- A. Ubiquitin (Correct Answer)
- B. RNAse
- C. Zymase
- D. Chaperone
Explanation: **Ubiquitin** - **Ubiquitin** is a small regulatory protein that marks proteins for degradation by targeting them to the **proteasome**. - The ubiquitination process involves a cascade of enzymes (E1, E2, E3) that sequentially attach ubiquitin to the target protein, forming a **polyubiquitin chain**. *RNAse* - **RNAse** (Ribonuclease) is an enzyme that catalyzes the degradation of **RNA into smaller components**. - Its primary function is in **RNA processing** and turnover, not protein degradation. *Zymase* - **Zymase** is a complex of enzymes that catalyzes the **fermentation of sugar into ethanol and carbon dioxide**. - It is commonly found in yeast and is essential for **alcoholic fermentation**, with no role in protein degradation. *Chaperone* - **Chaperone proteins** assist in the **folding of newly synthesized proteins** and the refolding of misfolded or denatured proteins. - Their role is to ensure proper protein structure and function, preventing aggregation, rather than marking proteins for destruction.
Question 336: What primarily forms the core of chylomicrons?
- A. Triglycerides and Cholesterol together
- B. Triglycerides (Correct Answer)
- C. Free fatty acids
- D. Triglyceride, Cholesterol and Phospholipids
Explanation: ***Triglycerides*** - Chylomicrons are primarily responsible for transporting **dietary triglycerides** from the intestines to other tissues. - Their large core, composed mainly of **triglycerides**, allows efficient transport of these hydrophobic molecules. *Triglycerides and Cholesterol together* - While **cholesterol** is present in chylomicrons, it is less abundant than **triglycerides** and primarily exists as **cholesterol esters** in the core. - The core is not an equal mixture; **triglycerides** overwhelmingly dominate the volume. *Free fatty acids* - **Free fatty acids** are transported in the blood primarily bound to **albumin**, not within the core of chylomicrons. - Chylomicrons typically carry **esterified fatty acids** as part of triglycerides. *Triglyceride, Cholesterol and Phospholipids* - **Phospholipids** form the outer monolayer of the chylomicron, along with apoproteins, making them **amphipathic**. - They do not constitute a core component but rather the **surface interface** with the aqueous environment.
Question 337: Prolyl hydroxylase requires which cofactor?
- A. Vitamin C (Correct Answer)
- B. Iron (Fe²⁺)
- C. Molybdenum
- D. Vitamin K1
Explanation: ***Vitamin C*** - **Prolyl hydroxylase** is an enzyme critical for the hydroxylation of proline residues during **collagen synthesis**. - **Vitamin C** (ascorbic acid) acts as an essential **cofactor**, reducing the ferric iron of the enzyme back to its ferrous state after each catalytic cycle, enabling continued activity. - The enzyme requires both **iron (Fe²⁺)** as a metal cofactor and **vitamin C** to maintain the iron in its reduced state. *Iron (Fe²⁺)* - While **iron** is indeed required by prolyl hydroxylase as a **metal cofactor**, the question asks for the cofactor, which specifically refers to **vitamin C**. - Iron functions as part of the enzyme's active site, but vitamin C is the reducing agent that keeps iron functional. - Vitamin C deficiency (scurvy) leads to defective collagen synthesis despite adequate iron. *Molybdenum* - **Molybdenum** is a cofactor for several human enzymes, including **xanthine oxidase** and **sulfite oxidase**. - However, it plays no direct role in the activity of prolyl hydroxylase. *Vitamin K1* - **Vitamin K1** is a crucial cofactor for **gamma-glutamyl carboxylase**, an enzyme involved in the carboxylation of glutamic acid residues in clotting factors. - It is not involved in the hydroxylation of proline by prolyl hydroxylase.
Question 338: Which of the following is the most reactive free radical?
- A. Alkyl radical
- B. Superoxide radical
- C. Peroxide radical
- D. Hydroxyl radical (Correct Answer)
Explanation: ***Hydroxyl radical*** - The **hydroxyl radical (•OH)** is the most reactive free radical in biological systems due to its extremely high oxidation potential and short half-life. - It readily reacts with virtually all cellular macromolecules, including **DNA, proteins, and lipids**, causing widespread damage. *Peroxide radical* - The **peroxide radical (ROO•)**, or more specifically the peroxyl radical, is less reactive than the hydroxyl radical, but still significant in lipid peroxidation. - It plays a role in propagating chain reactions of **lipid damage** in cell membranes. *Alkyl radical* - **Alkyl radicals (R•)** are generally formed as intermediates during the abstraction of hydrogen atoms from saturated compounds. - While reactive, they are typically less reactive and less frequently encountered in biological systems compared to oxygen-centered radicals like the hydroxyl radical. *Superoxide radical* - The **superoxide radical (O₂•−)** is a relatively less reactive free radical compared to the hydroxyl radical, but it is the precursor to many other reactive oxygen species (ROS). - It is primarily involved in **initiation of oxidative stress** and can lead to the formation of more damaging species through reactions like the Haber-Weiss reaction.
Physiology
1 questionsWhat physiological mechanism is responsible for the increase in the duration of expiration?
NEET-PG 2015 - Physiology NEET-PG Practice Questions and MCQs
Question 331: What physiological mechanism is responsible for the increase in the duration of expiration?
- A. J-reflex
- B. Head's paradoxical reflex
- C. Proprioceptors
- D. Hering-Breuer reflex (Correct Answer)
Explanation: ***Hering-Breuer reflex*** - The **Hering-Breuer reflex** is initiated by **stretch receptors in the bronchi and bronchioles** which are activated during lung inflation. - This reflex **inhibits inspiration** and **prolongs expiration**, preventing overinflation of the lungs. *J-reflex* - The **J-reflex** is stimulated by **juxtacapillary (J) receptors** in the alveolar walls, usually in response to pulmonary edema or congestion. - It typically causes **rapid, shallow breathing** and **bronchoconstriction**, not prolonged expiration. *Head's paradoxical reflex* - **Head's paradoxical reflex** (also known as the **inflation reflex** in newborns) involves an inspiratory effort triggered by lung inflation, often overcoming the Hering-Breuer reflex in specific conditions. - It tends to **increase respiratory rate** and depth, not prolong expiration. *Proprioceptors* - **Proprioceptors** are sensory receptors in muscles, tendons, and joints that provide information about body position and movement. - While they can influence respiration during exercise, they are not primarily responsible for directly **increasing the duration of expiration** as a reflex mechanism against overinflation.