A2429C Assignment Questions

Case Study 1 (Total 20 marks)

A. A patient with an autoimmune disorder has been reported to have damaged pancreatic cells which are responsible for releasing glucagon. Predict how damage to the cells will impact blood glucose regulation and justify your reasoning. (10 marks)

B. A patient suffering from liver disease has difficulty maintaining normal blood glucose levels. Draw a flowchart to illustrate how liver function contributes to glucose homeostasis and explain the process. Additionally, suggest dietary and lifestyle interventions to support glucose levels in this condition. (10 marks)

Case Study 2 (Total 20 marks)

A. Skeletal muscle contraction depends on the interaction of actin and myosin filaments. Discuss how would muscle contraction be affected if calcium ion release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum is impaired due to a mutation in the ATPase Ca²⁺ transporter. Justify your answer by relating it to the sliding filament theory. (10 marks)

B. A patient with myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disorder, experiences progressive muscle weakness, in the limbs and other body parts.

Explain how myasthenia gravis may result in muscle weakness. Suggest a possible treatment approach and how it would improve muscle function. (10 marks).

Case study 3 (Total 20 marks)

A. A 60-year-old patient, Tim, has a history of hypertension presents with symptoms including shortness of breath, fatigue and swelling in the lower legs. Scans reveal that the left side of the heart is failing to pump blood effectively, and there is increased venous pressure.

Explain how the heart’s dysfunction leads to these symptoms, referring to the physiological mechanisms involved. (10 marks)

B. Ross, a 40-year-old patient, has persistent leg swelling, recurrent lower limb infections, and difficulty breathing when lying flat. Diagnostic imaging shows lymphatic obstruction and fluid buildup in the tissues. Ross has the same symptoms of fluid retention, swelling, and breathing difficulties as per Tim in part (A).

Explain how lymphatic obstruction can be differentiated from hear failure based on physiological mechanisms, diagnostic findings, and the clinical presentation. (10 marks)