A 33-year-old woman is 32 weeks pregnant and

experiences premature amniotic fluid leakage and preterm labour. The woman is

given tocolytics (medication that inhibit uterine muscle activity). Their

administration stops or relieves the contractions of the uterus, thereby

delaying premature labour. The main benefit of tocolytic treatment is mainly

short-term, i.e. delaying preterm birth by two to seven days. The reason for

tocolytic treatment is to buy time for transport of the woman and baby to a

specialized centre and for time for administration of corticosteroids to induce

lung maturity of the fetus. One important factor in lung maturity is sufficient

surfactant production. Which lung cells produce it?

An investigator is conducting a study to document the histological

changes in the respiratory passages of a chronic smoker. He obtains multiple

biopsy samples from the respiratory system of a previously

healthy 25-year-old man. Histological examination of one sample

shows simple cuboidal cells with club cells and with a surrounding layer of smooth muscle. 

The researcher was

very interested in an atypical symptom of the disease of COVID-19, namely the

loss of taste. He would like to investigate in more detail the mechanism by

which the taste buds are affected. He obtained tongue samples from patients who

had died of the disease. What kind of papillae of the tongue should he focus on

to most easily find places with an accumulation of taste buds?

A 36-year-old man

presents with abdominal pain and gastroesophageal reflux (connected with

heartburn). An endoscopic exam reveals gastric ulcers. A serum analysis reveals

increased levels of gastrin, a hormone that stimulates the release of gastric

acid from the parietal cells of gastric glands. Which of the following cell

types is the source of the hormone?

A 12-year-old female patient presents for an

orthodontic check-up after braces placement. In one spot, part of her braces

are slightly pushing and interfering. There is a white spot that cannot be

wiped off. As a result of mechanical irritation, the mucous membrane of the

vestibular surface of the lip has become irritated and keratinised. Such spots

are known as leukoplakia and, in addition to mechanical irritation, a number of

other factors may be involved in their formation. However, the exact cause has

not yet been described. The transformation of which epithelium is involved

here, which normally forms the oral mucosa?

A 27-year-old female patient presents to her GP

for the second part of a preventive check-up. The patient's blood tests show a

fairly significant anemia. It soon becomes apparent that this is probably due

to a vitamin B12 deficiency, as the patient is a strict vegan and has not

supplemented her diet with this vitamin. During the physical examination, the

doctor notices one more symptom that would confirm this cause. The patient's

tongue has a distinct red colour and is completely smooth. In healthy

individuals, papillae can be observed macroscopically on the surface of the

tongue, which disappear in this condition, known as Hunter's glossitis. The

most common cause is vitamin B12 deficiency. Several types of papillae are

generally found on the tongue. But which of them has keratinized epithelium?

A 15-year-old girl had her tongue pierced unprofessionally by her

friend. Unfortunately, this unprofessional execution led to an infection of the

tongue, as well as the sublingual salivary gland located nearby. Which of the

following describes the histological description of this gland?

The 63-year-old patient came

to the doctor due to a dry cough lasting for many months, accompanied by

shortness of breath on exertion and fatigue. In addition, he had recently lost

a lot of weight. On physical examination, crepitus (a specific listening

phenomenon - like unzipping a Velcro strap) is present in the lungs. Decreased

oxygen saturation is also measured. In addition, the patient has typical mallet-shaped

fingers with clubbing nails in the shape of an hour glass. To confirm the

diagnosis suspected by his physician, a HRCT of the lungs (high-resolution CT

scan) is required, followed by a lung biopsy and histological examination of

the sample taken. The examination confirm the diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary

fibrosis. It is probably a uniform pathological response of lung tissue to

infectious and non-infectious agents, but the cause of this disease is unknown.

In this disease, fibrosis and thickening of the blood-air barrier occurs. What

physiologically forms the blood-air barrier?

A 42-year-old patient

comes to his dentist for a regular check-up. The patient suffers from

periodontitis for a long time, which is an inflammatory disease of the

supporting apparatus of the teeth, which consists of the gums, periodontal

ligaments, cementum, and the alveolar process of the bone. The cause is the activity

of microorganisms, their multiplication promotes dental plaque and tartar.

Periodontal ligaments made of dense connective tissue fix the tooth to the gum

or alveolus. Their quality can be significantly impaired even by the lack of

one vitamin. Which one?

A younger colleague

asks you for advice. He received an insufficiently labeled sample from an

intestinal biopsy. The presence of which cells will best tell him whether it is

a small or large intestine?