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 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. 

A 69-year-old alcoholic

presents to a GP for a range of complaints including dyspepsia (feeling full

after eating, poor digestion), fatigue, weakness, exhaustion, lack of appetite,

weight loss, abdominal distension, swelling, arthralgia, and spinal pain. Even

a physical examination revealing hepatomegaly (enlarged liver), spider angioma,

and ascites (presence of fluid in the abdominal cavity) suggests that the

patient is suffering from cirrhosis. This is confirmed by laboratory, sonography,

and biopsy. Liver cirrhosis is the remodelling of the lobular structure of the

liver into a nodular structure due to the disappearance of hepatocytes,

replacement by connective tissue and nodule formation as a result of chronic

liver disease. Ito cells play an important role in this remodelling process.

Where would we find most of these cells?

A 3-year-old girl is brought

to the emergency at night. It all started just a few hours ago when she

complained about a beginning sore throat. Unfortunately, the pain has increased

significantly to the point that the girl is unable to speak or swallow due to

the pain. She sits in a forward position, is very pale, finds it difficult to

breathe and has a high fever. Already according to the clinical picture, the

cause is clear to the doctor. High inflammatory parameters and gentle physical

examination confirm the diagnosis of acute epiglottitis, a life-threatening

swelling and inflammation of the epiglottis caused by

During the stay in the maternity hospital, the

newborn has a problem. The meconium does not pass (meconium is the first

content of the intestine to be passed during the first 1-2 days). After

examination, the so-called Hirschsprung disease

A 46-year-old female patient

is found to be anemic during a preventive taking of blood. Despite a healthy

and varied diet, which the patient claims to follow, other findings in her

blood count, such as the presence of large erythrocytes (megalocytes) and low

levels of vitamin B12, make it look like anemia based on a deficiency of this

very important vitamin. Therefore, if the patient is taking enough of it in her

diet, the problem is likely to be in its absorption in the digestive system. In

order for this vitamin to be absorbed from the digestive tract into the blood,

it must be bound to an intrinsic factor in the stomach. Indeed, antibodies to

intrinsic factor have been demonstrated in this patient. Which cells of the

gastric glands produce this factor?

A 38-year-old patient

presents with a painful swelling of the submandibular gland on the left side.

Especially during meals, the gland is painful and produces a large amount of

saliva. During this, small stones are released from the duct. The cause of his

difficulties is the so-called sialolithiasis, i. e. the formation of salivary

stones. The most common cause is a change in the composition of saliva. The

viscosity of saliva increases, and a mucoprotein matrix is ​​formed, into which

inorganic material (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus salts) is subsequently

deposited and a stone is formed. Which parts of the submandibular gland are

involved in the production and composition of saliva?

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?

During a preventive dental check-up, 35-year-old

man is found to have tooth decay between his first and second molars. As the

decay has already penetrated the enamel and reached the dentin, new dentin

begins to form in response to this local irritation. What type of dentin is

produced?