An investigator is studying the microstructure of skeletal muscle fibers to identify new targets for skeletal muscle relaxation. He obtains a biopsy from the biceps muscle of a test subject and observes it under a transmission electron microscope. A photomicrograph of the structures seen during microscopy is shown. Which of the following parts contains the greatest proportion of actin filaments? The letter E points at the area of the Z line.
A 35-year-old woman comes to a neurologist because she is suspected of having multiple sclerosis. Unfortunately, further examination will confirm this diagnosis. Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system. This disease leads to loss of myelin in inflammatory areas and diffuse loss of axons. Which type of cell is responsible for the production of myelin and in which part of the central nervous system is it produced?
A 43-year-old female patient developed spasmodic torticollis, also called "cervical dystonia", about five months ago. Dystonia is a form of unusual movement that you can't control. Spasmodic torticollis affects the muscles of the neck. Initially, this patient experienced a twisting of the head towards the right shoulder during speech or driving. Over time, her head began to turn virtually only toward that side and now her head is permanently tilted toward her right shoulder. As the condition is slightly worsening and the cause has not been identified, she has decided to undergo treatment with botulinum toxin. Botulinum toxin is injected directly into the affected muscle. The main mechanism of action is to block the release of acetylcholine from the nerve endings into the synaptic cleft, thereby temporarily inhibiting muscle work in the muscle. Where does the acetylcholine in these nerve endings come from?
A 36-year-old woman comes to the emergency department because of a 4-week history of worsening headache, nausea, and vomiting. The headache is worse at night. A CT scan of the brain shows a mass of tissue in the third ventricle. The patient undergoes surgical excision of this structure. Pathologic examination of the surgical specimen confirms that the tumor originates from special cells lining the ventricle. How are these cells called?
A 3-year-old boy is brought to the pediatrician. The parents are worried that the boy has started falling unexpectedly when walking. Physical examination reveals muscle weakness especially in the lower extremities. As muscular dystrophy is suspected here based on history and other investigations, a biopsy of his skeletal muscle is taken and sent to a pathologist. However, the pathologist's report states that the sample contains only healthy muscle tissue. Which of the following characteristics can be used to describe the specimen?
A 24-year-old man who lives in Africa presents with muscle weakness in his legs. His physical exam demonstrates muscle weakness in all limbs, but his legs are most affected. Testing (polymerase chain reaction, PCR) confirms poliovirus in his cerebrospinal fluid. Poliovirus mainly affects second motor neurons of the corticospinal tract and, therefore, will affect cells whose cell bodies are located in which of the following?
Match the correct histological type of muscle tissue with the microphoto.
A 30-year-old man is brought to the emergency department 15 minutes after he fell off the ladder. On arrival, he is unresponsive to verbal and painful stimuli. His pulse is 70/min and his blood pressure is 130/85 mmHg. A CT scan of the head shows a fracture in the anterior cranial fossa and a 1.5 cm laceration in the left anterior frontal gyrus. Which of the following would be the most common cell type in the scar at the injured region of the frontal lobe?