A Case Study in Cell Structure

Multiple Choice

What are some possible causes of illness when multiple people get sick after eating the same meal?

• Food poisoning from bacteria or viruses

• Allergic reactions to ingredients

• Stress from a new environment

• Lack of sleep

Multiple Choice

Based on the information provided, what steps did Becky suggest to help prevent others from getting sick?

• Make a list of exposures and start taking medicine

• Ignore the symptoms and wait

• Clean the room thoroughly

• Call Ellie's parents

Multiple Choice

What clues from the story suggest how Ellie might have contracted her illness?

• She found a homeless kitten and kept it in her room

• She ate spoiled food

• She traveled to another country

• She drank contaminated water

Fill in the Blanks

The foreign cells found in Ellie were about

the size of her own cells.

Multiple Choice

What characteristics did the Health Center use to identify the foreign cells in Ellie's blood sample?

• Gram negative, outer membranes, DNA, 1/10 the size of her cells

• Gram positive, no DNA, same size as her cells

• No membranes, no DNA, larger than her cells

• Gram positive, RNA only, same size as her cells

Multiple Select

Which of the following are smaller than bacteria according to the metric review?

• Viruses

• Proteins

• Atoms

• Cells like ours

Open Ended

Explain how the metric system helps in distinguishing between different types of cells and organisms observed under a microscope.

Multiple Choice

What is the primary cause of Q-fever and how is it transmitted to humans?

• Coxiella burnetii, transmitted through inhalation of barnyard dust

• Streptococcus pneumoniae, transmitted through direct contact

• Escherichia coli, transmitted through contaminated water

• Mycobacterium tuberculosis, transmitted through air droplets

Fill in the Blanks

Prokaryotes are

organisms that reproduce asexually.

Multiple Choice

Compare the structural features of prokaryotes described in the images. What are the main components found inside a prokaryotic cell?

• Nucleus, mitochondria, ribosomes

• Cell wall, capsule, DNA, ribosomes, cytoplasm

• Chloroplasts, endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes

• Golgi apparatus, vacuole, nucleus

Multiple Choice

Which antibiotics would be ineffective against Coxiella burnetii and why?

• Amoxicillin, Penicillin, and other ß-lactams because Coxiella is Gram-negative and has little or no peptidoglycan

• Streptomycin because it blocks prokaryotic ribosomes

• Ciprofloxacin because it blocks DNA gyrase enzyme

• All of the above are effective

Open Ended

Given the size of the blobs in Ellie’s blood (1/10th the size of her cells), could they be Coxiella? Explain your reasoning based on the size chart.

Open Ended

The little crescent shaped structures in Ellie’s blood were thought to be bacteria but may not be. What evidence from the microscope analysis suggests they are not bacteria?

Multiple Choice

Which structure is NOT found in all cells?

• Cytoplasm

• DNA

• Outer phospholipid membrane

• Ribosomes

• Membrane-bound organelles

Multiple Choice

Which of the following are characteristics of eukaryotic cells?

• Contain membrane-bound organelles

• Have peptidoglycan cell walls

• Usually single-celled

• DNA in a single circular chromosome

Open Ended

Compare and contrast the DNA organization and cell structure between eukaryotes and prokaryotes.

Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blank: The encapsulated fungus

can cause meningoencephalitis and is often found in decaying pigeon or chicken droppings.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following statements about Toxoplasma gondii is correct?

• It is a single-celled protozoan parasite.

• It is most commonly acquired from undercooked meat.

• Its sexual life cycle occurs in cats.

• All of the above.

Open Ended

Describe the life cycle of Toxoplasma gondii and explain how humans can become infected.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a unique feature of eukaryotic cells compared to prokaryotic cells?

• Presence of a nucleus

• Ability to reproduce asexually

• Having a plasma membrane

• Being unicellular

Fill in the Blanks

The main component of the outer membrane of eukaryotic cells is

.

Multiple Select

Which of the following statements about eukaryotic cells is/are correct?

• They can be unicellular or multicellular.

• They always have a cell wall made of cellulose.

• Their genetic material is enclosed in a nucleus.

• They reproduce only sexually.

Open Ended

Explain how the structure of eukaryotic cells allows them to perform complex functions compared to prokaryotic cells.

Multiple Choice

Which organelle is present in plant cells but not in animal cells?

• Chloroplast

• Mitochondrion

• Nucleus

• Golgi apparatus

Multiple Choice

One of these drugs specifically affects one of the two eukaryotic suspects. Which test of Ellie’s blood would help you tell which eukaryotic suspect she was infected with?

• Presence of DNA.

• Presence of ß-glucan-containing cell walls.

• Presence of cellulose.

• Presence of peptidoglycan cell walls.

Open Ended

Reflecting on the case study, what questions do you still have about cell structure and function as it relates to illness?

Multiple Choice

What possible factors mentioned in the case study could have contributed to the mysterious illness among the students?

• Bug bites, undercooked steak, and exposure to animals

• Lack of sleep and stress from moving in

• Too much celebration and excitement

• Poor dormitory facilities