Hall: Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology, 12th Edition
Chapter 04: Transport of Substances Through Cell Membranes
Test Bank
1. An artificial membrane is created consisting of a lipid bilayer without protein molecules
in the membrane. The lipid composition of the membrane is essentially the same as that
of a normal, biological membrane. Which of the following substances permeates the
membrane more readily than water molecules?
A. Carbon Dioxide
B. Glucose
C. Glycerol
D. Sodium
E. Urea
2. A cell is equilibrated in an aqueous solution of 300 mOsm/L sodium chloride. Which of
the following best describes what will happen to cell volume when the cell is placed in an
aqueous solution of 300 mOsm/L calcium chloride?
A. Decrease
B. Decrease and then increase
C. Increase
D. Increase and then decrease
E. No change
3. The intracellular calcium ion concentration of ventricular muscle cells averages 10-4
mmol/L during diastole. The calcium ion concentration in transverse tubules (T-tubules)
averages 2.5 mmol/L at rest. A protein transporter on the membrane of the T-tubule
exchanges sodium for calcium. The transporter uses the transmembrane sodium gradient
to fuel the exchange. Which of the following transport mechanisms best describes this
type of transporter?
A. Facilitated diffusion
B. Primary active transport
C. Secondary active co-transport
D. Secondary active counter-transport
E. Simple diffusion
4. Human red blood cells (RBCs) and rabbit RBCs are equilibrated in separate solutions of
isotonic saline (300 mOsm/L NaCl). The human RBCs are then placed in a solution of
300 mOsm/L glycerol, which causes them to swell and burst. However, rabbit RBCs
placed in 300 mOsm/L glycerol neither swell nor shrink. Based on this information,
which of the following can be concluded about a 300 mOsm/L solution of glycerol for
the different cell types?
Human RBCs Rabbit RBCs
A. Hypertonic and hyperosmotic Hypotonic and hypoosmotic
B. Hypotonic and hypoosmotic Hypertonic and hyperosmotic
C. Hypotonic and isoosmotic Isotonic and isoosmotic
D. Isotonic and hypoosmotic Isotonic and hyperosmotic
E. Isotonic and isoosmotic Hypotonic and isoosmotic
F. Isotonic and hyperosmotic Isotonic and isoosmotic
5. The molarity of a 2% solution of NaCl is 340 mmol/L. The molecular weight of NaCl is
58.5. What is the osmolarity of a 2% solution of NaCl (in mOsm/L)?
A. 170
B. 340
C. 510
D. 680
6. Secondary active transport typically moves which of the following substances against a
concentration gradient?
Glucose Amino acids Sodium ions
A. No No No
B. No No Yes
C. Yes No Yes
D. Yes Yes No
E. Yes Yes Yes
7. Which of the following transport mechanisms can move sodium ions across a cell
membrane?
Primary active Secondary active Simple
transport transport diffusion
A. No No No
B. No Yes Yes
C. Yes No Yes
D. Yes Yes No
E. Yes Yes Yes
Test Bank
4-3
8. The diagram
illustrates possible
changes in red blood
cell volume resulting
from a change in
extracellular fluid
composition for a cell
equilibrated in a 150
mmol/L solution of
sodium chloride
(NaCl) at time zero.
Which curve best illustrates the volume change caused by immersion of the cell in an
aqueous solution of 300 mOsm/L calcium chloride (CaCl2)?
9. The diagram
illustrates possible
changes in red blood
cell volume resulting
from a change in
extracellular fluid
composition for a cell
equilibrated in a 150
mmol/L solution of
sodium chloride
(NaCl) at time zero.
Which curve best illustrates the volume change caused by immersion of the cell in an
aqueous solution of 200 mOsm/L NaCl and 200 mOsm/L glycerol?
10. Which of the following pairs of aqueous solutions will exert equal osmotic pressures
across a normal cell membrane after steady-state conditions have been established?
Solution A Solution B
A. 10% albumin 10% IgG
B. 100 mmol/L NaCl 200 mmol/L CaCl2
C. 300 mOsm/L glucose 300 mOsm/L urea
D. 300 mOsm/L glycerol 300 mOsm/L NaCl
E. 300 mOsm/L glycerol 300 mOsm/L urea
0 Time (seconds)
Initial
Volume
A
B
C
D
E
0 Time (seconds)
Initial
Volume
A
B
C
D
E
Test Bank
4-4
X Y
X Y
0
11. Two compartments (X and Y) are separated by a typical biological membrane
(i.e., lipid bilayer). The concentrations of a permeant solute (i.e., urea) at time
zero are shown. Which of the drawings below represents the volumes of X and
Y when the system reaches equilibrium?
12. The diagram illustrates
possible changes in red
blood cell volume
resulting from a change
in extracellular fluid
composition for a cell
equilibrated in 150
mmol/L NaCl at time
zero. Which curve best
illustrates the volume
caused by immersion of
the cell in an aqueous solution of 150 mmol/L CaCl2?
13. Two compartments (X and Y) are separated by a typical biological membrane (lipid
bilayer). The concentrations of a non-permeant molecule (glucose) at time zero are
shown. Which of the drawings below represents the volumes of X and Y when the
system reaches equilibrium?
X Y
0
X Y
X Y
X Y
X Y
A. B. C. D. E.
0 Time (seconds)
Initial
Volume
A
B
C
D
E
X Y
0
X Y
X Y
X Y
X Y
A. B. C. D. E.
14. The diagram shows a model cell that transports
substance X across the cell membrane. The cell is
equipped with a Na-K-ATPase pump as shown.
Substance X enters the cell by a coupled transport
mechanism and exits the cell by carrier-mediated
diffusion. Treatment with a substance that inhibits the
Na-K-ATPase pump inhibits the transport of X by
which of the following mechanisms?
A. Decreasing intracellular K+ concentration
B. Decreasing intracellular Na+ concentration
C. Increasing intracellular K+ concentration
D. Increasing intracellular Na+ concentration
15. The diagram shows a bag (with permeability characteristics similar to
that of a normal cell) that contains a 100 mM solution of urea at time
zero. The bag is placed in a beaker containing 100 mM glucose.
Which of the following best describes the tonicity and osmolarity of
the glucose solution as well as any changes in bag volume (assume
that the bag volume is infinitely small compared to beaker volume)?
Osmolarity Tonicity Bag volume
A. Hyperosmotic Hypertonic Decreases
B. Hyperosmotic Hypotonic Increases
C. Hyperosmotic Isotonic No change
D. Hypoosmotic Hypotonic Decreases
E. Hypoosmotic Isotonic Increases
F. Hypoosmotic Hypertonic No change
G. Isoosmotic Hypertonic Decreases
H. Isoosmotic Hypotonic Increases
I. Isoosmotic Isotonic No change
Apical
Basolateral
Na+
K+
Na+
X
X
100
mM
Gluc
ose
100
mM
Ure
a