Instructions:

The purpose of this final exam is to test your ability to clearly explain and/or apply concepts covered in this course. You are required to answer seven questions for this examination. Each answer should be a brief essay. Assessment of answers is based on the scope and breadth of your answer as well as the clarity of expression. This is an open book, open resource exam. Anything is fair game, including collaboration with your fellow students.

1. The concentration of a serum protein is determined by its rate of synthesis and clearance. Outline and briefly discuss the factors which would determine the concentration of a large molecular weight serum protein (too large for renal filtration).

2. The half-life of an intracellular protein can be influenced by many factors. With such in mind, provide a mechanism of a specific disease state which is based on the alteration of the half-life of an intra cellular

3. Not taking into consideration environmental pressure, list and discuss the possible mechanisms that evolution occurs, at the DNA level.

4. List and discuss the mechanism by which heterochromatin converts to euchromatin.

5. Describe the predicted changes in hetero- and euchromatin that would occur in the cell cycle.

6. Provide an example of how an RNA virus can express a pathologic condition.

7. Provide an example of how genetic factors may influence ones nutritional status.