Which of the following statements best supports the hypothesis that viruses can cause cancer?

Testosterone is classified as an androgen hormone.

Androgens are a type of sex hormone that primarily regulates the development and maintenance of male characteristics, such as body hair growth, muscle mass, and deepening of the voice.

Testosterone is produced primarily in the testes in males and in smaller amounts in the ovaries and adrenal glands in females.

Option A, estrogen, is a female hormone that regulates the development of female sexual characteristics, such as breast growth and menstruation.

While estrogen and testosterone are both steroid hormones and can be converted to one another in the body, testosterone is not categorized as estrogen.

Option B, progestin, is a synthetic form of the hormone progesterone.

Progesterone is a female hormone that plays a role in the menstrual cycle and pregnancy.

Testosterone and progestin are not related, and testosterone is not categorized as progestin.

Option C, aldosterone, is a mineralocorticoid hormone that regulates salt and water balance in the body.

It is produced in the adrenal gland and plays a role in regulating blood pressure.

Testosterone and aldosterone are not related, and testosterone is not categorized as aldosterone.

Calcium ions play a crucial role in initiating muscle contraction.

When a muscle cell is stimulated to contract by an action potential, calcium channels open in the sarcoplasmic membrane and release calcium into the sarcoplasm.

Some of this calcium attaches to troponin, which causes it to change shape.

This shape change exposes binding sites for myosin on the actin filaments.

Myosin’s binding to actin causes crossbridge formation, and contraction of the muscle begins.

The other ions mentioned in the question do not have this specific role in muscle contraction.

Potassium ions are important for maintaining the resting membrane potential of cells, but they do not bind to the troponin complex.

Phosphorus ions are important for energy metabolism, but they do not bind to the troponin complex.

Sodium ions are important for generating action potentials, but they do not bind to the troponin complex.

Genes are used in the process of DNA sequencing to determine the order of nucleotides in a DNA molecule.

Choice B.

Blood types is not the correct answer because blood types are determined by the presence or absence of specific antigens on the surface of red blood cells and are not directly related to DNA sequencing.

Choice C.

Hormones is not the correct answer because hormones are chemical messengers produced by glands in the body and are not directly involved in DNA sequencing.

Choice D.

Genes is the correct answer because genes are used in the process of DNA sequencing to determine the order of nucleotides in a DNA molecule.

A totipotent cellcan self-renew by dividing and develop into the three primary germ cell layers of the early embryo and into extra-embryonic tissues such as the placenta.

A fertilized egg is a totipotent stem cell and as such can develop into any specialized cell found in the organism.

Choice A is not correct because totipotent cells do not fight infectious diseases.

Choice B is not correct because totipotent cells do not aid in the maturation of sex cells.

Choice C is not correct because totipotent cells do not carry electrical impulses.

Microtubule organization.

Centrosomes are organelles that serve as the main microtubule-organizing centers for animal cells.

They regulate the movement of microtubules and other cytoskeletal structures, thereby facilitating changes in the shapes of the membranes of animal cells.

Choice A, Organelle trafficking, is not the correct answer because while centrosomes do play a role in intracellular trafficking during interphase by organizing an astral ray of microtubules, their main function is microtubule organization.

Choice B, Pathogen digestion, is not the correct answer because centrosomes do not play a direct role in pathogen digestion.

Choice C, Cytoplasm formation, is not the correct answer because centrosomes do not play a direct role in cytoplasm formation.

The pulmonary veins are the vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart.

Choice A is not correct because the superior vena cava carries deoxygenated blood from the upper body to the right atrium of the heart.

Choice B is not correct because the inferior vena cava carries deoxygenated blood from the lower body to the right atrium of the heart.

Choice C is not correct because the pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle of the heart to the lungs.

The corpus luteum is a structure that develops in the ovary after an egg has been released.

It secretes the hormone progesterone, which prepares the uterus for a fertilized egg to implant and helps maintain the uterine lining during pregnancy1.

Choice A.

Umbilical cord is not correct because it is a structure that connects the developing fetus to the placenta and provides nutrients and oxygen to the fetus, but does not secrete hormones.

Choice C.

Oviduct is not correct because it is a tube that transports eggs from the ovary to the uterus, but does not secrete hormones.

Choice D.

Oocyte is not correct because it is an immature egg cell, but does not secrete hormones.

The hypothalamus is a small region of the brain located just above the brainstem. It serves as a critical control center for maintaining homeostasis — the body’s internal balance. One of its key roles is regulating core body temperature through a process called thermoregulation.

The hypothalamus monitors the body's temperature using temperature-sensitive neurons. If the body becomes too hot or too cold, the hypothalamus initiates responses to bring the temperature back to a normal range by:

• Triggering sweating to cool down the body.
• Initiating shivering to generate heat.
• Adjusting blood flow to the skin for heat loss or retention.

In addition to temperature regulation, the hypothalamus also controls other vital functions like:

• Hunger and thirst
• Sleep-wake cycles
• Hormone release (by influencing the pituitary gland)
• Stress response

Why the Other Options Are Incorrect:

• A. Pituitary gland: While the pituitary gland is known as the “master gland” because it controls other endocrine glands, it does so under the direction of the hypothalamus. It does not directly regulate body temperature.
• C. Adrenal gland: The adrenal glands produce hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, primarily involved in the stress response, not temperature regulation.
• D. Pancreas: The pancreas is mainly responsible for regulating blood sugar levels through insulin and glucagon, not body temperature.

Thus, the hypothalamus is the part of the endocrine system most responsible for maintaining homeostasis, including regulating core body temperature.

Amino acids have a unique structure consisting of an amino group (-NH3⁺) and a carboxyl group (-COO⁻) attached to a central carbon (called the α-carbon). At physiological pH (around 7.4), these functional groups often exist in their ionized forms:

• The amino group (-NH3⁺) is positively charged, acting as a proton acceptor (a base).
• The carboxyl group (-COO⁻) is negatively charged, acting as a proton donor (an acid).

This results in a zwitterion — a molecule with both a positive and a negative charge. Because amino acids can accept or donate protons depending on the pH of their environment, they have buffering capacity. This means they can resist changes in pH by stabilizing the concentration of hydrogen ions (H⁺).

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

• A. Monosaccharides: These are simple sugars without ionizable functional groups, so they cannot act as buffers.
• B. Ribonucleotides and D. Deoxyribonucleotides: While nucleotides have phosphate groups that can donate protons, they lack the dual positive and negative functional groups necessary for the strong buffering effect seen in amino acids.

Therefore, amino acids are the correct choice because their zwitterionic nature provides them with excellent buffering capacity.

The pleura is a double-layered serous membrane that covers each lung and lines the thoracic cage

The pleura is a vital part of the respiratory tract.

Its role is to cushion the lung and reduce any friction that may develop between the lung, rib cage, and chest cavity.

Each pleura (there are two) consists of a two-layered membrane that covers each lung.

The layers are separated by a small amount of viscous (thick) lubricant known as pleural fluid.

The pleura is comprised of two distinct layers: the visceral pleura and the parietal pleura.

The visceral pleura is the thin, slippery membrane that covers the surface of the lungs and dips into the areas separating the different lobes of the lungs (called the hilum).