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Cholera affects millions of people around the world. It causes diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and even death. Cholera toxin affects a chloride transporter that secretes chloride ion into the lumen of the small intestine. How does cholera toxin lead to dehydration?
  • a)
    The toxin turns off the transporter, so the negatively charged chloride pushes water into the lumen
  • b)
    The toxin turns on the transporter, and water follows the ion due to osmosis
  • c)
    The toxin turns on the transporter, and water is actively transported with the ion
  • d)
    The toxin turns off the transporter, so water is no longer exchanged for chloride ion
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?
Verified Answer
Cholera affects millions of people around the world. It causes diarrhe...
Cholera toxin binds to and activates the chloride transporter in the cells lining the small intestine. When the transporter is activated, it leads to increased secretion of chloride ions from the cells into the lumen of the intestine. As the concentration of chloride ions increases in the lumen, it creates an osmotic gradient. This osmotic gradient causes water to move from the surrounding cells and tissues into the lumen of the intestine through osmosis.
The net effect is that water follows the movement of chloride ions, resulting in excessive water loss into the intestinal lumen. This leads to the watery diarrhea characteristic of cholera. The loss of water and electrolytes through diarrhea can quickly lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and potentially life-threatening complications if not treated effectively.
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Cholera affects millions of people around the world. It causes diarrhe...
Understanding Cholera Toxin and Dehydration
Cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, which produces a potent toxin that disrupts normal intestinal function. This leads to severe dehydration, a life-threatening condition.
Mechanism of Cholera Toxin
- Cholera toxin binds to intestinal epithelial cells, leading to the activation of adenylate cyclase.
- This increases cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels in the cell, which in turn activates protein kinase A (PKA).
Effect on Chloride Transporter
- The activated PKA phosphorylates the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), a chloride ion channel.
- This phosphorylation opens the CFTR channel, resulting in increased secretion of chloride ions (Cl-) into the intestinal lumen.
Role of Water and Osmosis
- As chloride ions are secreted into the lumen, water follows due to osmosis.
- Osmosis is the movement of water from areas of lower solute concentration (inside the cells) to areas of higher solute concentration (the intestinal lumen where chloride concentration is increased).
- Consequently, this leads to massive water loss from the body, resulting in severe diarrhea and dehydration.
Conclusion
- Thus, the correct answer is option 'B': "The toxin turns on the transporter, and water follows the ion due to osmosis."
- This critical mechanism underscores the importance of rapid rehydration and medical intervention in cholera cases to prevent death.
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Cholera affects millions of people around the world. It causes diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and even death. Cholera toxin affects a chloride transporter that secretes chloride ion into the lumen of the small intestine. How does cholera toxin lead to dehydration?a)The toxin turns off the transporter, so the negatively charged chloride pushes water into the lumenb)The toxin turns on the transporter, and water follows the ion due to osmosisc)The toxin turns on the transporter, and water is actively transported with the iond)The toxin turns off the transporter, so water is no longer exchanged for chloride ionCorrect answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer? for MCAT 2025 is part of MCAT preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the MCAT exam syllabus. Information about Cholera affects millions of people around the world. It causes diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and even death. Cholera toxin affects a chloride transporter that secretes chloride ion into the lumen of the small intestine. How does cholera toxin lead to dehydration?a)The toxin turns off the transporter, so the negatively charged chloride pushes water into the lumenb)The toxin turns on the transporter, and water follows the ion due to osmosisc)The toxin turns on the transporter, and water is actively transported with the iond)The toxin turns off the transporter, so water is no longer exchanged for chloride ionCorrect answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for MCAT 2025 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Cholera affects millions of people around the world. It causes diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and even death. Cholera toxin affects a chloride transporter that secretes chloride ion into the lumen of the small intestine. How does cholera toxin lead to dehydration?a)The toxin turns off the transporter, so the negatively charged chloride pushes water into the lumenb)The toxin turns on the transporter, and water follows the ion due to osmosisc)The toxin turns on the transporter, and water is actively transported with the iond)The toxin turns off the transporter, so water is no longer exchanged for chloride ionCorrect answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?.
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Here you can find the meaning of Cholera affects millions of people around the world. It causes diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and even death. Cholera toxin affects a chloride transporter that secretes chloride ion into the lumen of the small intestine. How does cholera toxin lead to dehydration?a)The toxin turns off the transporter, so the negatively charged chloride pushes water into the lumenb)The toxin turns on the transporter, and water follows the ion due to osmosisc)The toxin turns on the transporter, and water is actively transported with the iond)The toxin turns off the transporter, so water is no longer exchanged for chloride ionCorrect answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer? defined & explained in the simplest way possible. Besides giving the explanation of Cholera affects millions of people around the world. It causes diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and even death. Cholera toxin affects a chloride transporter that secretes chloride ion into the lumen of the small intestine. How does cholera toxin lead to dehydration?a)The toxin turns off the transporter, so the negatively charged chloride pushes water into the lumenb)The toxin turns on the transporter, and water follows the ion due to osmosisc)The toxin turns on the transporter, and water is actively transported with the iond)The toxin turns off the transporter, so water is no longer exchanged for chloride ionCorrect answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?, a detailed solution for Cholera affects millions of people around the world. It causes diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and even death. Cholera toxin affects a chloride transporter that secretes chloride ion into the lumen of the small intestine. How does cholera toxin lead to dehydration?a)The toxin turns off the transporter, so the negatively charged chloride pushes water into the lumenb)The toxin turns on the transporter, and water follows the ion due to osmosisc)The toxin turns on the transporter, and water is actively transported with the iond)The toxin turns off the transporter, so water is no longer exchanged for chloride ionCorrect answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer? has been provided alongside types of Cholera affects millions of people around the world. It causes diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and even death. Cholera toxin affects a chloride transporter that secretes chloride ion into the lumen of the small intestine. How does cholera toxin lead to dehydration?a)The toxin turns off the transporter, so the negatively charged chloride pushes water into the lumenb)The toxin turns on the transporter, and water follows the ion due to osmosisc)The toxin turns on the transporter, and water is actively transported with the iond)The toxin turns off the transporter, so water is no longer exchanged for chloride ionCorrect answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice Cholera affects millions of people around the world. It causes diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and even death. Cholera toxin affects a chloride transporter that secretes chloride ion into the lumen of the small intestine. How does cholera toxin lead to dehydration?a)The toxin turns off the transporter, so the negatively charged chloride pushes water into the lumenb)The toxin turns on the transporter, and water follows the ion due to osmosisc)The toxin turns on the transporter, and water is actively transported with the iond)The toxin turns off the transporter, so water is no longer exchanged for chloride ionCorrect answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice MCAT tests.
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