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MCAT Prep Biology

Subjects : mcat, science
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. A system of blood vessels where the blood passes from arteries to capillaries to veins - then through a second set of capillaries - and then through a final set of veins. THere are two portal systems in the body - the hepatic portal system and the hy






2. The darkly pigmented middle layer of the eyeball - found between teh sclera (outer layer) and the retina (inner layer).






3. Inhibitory postsynaptic potential; a slight hyperpolarization of the postysynaptic cell - moving the membrane potential of that cell further from threshold.






4. An organ that develops during pregnacy - derived in part from the mother and in part from the zygote. The placenta is the site of exchange of nutrients and gases between the mother's blood and the fetus' blood. The placenta is formed during the first






5. A self - initiating action potential that occurs in the conduction system of the heart and triggers action potentials (and thus contraction) in the cardiac muscle cells Tee pacemaker potential is triggered by the regular - spontaneous depolarization






6. An X- linked recessive disorder in Which blood fails to clot properly - leading to excessive bleeding if injured.






7. The primary muscle of inspiration. The diaphragm is stimulated to contract at regular intervals by the respiratory center in the medulla oblongata (via the phrenic nerve). Although it is made of skeletal muscle (and can therefore be voluntary control






8. The first generation of offspring from a given genetic cross.






9. A complex polymer of sugars and amino acids; the substance From which bacterial ell walls are made.






10. The third phase of mitosis. During anaphase - replicated chromosmes are split apart at their centromeres (the sister chromatids are separated from each other) and moved to opposite sides of the cell.






11. A hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary that tarets the mammary glands stimulating them to produce breastmilk.






12. A genetic cross between an organism displaying a recessive phenotype (homozygous recessive) and an organism displaying a dominant phenotype (for whic the genotype is unknown) - done to determine the unknown genotype.






13. The primary androgen (male sex steroid). Testosterone is a steroid hormone produced and secreted by the interstitial cells of the testes. It triggers the development of secondary male sex characteristics during puberty (including spermatogenesis) and






14. The cytoskeleton filaments with the smallest diameter. Microfilaments are composed of the contractile protein actin. They are dynamic filaments - constantly beig made and broken down as needed - and are responsible for events such as pseudopod format






15. An organism that has only a single copy of its genome in each of its cells. Haploid organisms possess no homolous chromosomes.






16. Three loop - like structures in the inner ear that contain sensory receptors to monitor balance.






17. A non - bony material that fills the hollow spaces inside bones. Red bone marrow is found in regiosn of spongy bone and is the site of blood cell (red and white) production. Yellow bone marrow is found in the diaphysis (shaft) of long bones - is most






18. The three small bones found in the middle ear (the malleus - the incus - and the stapes) that help to amplify the vibrations from sound waves. The malleus is atached to the tympanic membrane and the stapes is attached to the oval window of the cochle






19. A stack of membranes found near the rough ER in eukaryotic cells that is involved in the secretory pathway. The Golgi is involved in protein glycosylation (and other protein modification) and sorting and packagin proteins.






20. Small paired gland found inferior to the prostate in males and at the posterior end of the penile urethra. They secrete an alkaline mucus on sexual arousal that helps toneutralize any traces of acidic urine the urethra that might be harmful to sperm.






21. Connective tissue that lacks great amount of collagen or elastic fibers (hence - loose) - e.g. - adipose tissue and areolar (general connective) tissue.






22. A period of time following an action potential during which no additional action potential can be evoked regardless of the level of stimulation. (usually because Na+ channel closed whle K+ efflux)






23. A tissue in which the cytoplasms of the cells are connected by gap junctions - allowing the cells to function as a unit. Cardiac and smooth muscle tissues are examples of functional synctiums.






24. A point mutation in which a codon that specifies an amino acid is mutated into a codon that specifies a different amino acid.






25. Enzymes secreted by the mucosal cells lining the intestine. The brush border enzymes are disaccharides adn dipeptidases taht digest the smallest peptides and carbohydrates into their respective monomers.






26. A green fluid made from cholesterol and secreted by teh liver. It is stored and concentrated in the gallbladder. Bile isn an amphipathic molecule that is secreted itno the small intestine when fats are present - adn serves to emulsify the fats for be






27. The period of exponential growth of bacterial population.






28. A cyclic version of adenosine monophosphate - where the phosphate is esterified to both the 5' and 3' carbons - forming a ring. Cyclic AMP is an important intracellular signaling moelcule - often called the 'second messenger.' It serves to activate c






29. The outer protein coat of a virus (the whole coat)






30. A hormone produced by the C- cells of the thyroid gland that decreases serum calcium levels. It targets teh bones (stimulates osteoblasts) - the kidneys (reduces calcium reabsorption) - and the small intestine (decreases calcium absorption).






31. An intracellular chemical signal (such as cAMP ) that relays instructions from the cell surface to enzymes in the cytosol.






32. A blood pressure cuff






33. The volume of air inhaled and exhaled in a normla - resting breath - typically about 500 mL.






34. A four - subunit protein found in red blood cells that binds oxygen. Each subunit contains a heme group - a large multi - ring molecule with an iron atom at its center. One hemoglobin molecule can bind four oxygen molecules in a cooperative manner.






35. A solid clump of cells resulting from cleavage in the early embryo. Because there is very little growth of these cells during cleavage - the morula is ony about as large as the original zygote.






36. The 3' end of a tRNA molecule that binds an amino acid. The nucleotide sequence at this end is CCA






37. A point mutation in which a pyrimidine is susbstituted for a pyrimidine - or a purine is substituted for a purine.






38. Also known as the Bundle of His - this is the first portion of the cardiac conduction system - after the AV node.






39. The process of reading a strand of mRNA to synthesize protein. Protein translation takes place on a ribosome.






40. A peptide hormone produced and secreted by the alpha cells - of the pancreas. It tartes primarily the liver - stimulating the breakdown of glycogen - thus increasing blood gluocse level.s






41. One of two large vessels (superior and inferior) that return deoxygenated blood to the right atrium of the heart.






42. A person with blood type O-. Because this person's red blood cells possess none of the typical blood suface proteins - they cannot initiate an immune reaction in a recipient.






43. The process of breaking down large molecules into smaller precursors - e.g. digesion of starch into glucose.






44. The outer layer of an organ - e.g. the renal cortex - the ovarian cortex - the adrenal cortex - etc.






45. An activated B cell that is secreting antibody.






46. A systme of ductless glands taht secrete chemical messengers (into) the blood - has to be into the blood.






47. An organism that cannot make its own food - and thus must ingest other organisms.






48. The tube that carries urine from the bladder to the to outside of the body. In males it also carries semen and sperm during ejaculation.






49. Molecules made from monosaccharides that serve as the primary source of cellular energy -. Carbohydrates can also act as cell surface markers (good thing to remember).






50. The layer of epithelial tissue that lines body cavities in contact with the outside environment (respiratory - digestive - urinary - and reproductive tracts).