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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. The inner region of an organ - e.g. - the renal medulla - the ovarian medulla - and the adrenal medulla - etc.






2. The region of the nephron that surrounds the glomerulus. The capsule ollects the plasma that is filtered from teh capillaries in the glomerulus.

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3. A carrier protein that transports two molecules acrss the plasma membrane in opposite directions.






4. A region at the head of a sperm cell that contains digestive enzyems which - when released during the acrosome reaction - can facilitate penetration of the corona radiata of the egg - and subsequently - fertilization






5. Aromatic bases found in DNa and RNA that have a single - ring structure. They include cytosine - thymine - and uracil.






6. An enzyme that transcribes RNa. Prokaryotes have a single RNA pol - while eukaryotes have three; in eukaryotes - RNA pol I transcribes rRNA - RNA pol II transcribes mRNA - and RNA pol III transcribes tRNA.






7. The cells of the distal tubule at the juxtaglomerular apparatus. They are receptors that monitor filtrate osmolarity as a means of regulatin filtration rate. If a drop is osmolarity is sensed - the macula densa dilates the afferent arteriole (to incr






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






9. Mendels' first law. The Law of Segregation states that the two alleles of a given gene will be separate from one another during gamete formation (meiosis).






10. A nucleoside with one or more phosphate gropus attached. Nucleoside triphosphates (NTPs) are the building blocks of RNA and are also used as energy molecules - especially ATP. Deoxynucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) are the building blocks of DNA; in t






11. The secon phase of mitosis. During metaphase chromosomes align at the center of the ell (the metaphase plate).






12. The product of glycolysis; 2 pyruvic acid (pyruvate) molecules are produced from a single glucose molecule. In the absence of oxygen - pyruvic acid undergoes fermentation and is reduced to either lactic acid or ethanol; in the presence of oxygen - py






13. A situation in which the expression of one gene prevents expression of all allelic forms of another gene - e.g. - the gene for male pattern baldness is epistatic to the hair color gene.






14. Pain receptors. Nociceptors are found everywhere in the body except for the brain.






15. The 'language' of a molecular biology that specifies which amino acid corresponds to which three - nucleotide group (codon).






16. The largest organ in the abdominal cavity. The liver has many roles - including procesing of carbohydrates and fats - synthesis of urea - production of blood proteins - production of bile - recycling heme - and storage of vitamins.






17. The nerve extending from the back of teh eyeball to teh brain that carries visual information. The ptic nerve is made up of the axons of the ganglion cells of the retina.






18. An asexual method of bacterial reproduction that serves only to increase the size of the population; ther is no introduciton of gnetic diversity. THe bacterium simply grows in size until it has doubled its cellular components - then it replicates its






19. A receptor that responds to changes in body position - such as stretch on a tendon - or contraction of a muscle. These receptor allow us to be consciously aware of the position of our body parts.






20. A string of several hundred adenine nucletodies added to the 3' end of the eukaryotic mRNA.






21. The cells of the afferent artery at the juxtaglomerular apparatus. They are baroreceptors that secrete renin upon sensing a decrease in blood pressure.






22. The mechanism described by Charles Darwin that drives evolution. Through mutation - some organisms possess genes that make them better adapted to their environment. These organisms survive and reproduce more than those that do not possess the benefic






23. Produced in muscle cells from the reduction of pyruvate (under anaerobic conditions) to regenerate NAD+ so that glycolysis can continue. A rise in lactic acid usually accompanies an increase in physical activity.






24. The movement of a particle (the solute) in a solution from its region of high concentration to its region of low concentration ( or down it concentration gradient).






25. The constant inhibition provided to the heart by the vagus nerve. Vagal tone reduces the intrinsic firing rate of teh SA node from 120 beats/minute to around 80 beats/minute.






26. The reduced from (carries electrons) of FAD (flavin adenine dinucleotide). this is the other main electron carrier in cellular respiration (NADH is the most common).






27. The location on a chromosome where transcription begins.






28. A chromosome that does not determine gender (is not a sex chromosome). Humans have two sex chromsomes and 22 autosomes.






29. An RNA polymerase that creates a primer (made of RNA) initiate DNa replication. DNA pol binds to the primer and elongates it.






30. Receptors in the carotid arteries and the aorta that monitor blood pH to help regulate ventilation rate.






31. A clear area in a lawn of bacteria. Plaques represent an area where bacteria are lysing (dying) and usually caused by a lytic virus.






32. A generic connective tissue cell that produces fibers; the progenitor of all other connective tissue cell types.






33. One of the three primary (embryonic) germ layers formed during gastrulation. Ectoderm ultimately forms external structures such as the skin - hair - nails - and inner linings of the mouth and anus - as well as the entire nervous system.






34. 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.






35. A chemical derived from vitamin A found in the pigment proteins of the rod photoreceptors of the retina. Retinal changes conformation when it absorbs light - triggering a series of reactions that ultimately result in an action potential being sent to






36. The reactants in an enzyme - catalyzed reaction. Substrate binds at the active site of an enzyme.






37. The set of adult characteristics that develop during puberty under the control of the sex steroids. In males the secondary sex characteristics include enlargement and maturation of the genitalia - growth of facial - body - and pubic hair - increased






38. A form of evolution in which different organisms are placed into the same environment and exposed to teh same selection pressures. This causes the organisms to evolve along similar lines. As a result - they may share functional - but not structural s






39. The folds of the inner membrane of a mitochondrion






40. Integration by a postsynaptic neuron of inputs (EPSPs and IPSPs) from multiple sources.






41. The stoppage of bleeding; blood clotting.






42. The third phase of meiosis I. During anaphase I the rplicated homologous chromosomes are separated (the tetrad is split) and pulled to opposite sides of the cell.






43. The burrowing of a blastocyst (a developing embryo) into the endometrium of the uterus - typically occuring about a week after fertilizaiton.






44. A thick - transpartent coating rich in glycoproteins that surrounds an oocyte.






45. A function the reproductive system (conrolled by the sympathetic nervous system) that returns the body to its normal resting state after sexual arousal and orgasm.






46. The movement of air into the respiratory tract. Inspiration is an active process - requiring contraction of the diaphragm.






47. A law of population genetics that states that the frequencies of alleles in a given gene pool do not change over time. There are five assumptions required for this law to hold true: there must be no mutation - there must be no migration - there must






48. The prokaryotic ribosome - binding site on mRNA - found 10 nucleotides 5' to the start codon.






49. A carrier protein that transports two molecules across the plasma membrane in the same direction. For example - the Na+- glucose cotransporter in intestinal cells is a symporter.






50. The second most common of the five classes of leukocytes. Lymphocytes are involved in specific immunity and include two cell types - B- cells and T cells. B- cells produce and secrete antibodies and T- cells are invovled in cellular immunity.