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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 fraction of teh end - diastolic volume ejected from the ventricles in a single contraction of teh heart. THe ejection fraction is normally around 60% of the end diastolic volume.






2. The middle (approximtely 40%) of the small intestine.






3. The force required to resist the movement of water by osmosis. Osmotic pressure is essentialy a measure of the concentration of a solution. A solution that is hyighly concnetrated has a strong tendency to draw water into itself - so the pressure requ






4. A person with blood type AB+. Because this person's red blood cells possess all of the typical blood surface proteins - they will not display an immune reaction if transfused with any of the other blood types.






5. A hormone released from the hypothalamus that triggers the anterior pituitary to secrete FSH and LH.






6. Also called falopian tubes - these tubes extend laterally from their side of the uterus and serve as a passageway for the ocyte to travel from the ovary to the uterus. This is also the normal site of fertilization. Severing of the uterine tubes (tuba






7. The division of the inner cell mass of a blastocyst (developing embryo) into the three primary germ layers. Gastrulation occurs during weeks 2-4 of gestation.






8. An enzyme present in erythrocytes (as well as in other places) that catalyzes the conversion of CO2 and H2O into carbonic acid (H2CO3).






9. A function in the reproductive system - controlled by the parasympathetic nervous system - that includes erection (via dilation of erectile arteries) and lubrication.






10. The flow of blood through a tissue; ischeia is when there is no blood flow - anoxia when there is no O2 available (ischemia is more dangerous b/c of waste build - up)






11. The ability of tissues to regulate their own blood flow in the absence of neural stiulation. THis is generally accomplished via metabolic wastes (such as CO2) that act as vasodilators.






12. The subdivision of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord.






13. The first step in viral infection. Attachemen of a virus to its host is very specific and is also known as adsorption.






14. A concentrated region of white blood cells found along the vessels of the lympatic system.






15. Cytoskeletal filaments with a diameter in between that of the microtubule and the microfilament. Intermediate filaments are composed of many different proteins and tend to play structural roles in cells.






16. A group of three enzymes that decarboxylates pyruvate - creating an acetyl group and carbon dioxide. The acetyl group is then attached to coenzyme A to produce acetyl - CoA - a substrate in the Krebs cycle. In the process - NAD+ is reduced to NADH. T






17. The third phase of the uterin (endometrial) cycle - during which the rebuilt endometrium is enhanced with glycogen and lipid stores. The secretory phase is primarily under the controll of progestone and estrogen (secreted from the copus luteum during






18. The region of teh brain that coordinates and smooth skeletal muscle activity.






19. A general cell junction - used primarily for adhesion.






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






21. Oil - forming glands found all over the body - especially on the face and neck. The product (sebum) is released to the skin surface through hair follicles.






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






23. A kinase in smooth muscle cells activated by calmodulin the presence of Ca2+. As its name implies - this kinase phosphorylates myosin - activating it so that muscle contraction can occur.






24. A nucleotide sequence that intervenes between protein - coding sequences. In DNA - these intervening sequences typically contain **regulatory sequences - however - in RNA they are simply spliced out to form the mature (translated) transcript.






25. The movement of molecules through the plasma membrane against their concentration gradients. Active transport requires input of cellular energy - often in the form of ATP. An example is the Na+/K+ ATPase in the plasma membrane of all cells.






26. The bond formed between the carboxyl group of one amino acid and the amino group of another.






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






28. Identical copies of a chromosome - produced during DNA replication and held together at the centromere Sister chromatids are separated during anaphase of mitosis.






29. Ribosomal RNA; the type of RNA that associates with ribosomal proteins to make a functional ribosome. It is thought that the rRNA has the peptidyl transferase activity.






30. 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






31. An amphipathic molecule secreted by cells in the alveoli (type 2 alveolar cells) tha reducs surface tension on the inside of the alveolar walls. This prevents the alveoli from collapsing upon exhale and sticking together - thus reducing the effort re






32. The RF value - the percentage of recombinant offspring resulting from a given genetic cross. The recombination frequency is proportional to the physical distance between genes on a chromosome. If a recombination frequency is low - the genes under con






33. The normal configuration of double - stranded DNA in which the 5' end of oen strand is paired with the 3' end of the other






34. Fingerlike projection of the uterin (fallopian) tubes that drape over the ovary.






35. An ion channel specific for potassium found in the plasma membrane of all cells in the body. Leak channels are constitutively open and allow their specifi ion to move across the membrane according to its gadient. Potassium leak channels allow potassi






36. 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.






37. A gene appearing in a single copy in diploid organisms - e.g. X- linked genes in human males.






38. The specific site on an antigenic molecule that binds to a T cell receptor or to an antibody.






39. (1) The secretion of useful substances from a cell - either into the blood (endocrine secretin) or into a cavity or onto the body surface (exocrine secretion). (2) in the nephron - the movement of substances from the blood to the filtrate along the t






40. A chemical secreted by a T cell (usually the helper Ts) that stimulates activation and proliferation of other immune system cells.






41. The folds of skin that enclose the vaginal and urethral openings of females.






42. The first phase of meiosis II. Prophase II is identical to mitotic prophase - except that the number of chromosomes was reduced by half during meiosis I.






43. The portion of the placenta derived from the zygote.






44. The inner region of the adrenal gland. The adrenal medulla is part of the sympathetic nervous systme - and releases epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine into the blood when stimuated. These hormones augment and prolon the effects of sympatheti






45. All the genetic information in an organism; all of an organism's chromosomes.






46. The rapid mitotic division of a zygot that being within 24-36 hours after fertilization






47. The valve that controls the release of urine from the bladder. It has an internal part made of smooth muscle (thus involuntary) and an external part made of skeletal muscle (thus voluntary).






48. The release of a secondary oocyte (along with some granulosa cells) from the ovary at the approximate midpoint of the menstrual cycle (typically around day 14). Ovulation is triggered by a surge in LH.






49. The small artery that carries blood toward the capillaries of the glomerulus.






50. A neuron that arries information (action potentials) to the central nervous system; a sensory neuron.






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