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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. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin - a hormone secreted by the trophoblast cells of a blasocyst (i.e. developing embryo) that prolongs the life of the corpus luteum - and thus increases the duration and amount of secreted progesterone. This helps to mainta






2. Arise in blood pH due to hyperventilation (excessive breathing) and a resulting decrease in CO2.






3. (Singular:villus). Folds of the intestinal mucosa that project into the lumen of the intestine; vili serve to increase the surface area of the intestine for absorption.






4. The period of human development beginning at 8 weeks of gestation and lasting until birth (38-42 weeks of gestation). During this stage the organs formed in the embryonic stage grow and mature. The developing baby is known as a fetus during this time






5. 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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6. The fourth of meiosis I. Telophase I is identical to mitotic telophase - except that the number of chromosoms is now reduced by half. After this phase the cell is considered to be haploid. Note however - that the chromosomes are still replicated - an






7. 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






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






9. A short sequence of amino aids - usually found at the N- terminus of a protein being translated - that directs the ribosome and its associated mRNa to the membranes of the rough ER where trasnlation will be completed. Signal sequences are found on me






10. Very small air tubes int eh respiratory system (diameter 0.5 - 1.0 mm). The walls of the bronchioles are made of smooth muscle (thus involunatry) to help regulate air flow.






11. Proteins that bind to and stabilize the signle strands of DNA exposed when helicase unwinds the double helix in preparation for replication.






12. Also known as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of the digestive tract - the alimentary canal is the long muscular 'tube' that includes the mouth esophagus - somatch - small intesitne - and large intestine.






13. The percentage of wholeblood made up of erythrocytes The typical hematocrit value is between 40-45%.






14. The first phase of meiosis I. During prophase I the replicated chromosomes condense - homologous chromsomes pair up - crossing over occurs between homologous chromosomes - the spindle is formed - and the nuclear envelope breaks apart into vesicles. P






15. A gene that has effects on several different characteristics.






16. The main duct of the pancreas. The pancreatic duct carries the exocrine secretions of the pancreas (enzymes and bicarbonate) to the small intestine (dueodenum).






17. An organism that has two copies of its genome it each cell. The paired genomes are said to be homologous.






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






19. A localized change in a neruon's or musce cell's membrane potential that can propogate itself away from its point of origin. Action potentials are an all - or - none process mediated by the opening of voltage - gated Na+ and K+ channels when the memb






20. An activated B cell that is secreting antibody.






21. A mechanism by which the stroke volume of the heart is increased by increasing the venous return of the heart (thus stretching the ventricular muscle).






22. Small cavities in the bone or cartilage that hold individual bones or cartilage cells.






23. The nervous system of the gastrointestinal tract. It controls secretion and motility within teh Gi tract - and is linked to the central nervous system.






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






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 contractile protein connecting microtubules in the '9+2- arrangement of cilia and eukaryotic flagella. The contraction of dynein produces the characteristic movement of these structures.






27. A hormone released by the posterior pituitary that stimulates uterine contractions during childbirth and milk ejection during breastfeeding.






28. A hormone produced from vitamin D that acts in essentially the same manner as parathyroid hormone.






29. 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






30. A strong connective tissue with varying degrees of flexibility. (1) Elastic cartilage is the most flexible - forming structures that reuqire support but also need to bend - such as the epiglottis and outer ear. (2) Hyaline cartilage is more rigid tha






31. A hormone secreted by the small intestine (duodenum) in response to the presence of food. It decreases the rate at which chyme leaves the stomach and enters the small intestine.






32. Hardy crystals consisting of calcium and phosphate that form the bone matrix.






33. Specialized lymphatic capillaries in the intestines that take up lipids as well as lymph.






34. A ductless gland that secretes a hormone into the blood






35. The exchange of DNA between paired homologus chromosomes (tetrads) during prophase I of meiosis.






36. The clear portion of the tough outer layer of teh eye ball - found over the iris and pupil






37. An organism that utilizes light as its primary energy source.






38. A neuron found completely within the central nervous system. Interneous typically connect sensory and motor neurons - especially in reflex arcs.






39. A molecule formed by joining many monosaccharides together. POlysaccharides are typically energy- storage molecules (glycogen in animals - starch in plants) or structural molecules (cellulose in plants - chitin in exoskeletons).






40. A form of evolution in which the same organism is placed into different environments with different selection pressures. This causes organisms to evolve differently - to diverge from their common ancestor. The resulting (new) species may share struct






41. The pressure measured in the arteries while the ventricles are relaxed (during diastole).






42. A bacterium having a rod - like shaped (plural = bacilli).






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






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






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






46. A protein found in the plasma membrane of all cells in the body that uses the energy of an ATP (hydrolyzes ATP) to move three Na+ ions out of the cell and two K+ ions into the cell - thus establishing concentrations gradients for these ions across th






47. The connection of a mosin head group to an actin filament during muscle contraction (the sliding filament theory).






48. The portion of the ear consisting of the pinna and the external auditory canal. The outer ear is separated from the middle ear by the tympanic membrane (the eardrum).






49. A blood clot that forms in an unbrokened blood vessel. Thrombi are dangerous they can break free and begin travelin in the bloodstream (become an embolus). Emboli ultimately become stuck in a small vessel and prevent adequate blood delivery to tissue






50. Aso called a subcutaneous layer - this is a layer of *fat located under the dermis of the skin. The hypodermis helps to insulate the body and protects underlying muscles and other structures.