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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. Muscles that help focus light on teh retin by controlling the curvature of the lens of the eye.






2. Also called thryoid hormone - thyroxine is produced and secreted by follicle cells in the thyroid gland. it targets all cells in the body and increases overall body metabolism.






3. The birth canal; the stretchy - muscular passageway through which a baby exits the uterus during childbirth.






4. (1) The integration of input (EPSPs and IPSPs) from many presynaptic neruons by a single postsynaptic neuron - either temporaly or spatially. Summation of al input can either stimulate the postsynaptic neuron and possibly lead to an action potential






5. The loop of the nephron that dips downward into the renal medulla. The loop of Henle sets up a concentration gradient in the kidney such that from the cortex to the renal pelvis osmolarity increases. The descending limb of the loop of Henle is permea






6. 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.






7. A poysaccharide found in the cell walls of fungi and in the exoskeletons of insects.






8. Summation by a postsynaptic cell of input (EPSPs or IPSPs) from a single source over time.






9. A pigment produced by melanocytes in teh bottom cell layer of the epidermis. Melanin production is increased on sun exposure and helps prevent cllular damage due to UV radiation.






10. An **inorganic molecule that associates non - covalently with an enzyme and that is required for the proper functioning of the enzyme






11. A long - whip - like filament that helps in cell motility. Many bacteria are flagellated - and sperm are flagellated.






12. A cell produced when a B cell is activated by antigen. Memory cells do not actively fight the current infection - but patrol the body in case of future infection with the same antigen. If the antigen should appear again the future - memory cells are






13. A type of cell division (in diploid cells) that reduces the number of chromosomes by half. Meiosis usualy produces haploid gametes in organisms that undergo sexual reproduction. It consists of a single interphase (G1 - S - and G2) followed by two set






14. Earlier embryonic ducts that can develop into femal internal genitalia in the absence of testosteron.






15. The physical characterisitcs resulting from the genotype. Phenotypes are usually described as dominant or recessive.






16. A long - coiled duct on the outside of the testis in which sperm mature.






17. The unit of combact bone - also called a Haversian system. Osteons are essentially long cylinders of bone; the hollow center is called the central canal - and is where blood vessels - nervs - and lymphatic vessels are found. Compact bone is laid down






18. The structure in the cochlea of the inner ear made up of the basilar membrane - the auditory hair cells - and the tectorial membrane. The Organ of Corti is the site where auditory sensation is detected and transduced to action potentials.






19. 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.






20. 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.






21. A digestive accessory organ near the liver. The gallbladder stores and concentrates bile produced by the liver - and is stimulated to contrat by cholecystokin (CCK).






22. The sphincter that separates the final part of the small intestine (the ileum) from the fron part of the large intestine (the cecum). It is typically kept contracted (closed) so that chyme can remain in the small intestine as long as possible. The il






23. The small artery that carries blood away from the capillaries of the glomerulus.






24. A peptide hormone produced and secreted by the Beta cells of the pancreas. Insulin targets cells in the body - especially the liver and muscle - and allows them to take glucose out of gthe blood (thus lowering blood glucose levels).






25. Large conglomerations of proteins - fats - and cholesterol that transport lipids in the bloodstream. (chylomicrons are a type of lipoprotein).






26. A bacterial enzyme that recognizes a specific DNA nucleotide sequence and that cuts the double helix at a specific site within the sequence.






27. A band of carilage (hyaline) found between the diaphysis and epiphyses of long bones during childhood and adolescence. Cell proliferation in the middle of the eiphyseal plate essentially forces teh diaphysis and epiphyses further apart - while the ol






28. The protective - connective tissue wrapping of the central nervous system (the dura mater - arachnoid mater - and pia mater).






29. 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.






30. 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).






31. The ball of capillaries at the beginning of the nephron where blood filtration takes place.






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






33. The hollow center of an osteon - also known as a Haversian canal. The central canal contains blood vessels - lymphatic vessels - lymphatic vessels - and nerves. Bone is laid down around the central canal in concentric rings called lamellae.






34. The division of the autonomic nervous system known as the 'resting and digesting' system. It causes a general decrease in body activities such as heart rate - respiratory rate - and blood pressure - and an increase in blood flow to the GI tract and d






35. The attachment of an amino acid to a tRNA (not that this a specific interaction). tRNa loading requires two high - energy phosphate bonds.






36. A dense - hard type of bone constructed from osteons (at the microscopic level). Compact bone forms the diaphysis of the the long bones - and the outer shell of the epiphyses and all other bones.






37. 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






38. The law of conservation of energy; the energy of the universe is constant - thus if the energy of a system increases - the energy of its surroundings must decrease - and vice versa.






39. The membrane that separate the outer ear from the middle ear. The tympanic membrane is also known as the eardrum.






40. Sensory receptors found in the inner ear. Cochlear hair cells respond to vibration in the cochlea caused by sound waves and vestibular hair cells respond to changes in position and acceleration (used for balance).






41. A gland that secretes a waxy product - found in the external ear canal.






42. 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.






43. The contribution of an individual gas to the total ppressure of a mixture of gases. Partial pressures are used to describe the amounts of the various gases carried in the bloodstream.






44. 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.






45. 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






46. To attach oxygen - to remove hydrogen - or to remove electrons from a molecule.






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






48. Also called vasopressin - this hormone is produced in the hypothalamus and secreted by teh posterior pituitary gland. It tartes teh kidney tubules - increasing their permeability to water - adn thus increasing water retention by the body. Also raises






49. 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.






50. A protein embedded in the lipid bilayer of a cell. These are typicallly cell surface receptors - channels - or pumps.






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