Test your basic knowledge |

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 final portion of the large intestine.






2. A passageway leading from behind the nasal cavity to the trachea. The pharynx is divided into three regions - named for their location. The nasopharynx is behind the nasal cavity - the oropharynx is behind the oral cavity - and the laryngopharynx is






3. The volume of air remaining in the lungs after a maximal forced exhalation - typically about 1200 mL.






4. The oxidation of high - energy electron carriers (NADH and FADH2) coupled to the phosphorylation of ADP - producing ATP. In eukaryotes - oxidative phosphorylation occurs in the mitochondira.






5. 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.






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






7. The cord that connects the embryo of a developing mammal to the placenta in the uterus of the mother. The umbilical cord contains fetal arteries (carry blood toward the placenta) and veins (carry blood away from the placenta). The umbilical vessels d






8. A group of three nucleotides taht is specific for a particular amino acid - or that specifies 'stop translating'






9. A protein hormone secreted by sustenacular cells of the testes that acts to inhibit the release of FSH and LH from the anterior pituitary.






10. A mature - cartilage cell.






11. 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.






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






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






14. 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






15. The movement of a substance from the filtrate (in the renal tuble) bak into the bloodstream. Reabsorption reduces the amount of a substance in the urine.






16. An energy storage molecule used by muscle tissue. The phosphate from creatine phosphate can be removed and attached to an ADP to generate ATP quickly.






17. The portion of the nephron where water reabsorption is regulated via antidiuretic hormone (ADH). Several nephrons empty into each collecting duct - and this is the final region through which urine must passon its way to the ureter.






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






19. The first phase of the ovarian cycle - during which a follicle (an oocyte and its surroudning cells) enlarges and matures. This phase is under the control of FSH from the anterior pituitary - and typically lasts from day 1 to day 14 of the menstrual






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






21. The final section (approximately 55%) of the small intestine.






22. A sensory receptor that responds to mechanical disturbances - such as shape changes (being squashed - bent - pulled - etc.). Mechanoreceptors include touch receptors in the skin - hair cells - in the ear - muscle spindles - and others.






23. A vein connecting the capillary bed of the intestines with the capillary bed of the liver. This allows amino acids and gluocse absorbed from the intestines to be delivered first to the liver for processing before being transported throughout the circ






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






25. The first part of the large intestine.






26. The modifaction of enzyme activity through interactino of molecules with specific sites on the enzyme other than the active site (called allosteric sites)






27. The resistance to blood flow in the systemic circulation. Peripheral resistance increases if arteries constrict (diameter decreases) - and an increase in peripheral resistance leads t o an increase in blood pressure.






28. The environment in which or upon Which bacteria grow. It typically contains a sugar source and any other nutrients that bacteria may require. 'Minimal medium' contain nothing but glucose.






29. The interior of a mitochondrion (the region bounded by the inner membrane). - The matrix is the site of action of pyruvate dehydroganse complex and the Krebs cycle.






30. An irritation of a tissue caused by infection or injury. Inflammation is characterized by four cardinal symptoms; redness (rubor) - swelling (tumor) - heat (calor) - and pain (dolor).






31. Bacteria that have a thick peptido glycan cell wall - and no outer membrane. They stain very darkly (purple) in Gram stain.






32. One of the two peripheral nervous system supporting (glial) cells. Schwann cells from he myelin sheath on axons of peripheral neurons.






33. The movement of the membrane potential of a cell away from rest potential in a more negative direction.






34. A sensory receptor that responds to hcanges in pressure; for example - there are baroreceptors in the carotid arteries and the aortic ach that monitor blood pressure.






35. Swelling of tissues - sometimes caused by inflammation letting into many white blood cells (decreasing oncotic pressure at the end of the capillaries & not letting as much water back into capillaries & staying in tissues).






36. A subsequent immune response to previously encountered antigen that results in antibody production and T cell activation. The secondary immune response is mediated by memory cells (produced during the primary immune respone) and is much faster and st






37. The valve that regulates the passage of chyme from the stomach into the small intestine.






38. The process of bulidng complex structures out of simpler precursors - e.g. synthesizing protiens from amino acids.






39. The current understanding of membrane structure - in which teh membrane iscomposed of a mix o lipids and proteins (a mosaic) that are free to move fluidly among themselves.






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






41. A tropic hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland that targets the gonads. In females LH triggers ovulation and the development of a corpus luteum during the menstrual cycle; in males - LH stimulates the production and release of testosteron.






42. The string between beads of DNA on histones. They are also wrapped around a single histone - called linker histone - may not really have to know..






43. The synapse between a motor neuron and a muscle cell. At the NMJ - the muscle cel lmembrane is invaginated and the axon terminus is elongated so that a greater area of membrane can be depolarized at one time.






44. A red blood cell; they are filled with hemoglobin - and teh function of the erythrocytes is to carry oxygen in the blood.






45. An incrase in the fragility of the membranes of sperm cells when exposed to the female reproductive tract. Capacitation is required sot aht the acrosomal enzymes can be relased to faciliate fertilization.






46. The division of the autonomic nervous system known as the 'fright or flight' system. It causes a genera increase in body activities such as heart rate - respiratory rate - and blood pressure - and an increase in blood flow to skeleltal muscle. It cau






47. The principal mineralocorticoid secreted by teh adrenal cortex. This steroid hormone targets the kidney tubules and increases renal reabsorption of sodium [and excretion of potassium]. (this causes ADH to be secreted & increased water comes out - inc






48. 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).






49. Major Histocompatability complex - a set of proteins found on the plasma membranes of cells that help display antigen to T cells. MHC I is found on all cells and displays bits of proteins from within the cell; this allows T cells to monitor cell cont






50. A blood pressure cuff