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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. A duodenal enzyme that activates trypsinogen (from the pancreas) to trypsin.






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






3. 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.






4. The layer of epithelial tissue that lines body cavities in contact with the outside environment (respiratory - digestive - urinary - and reproductive tracts).






5. The enzymatic process of reading a strand of DNA to produce a complemenetary strand of RNA






6. An organs in the abdominal cavity with two roles. The first is an exocrine role: to produce digestive enzymes and bicarbonate - which are delivered to the small intestine via the pancreatic duct. The second is an endocrine role: to secrete insulin an






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






8. A small - extrachromosomal (outside the genome) - circular DNA molecule found in prokaryotes.






9. A short period of time **prior to exponential growth of a bacterial population during which no - or very limited - cell division occurs.






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






11. 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.






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






13. A cytoplasmic protein that recognizes the signal sequences of proteins destined to be translated at the rough ER. It binds first to the ribosome translating the protein with the signal sequence then to an SRP receptor on the rough ER>






14. A hormone tha tcontrols the release of another hormone.






15. A type of lipoprotein; the form in which absorbed fats from the intestines are transported to the circulatory system.






16. MRNA that codes forsingle type of protein - such as is found in eukaryotic cells.






17. 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.






18. (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.






19. 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






20. The first portion of the nephron tubuel after the glomerulus. THe PCT is the site of most reabsorption; all filtered nutrients are reabsorbed here as well as most of the filtered water.






21. A hormone secreted by the small intestine (duodenum) in response to low pH (e.g. - from stomach acid). It promotes the release of bicarbonate from the pancreas to act as a buffer.






22. 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).






23. The depolarization of the egg plasma membrane upon fertilization - designed to prevent the entry of more than one sperm into the egg.






24. Zygot - derived projections that extend into the endometrium of the uterus during pregnancy. Fetal capillaries grow into the placental villi - which are surrounded by a pool of maternal blood. THis facilitates nutrient and gas exchange between the mo






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






26. Early embryonic ducts that can develop into male internal genitalia under the proper stimulation (testosterone).






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






28. A bacterium that cannon survive on minimal medium (glucose alone) because it lacks the ability to syntheisze a molecule it needs to live (typically an amino acid). Auxotrphs must ave the needed substance (the auxiliary trophic substance) added to the






29. A viral life cycle in which the host is turned into a 'virus factory' and ultimately lysed to release the new viral particles.






30. The secretion of a cellular product to the extracellular medium through a secretory vesicle.






31. The regino of the sarcomere made up only of thin filaments. The I band is bisected by a Z line. I bands alternate with A bands to give skeletal and cardiac muscle a striated appearance. I bands get shorter (and may disappear completely) during muscle






32. A neuron with a single axon and a single dendrite - often projecting from opposite sides of the cell body. Bipolar neurons are typically associated with sensory organs; an example is the bipolar neuron in the retina of the eye. - note that one axon m






33. 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.






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






35. Three loop - like structures in the inner ear that contain sensory receptors to monitor balance.






36. The main protease secreted by the pancreas; trypsin is activated (from trypsinogen) by enterokinase - and subsequently activates other pancreatic enzymes.






37. A waste product of protein dbreakdown - produced by the liver and relased into the bloodstream to be eliminated by the kidney.






38. The unit of muscle contraction. Sarcomeres are bounded by Z lins - to which thin filaments attach. Thick filaments are found in the center of the sarcomere - overlapped by thin filaments over one another during contraction reduces the distance betwee






39. A hormone derived from cholesterol. Steroids are generally hydrophobic and can easily cross the plasma membrane of cells - thus receptors for steroids are found intracellularly. Once this steroid binds to its receptor - the receptor - steroid complex






40. A hormone secreted by the samll intestine (duodenum) in response to the presence of fats. It promotes release of bile from the gallbladder and pancreatic juice from the pancreas - and reduces stomach motility.






41. A pathway through a plasma membrane that restrics passage based only on the size of the molecules. Pore are made from porin proteins.






42. The volume of blood pumped out the heart in a single contraction.






43. Strong bands of connective tissue that connect skeletal muscle to bone.






44. The majority of the cells surrouding an oocyte in a follicle. Granulosa cells secrete estrogen during the follicular phase of the ovarian cycle (before ovulation).






45. Fat cell






46. The primary androgen (male sex steroid). Testosterone is a steroid hormone produced and secreted by the interstitial cells of the testes. It triggers the development of secondary male sex characteristics during puberty (including spermatogenesis) and






47. The inside of the a hollow organ (e.g. - the somach - intestines - bladder - etc.) or a tube (e.g. - blood vessels - ureters - etc.)






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






49. A hormone made of amino acids (in some cases just a single - modified amino acid). Peptide hormones are generally hydrophilic and cannot cross the plasma membranes of cells - thus receptor for peptide hormones must be found on the cell surface. An ex






50. A tropic hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland that targets the thyroid gland - stimulating it to produce and release thyroid hormone.