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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 diploid cell that can undergo mitosis to form more spermatogonium - and can also be triggered to undergo meiosis to form sperm.






2. The pressure measured in the arteries during contraction of the ventricles (during systole).






3. The removal ( and usually the activation) of a viral genome from its host's genome.






4. Integration by a postsynaptic neuron of inputs (EPSPs and IPSPs) from multiple sources.






5. 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).






6. Chemoreceptors in the upper nasal cavity that respond to odo chemicals.






7. A phase in the cycle between mitosis and S phase (G1) or between S phase and mitosis (G2). During gap phases the cell undergoes normal activity and growth; G1 may include preparation for DNA replication and G2 includes preparation for mitosis. Note t






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






9. The pressure in the (theoretical) space between the lung surface and the inner wall of the chest cavity.






10. A microscopic space between the axon of one neuron and the cell body or dendrites of a secon neruon - or between the axon of a neuron and an organ.






11. A life cycle of animal viruses in which the mature viral particles bud from the host cell - acquiring an envelope (a coating of lipid bilayer) in the process.






12. A mass of lymphatic tissue at the befenning of the large intestine that helps trap ingested pathogens.






13. 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.






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






15. 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).






16. The enzyme that catalyzes the phosphorylation of fructose -6- phosphate to form fructose -1-6- bisphosphate in the third step of glycolysis. This is the main regulatory step of glycolysis. PFK is feedback - inhibited by ATP.






17. A relatively direct connection between a sensory neuron and a motor neuron that allows an extremely rapid response to a stimulus - often without conscious brain involvement.






18. One type of eukaryotic mRNA processing in which introns are removed from the primary transcript and exons are ligated together. SPlicing of transcripts can be different in different tissues.






19. 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.






20. Anterior pituitary gland






21. Unmyelinated neuron cell bodies and short unmyelinated axons.






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






23. The first substrate in teh Krebs cycle - produced primarily from the oxidation of pyruvate by the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex - however acetyl - CoA is also produced during fatty acid oxidation and protein catabolism.






24. A hair - like structure on teh cell surface composed of microtubules ina '9+2' arrangement (nine pairs of microtubles surrounding 2 single microtubules in the center). Teh microtubules are conneted with a contractile protien called dynein. Cilia beat






25. An activated B cell that is secreting antibody.






26. The cellular elements of blood; erythrocytes - leukocytes - and platelets.






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






28. A region within the nucleus where rRNA is transribed and ribosomes are partially assembled.






29. An enzyme inhibitor that binds at a site other than the active sit of an enzyme (binds at an allosteric site). THis changes the three - dimensional shape of the enzyme such that it can no longer catalyze the reaction






30. 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.






31. 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.






32. A group of sensory neuron cell bodies found just posterior to the spinal cord on either side. A pair of root ganglia exists for each spinal nerve that expands from the spinal cord. The ganglia are part of the peripheral nervous system (PNS).






33. One of the four aromatic bases found in DNA and RNA. Guanine is a purine; it pairs with cytosine.






34. 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.






35. The curled structure in the inner ear that contains the membranes and hair cells that transduce sound waves into action potentials.






36. A statistical rule stating that the probability of either of two indpendent (and mutually exclusive) events ocuring is the sum of their individual probabilities minus the probability of them both occuring together.






37. 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.






38. 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






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






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






41. The three glands in the male reproductive system that reproduce semen: the seminal vesicles - the prostate - and the






42. Cells that possess MHC II (B cells and macrophages) and are able to display bits of ingested antigen on their surface in order to activate T cells. See also 'MHC'






43. Also called DNA pol - this is the enzyme that replicates DNA. Eukaryotes have a single version of the enzyme - simply called DNA pol (not need to know much detail); prokaryotes have three versions - called DNA pol I - DNA pol II - and DNA pol III.






44. Formerly called the cardiac sphincter - this sphincter marks the entrance to the stomach. Its function is to prevent reflux of acid stomach contents into the esophagus; note that it does **not regulate entry into the stomach.






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






46. The largest artery in teh body; the aorta carries oxygenated blood away from the left ventricle of the heart.






47. Also known as the neurohyophysis - the posterior pituitary is made of nervous tisssue and stores and secretes two hormones made by the hypothlamus; oxtytocin and ADH. The posterior pituitary is controlled by action potentials from the hypothalamus.






48. A drop in blood pH due to hypoventilation (too little breathing) and a resulting accumulation of Co2.






49. A long projection off the cell body of a neruon down which an action potential can be propagated.






50. A looser - more porous type of bone tissue found at the inner core of the epiphyses in long bones and all other bone types. Spongy gone is filed with red bone marrow - important in blood cell formation.






Can you answer 50 questions in 15 minutes?



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