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Test your basic knowledge |
MCAT Prep Biology
Start Test
Study First
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 pair of similar chromosomes that have the same genes in the same order - but may have different versions (alleles) of those genes. One of the pair of chromosomes came from Mom in an ovum - and the other came from Dad in a sperm. Humans have 23 pair
Homologous chromosomes
Monosaccharide
Cortisol
Helicase
2. A dense grwoth of bacteria that covers the surface of a petri dish.
Lawn
Cytokinesis
Postganglionic neuron
Neuralation
3. 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).
Macula densa
Envelope
Interleukin
Dorsal root ganglion
4. 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
Replication
Cecum
Divergent evolution
Ventricle
5. The volume of air inhaled and exhaled in a normla - resting breath - typically about 500 mL.
Glomerulus
Hypophysis
Tidal volume
Antiporter
6. The burrowing of a blastocyst (a developing embryo) into the endometrium of the uterus - typically occuring about a week after fertilizaiton.
Na+/K+ ATPase
Longitudinal muscle
Implantation
Genetic code
7. A region at the head of a sperm cell that contains digestive enzyems which - when released during the acrosome reaction - can facilitate penetration of the corona radiata of the egg - and subsequently - fertilization
Trypsin
Acrosome
Juxtaglomerular apparatus (JGA)
Antagonist
8. A kinase in smooth muscle cells activated by calmodulin the presence of Ca2+. As its name implies - this kinase phosphorylates myosin - activating it so that muscle contraction can occur.
Substrate(s)
Nuclear localization sequence
Fermentation
Myosin light - chain kinase (MLCK)
9. A single piece of double - stranded DNA; part of the genome of an organism. Prokaryotes have circular chromosomes and eukaryotes have linear chromosomes.
Vena cava
Phospholipid
Chromosome
Optic nerve
10. Multiple sites of replication found on large - linear eukaryotic linear eukaryotie chromosomes.
Dense connective tissue
Replication bubbles
Acetylcholine (Ach)
Glucagon
11. Also called Leydig cells - these are teh cells within testes that produce and secrete testosteron. They are stimulated by luteinizing hormone (LH).
Preganglionic neuron
Transition mutation
Genome
Interstitial cell
12. The tubes that carry urine from the kindeys to the bladder.
Ureters
Chemotroph
Recessive
Crossing over
13. Unmyelinated neuron cell bodies and short unmyelinated axons.
Gray matter
Maternal inheritance
Phosphofructokinase
Secondary spermatocytes
14. A receptor that responds to light
Lumen
Penetrance
Hair cells
Photoreceptor
15. 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).
Connective tissue
Calmodulin
Action potential
Insulin
16. A chemical secreted by a T cell (usually the helper Ts) that stimulates activation and proliferation of other immune system cells.
Clathrin
Lymphokine
Integral membrane protein
Portal systems
17. 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.
Hypothalamus
Intermediate filaments
Nucleotide
Amphipathic
18. A bacterial extrachromosal elent that allows the bacterium to initati conjugation. Bacteria that possess teh F factor are known as F+ 'males'.
F (fertility) factor
Reduction
Ligase
Golgi apparatus
19. Specialized lymphatic capillaries in the intestines that take up lipids as well as lymph.
Prophase I
Dominant
Upsteam
Lacteals
20. The 3D site of an enzyme where substrates (reactants) bind and a chemical reaction is facilitated.
Rectum
Gram - positive bacteria
Amphipathic
Active site
21. A hormone released by the posterior pituitary that stimulates uterine contractions during childbirth and milk ejection during breastfeeding.
Inner cell mass
Oxytocin
Allele
Shine - Dalgarno sequence
22. A red blood cell; they are filled with hemoglobin - and teh function of the erythrocytes is to carry oxygen in the blood.
Acetylcholine (Ach)
Erythrocyte
Luteinizing Hormone (LH)
Aorta
23. A cytoplasmic protein that binds to a stop codon where it appears in the A- site of the ribosome. Release factors modify the peptidyl transferase activity of the ribosome - such that a water molecule is added to the end of the completed protein. This
Axon
Retrovirus
Transcription
Release factor
24. The set of adult characteristics that develop during puberty under the control of the sex steroids. In males the secondary sex characteristics include enlargement and maturation of the genitalia - growth of facial - body - and pubic hair - increased
Steroid hormone
Secondary sex characteristics
Vena cava
Dendrite
25. A period of time following an action potential during which no additional action potential can be evoked regardless of the level of stimulation. (usually because Na+ channel closed whle K+ efflux)
Absolute refractory period
Pyruvic acid
Endocytosis
Calcitriol
26. A protein channel in the nuclear envelope that llows the free passage of molecules smaller than 60 kD.
Troponin
Depolarization
Nuclear pore
Hematopoiesis
27. A thin - watery fluid found in teh anterior segment of the eye (between the lens and the cornea). THe aqueous humor is constantly produced and drained - adn helps to bring nutrients to the lesn and corena - as well as to remove metabolic wastes
Myofiber
Aqueous humor
Corpus luteum
Desmosome
28. The modifaction of enzyme activity through interactino of molecules with specific sites on the enzyme other than the active site (called allosteric sites)
Large intestine
Allosteric regulation
Erythropoietin
Atrium
29. The final phase of the digestive tract - also called the colon. The primary funcion of the large intestine is to reabsorb water and to store the feces.
Cofactor
Large intestine
Origin of replication
Lipid
30. A structure composed of a ribose molecule linked to one of the aromatic bases. In a deoxynucleoside - the ribose is replaced with deoxyribose.
Nucleus
Nucleoside
Carbonic anhydrase
Thecal cells
31. A helical protein that winds around actin helices in skeletal and cardiac muscle cells to form the thin filament of the sarcomere. In the absence of Ca2+ - tropomyosin covers the myosin - binding sites on actin and prevents muscle contraction. When c
Tropomyosin
Compact bone
Poycistronic mRNA
Theta replication
32. A set of vessels in the body that runs alongside the vessels of the circulatory system. It is a one - way system - with lymphatic capillaries beginning at the tissues and ultimately emptying into the large veins near the heart. It serves to return ex
Lymphatic system
Carbohydrates
Meninges
Facilitated diffusion
33. A generic connective tissue cell that produces fibers; the progenitor of all other connective tissue cell types.
Aqueous humor
IPSP
Leukocyte
Fibroblast
34. 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.
Siding filament theory
Pyloric sphincter
Accessory organs
Resolution
35. The division between neighboring cardiac muscle cells. Intercalcated discs include gap junctions - which allow the cells to function as a unit.
Intercalcated discs
Soma
Telophase
Antiporter
36. MRna that codes for several different proteins by utliizing different reading frames - nested genets - etc. Polycistronic mRNa is a characteristic of prokaryotes.
Organogenesis
Poycistronic mRNA
Graafian follicle
Juxtaglomerular cells.
37. Photoreceptors in the retina of the eye that respond to dim light and provide us with black and white vision.
Cortex
Rods
cDNA
Creatine Phosphate
38. A group of three nucleotides taht is specific for a particular amino acid - or that specifies 'stop translating'
Fibroblast
Codon
Matrix
Cornea
39. A ductless gland that secretes a hormone into the blood
Optic nerve
Periperal nervous system
Antiporter
Endocrine gland
40. Messenger RNA; the type of RNa that is read by a ribosome to synthesize protein.
Gene pool
mRNA
Centriole
Z lines
41. A cyclic version of adenosine monophosphate - where the phosphate is esterified to both the 5' and 3' carbons - forming a ring. Cyclic AMP is an important intracellular signaling moelcule - often called the 'second messenger.' It serves to activate c
Gene pool
Primary bronchi
Cyclic AMP (cAMP)
Downstream
42. The rapid mitotic division of a zygot that being within 24-36 hours after fertilization
Lagging strand
Cleavage
Systole
Epiphysis
43. Paired glands near the posterior side of the vaginal that secrete an alkaline mucus upon sexual arousal. The mucus helps to reduce the acidity of the vagina (which could be harmful to sperm) and lubricates the vagina to facilitate penetration.
Spongy bone
Ligand
Avascular
Vestibular glands
44. 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
I band
Hypophysis
Corticosteroids
Albumin
45. Three loop - like structures in the inner ear that contain sensory receptors to monitor balance.
Ovulation
Creatine Phosphate
Ribosome
Semicircular canals
46. The shaft of a long bone. The diaphysis is hollow and is made entirely from compact bone.
Gene pool
Diaphysis
Parasympathetic nervous system
Metaphase I
47. A bacterial enzyme that recognizes a specific DNA nucleotide sequence and that cuts the double helix at a specific site within the sequence.
Restriction endonuclease
Stomach
Choroid
Ligament
48. 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.
Diaphysis
Dynein
Artery
Central canal
49. The valve that controls the release of urine from the bladder. It has an internal part made of smooth muscle (thus involuntary) and an external part made of skeletal muscle (thus voluntary).
Liver
Urinary sphincter
Chorion
Gallbladder
50. The prokaryotic ribosome - binding site on mRNA - found 10 nucleotides 5' to the start codon.
Microvilli
Shine - Dalgarno sequence
Exocytosis
Bone marrow