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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. The outermost layer of teh skin. The epidermis is made of epithelial tissue that is constantly dividing at the bottom; teh cells migrate to teh surface (dying along the way) to be sloughed off at the suface.






2. A short sequence of amino aids - usually found at the N- terminus of a protein being translated - that directs the ribosome and its associated mRNa to the membranes of the rough ER where trasnlation will be completed. Signal sequences are found on me






3. 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






4. The 3D site of an enzyme where substrates (reactants) bind and a chemical reaction is facilitated.






5. 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






6. A law of population genetics that states that the frequencies of alleles in a given gene pool do not change over time. There are five assumptions required for this law to hold true: there must be no mutation - there must be no migration - there must






7. Plasma with the clotting factors removed. Serum is often used in diagnostic tests because it does not clot.






8. Bacteria that have a thin peptidoglycan cell wall covered by an outer plasma membrane. They stain very lightly (pink) in Gram stain. Gram - negative bacteria are typically more resistant to antibiotics than Gram - positive bacteria.






9. Messenger RNA; the type of RNa that is read by a ribosome to synthesize protein.






10. The first phase of meiosis I. During prophase I the replicated chromosomes condense - homologous chromsomes pair up - crossing over occurs between homologous chromosomes - the spindle is formed - and the nuclear envelope breaks apart into vesicles. P






11. Anterior pituitary topic hormones FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing homeon) that stimulates the gonads (testes and ovaries) to produce gametes and to secrete sex steroids.






12. Muscle tissue that is attached to the bones. SKeletal muscle is striated multinucleate - and under voluntary control.






13. The movement of teh membrane potential of a cell away from rest potential in a more positive direction.






14. 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






15. Photoreceptors in the retina of the eye that respond to dim light and provide us with black and white vision.






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






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






18. The step in the sliding filament theory during which yosin undergoes a conformaitonal change to its low energy state - in the process dragging the thin filaments (and the attached Z lines) toward the center fo the sarcomere. NOte that power stroke re






19. A chemical secreted by a T cell (usually the helper Ts) that stimulates activation and proliferation of other immune system cells.






20. The third phase of the ovarian cycle - during which a corpus luteum is formed from the remnants of the follicle that has ovulated its oocyte. The corpus luteum secretes progestrone and estrogen during this time period - which typically lasts from day






21. A bundle of skeletal muscle cells. Fascicles group together to form skeletal muscles.






22. The duplication of DNA






23. Steroid hormones secreted from the adrenal cortex. The two major classes are teh mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids. Aldosterone is the principal mineralocorticoid - and cortisol is the principal glucorcorticoid.






24. The mass of cells in the blastocyst that ultimately give rise to the embryo and other embryonic structues (the amion - the umbilical vessels - etc.)






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






26. The portion of theforebrain that includes the thalamus and hypothalamus.






27. The inner layer of smooth muscle in the wall of the digestive tract. When the circular muscle contracts - the tube diameter is reduced. Certain areas of the circular muscle are thickened to act as valves (sphincters).






28. A point mutation in which a condon that specifies an amino acid is mutated into a stop (nonsense) codon.






29. 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.






30. One of the two ends of long bone (pl: eiphyses). The epiphyses have an outer shell made of compact bone and inner core of spongy bone. The spongy bone is filled with red bone marrow - the stie of blood cell formation.






31. The shaft of a long bone. The diaphysis is hollow and is made entirely from compact bone.






32. In skeleta and cardiac muscle tissue - a filament composed of actin - tropomyosin - and troponin. Thin filaments are attached to teh Z lines of the sarcomers and slide over thick filaments during muscle contraction.






33. The 28 days of the menstrual cycle as they apply to events in the ovary. The ovarian cycle has three subphases: the follicular phase - ovulation - and the luteal phase.






34. The depolarzation of the motor end plate on a muscle cell.






35. 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.






36. The bond formed between the carboxyl group of one amino acid and the amino group of another.






37. The layer of ciliated - mucus - covered cells in the respiratory tract.The cilia continually beat - sweeping contaminated mucus upward toward the pharynx.






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






39. An immune reaction directed against normal (necessary ) cells.Fo example - diabets melitus (typeI) is an autoimmun reaction directed against teh beta cells of the pancrease (destorying them and preventing insulin secretion) and aginst insulin itself.






40. A layer of connective tissue underneath the epidermis of the skin. The dermis contains blood vessels - lymphatic vessels - nerves - sensory receptors - and glands.






41. The primary female sex hormone. Estrogen stimulates the development of female secondary sex characteristics during puberty - maintains those characteristics during adulthood - stimulates the development of a new uterine lining after menstruation - an






42. The division of the inner cell mass of a blastocyst (developing embryo) into the three primary germ layers. Gastrulation occurs during weeks 2-4 of gestation.






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. The principal glucocorticoid secreted from teh adrenal cortex. This steroid hormone is released ruing stress - causing increased blood glucose levels and reducing inflammation. The latter effect has led to a clinical use of cortisol as an anti - infl






45. The normal configuration of double - stranded DNA in which the 5' end of oen strand is paired with the 3' end of the other






46. The neurotransmitter used throughout the parasympathetic nervous system as well as the neuromuscular junction.






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






48. The flexible membrane in teh chochlea that supports the organ of Corti (structure which contains the hearing receptors). The fibers of the basilar membrane are short and stiff near the oval windown and long and fleaxible near the apex of the cochlea.






49. A person with blood type O-. Because this person's red blood cells possess none of the typical blood suface proteins - they cannot initiate an immune reaction in a recipient.






50. A contact point between the afferent arteriole of the glomerulus and the distal convoluted tubule of the nephron. It is involved in regulating blood pressure.






Can you answer 50 questions in 15 minutes?



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