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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 second phase of meiosis I. During metaphase I the paired homologous chromsomes (tetrads) align at the center of the cell (the metaphase plate).






2. The physical characterisitcs resulting from the genotype. Phenotypes are usually described as dominant or recessive.






3. Toward the 5' end of an Rna transcript (the 5' end of the DNA coding strand). The promoter and start sites are upstream.






4. 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).






5. One of the four basic tissue types in the body (epithelial - connective - muscle - and nervous). Epithelial tissue is a lining and covering tissue (e.g. skin - the lining of the stomach and intestines - the lining of the urinary tract - etc. ) or a g






6. 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).






7. The smooth ER of a muscle cell - enlarged and specialized to act as a Ca2+ reservoir. The SR winds around each myofibril in the muscle cell.






8. A type of syanpse in which the cells are connected by gap junctions - allowing ions (and therefore an action potential) to spread easily from cell to cell - usually in smooth and cardiac muscle. - compared to chemical synapse.






9. The fourth of meiosis I. Telophase I is identical to mitotic telophase - except that the number of chromosoms is now reduced by half. After this phase the cell is considered to be haploid. Note however - that the chromosomes are still replicated - an






10. The specific molecule that binds to a receptor.






11. The characteristics of amolecule that has both polar (hydrophilic) and non - polar hydrophobic) regions - e.g. phospholipids - bile - etc.






12. Movement across the membrane of a cell that does not require energy input from the cell. Passive transport relies on concentration gradients to provie the driving force for movement - and includes both simple and facilitated diffusion.






13. A neuron - to - neuron - neuron - to - organ - or muscle to cell - to - muscle cell junction.






14. An organism that will use oxygen (aerobic metabolism) if it is available - and that can ferment (anaerobic metabolism) if it is not.






15. Globular protein that assist in DNA packaging in eukaryotes. Histones form octamers around which DNA is wound to form a nucleosome.






16. A protein channel in the nuclear envelope that llows the free passage of molecules smaller than 60 kD.






17. A structure composed of a ribose molecule linked to one of the aromatic bases. In a deoxynucleoside - the ribose is replaced with deoxyribose.






18. A mature - dormant osteoblast.






19. A tRNA with an amino acid attached. This is made by an animoacyl - tRNA synthetase specific to the amino acid being attache.d






20. The process by which neighboring cells can influence the determination (and subsequent differentiation) of a cell.






21. 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.






22. Also called negative feedback - the inhibition of an early step in a series of events by the product of a later step in the series. This has the effect of stopping the series of events when the products are plentiful and the series is unnecesseary. F






23. 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.






24. Active transport that relies directly on the hydrolysis of ATP.






25. Physical structures in two different organisms that have structural similarity due to a common ancestor - but may have different functions. Homologous structures arise from divergent evolution.






26. The phase of the cell cycle during which the replicated genome is divided. Mitosis has four phases (prophase - metaphase - anaphase - telophase) and includes cytokinesis (the physical splitting of the cell into two new cells).






27. The monomer of a protein; amino acids hae an amio group on one end fo the molecule and a carboxylic acid group on the other - and of the of 2 different side chains.






28. Diploid cells resultinf rom the activation of a spermatogoium; primary spermatocytes are ready to enter meiosis I. remember: cyte means ready to undergo meiosis.






29. One of the contractie proteins in muscle tissue. In skeletal and cardiac muscles - myosin forms the thick filaments. Myosin has intrinsic ATPase activity and can exist in two conformation - either high energy or low energy.






30. 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.






31. The specific site on an antigenic molecule that binds to a T cell receptor or to an antibody.






32. The return of membrane potential to normal resting values after a depolarization of hyperpolarization.






33. Myelinated axons






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






35. A fibrous - connective - tissue protein taht has the ability to recoil to its original shape after being stretche.d Elastin is found in great amounts in lung tissue - arterial tissue - skin - and the epiglottis.






36. Movement that is directed by chemical gradients - such as nutrients or toxins. (seen in some bacteria)






37. A localized change in a neruon's or musce cell's membrane potential that can propogate itself away from its point of origin. Action potentials are an all - or - none process mediated by the opening of voltage - gated Na+ and K+ channels when the memb






38. Lacking a blood supply; cartialge is an example of this






39. An ion channel that is constitutively open - allowing the movement of teh ion across the plasma membrane according to its concentration gradient.






40. An enzyme inhibitor that competes with substrate for binding at the active site of teh enzyme. When the inhibitor is bound - no product can be made.






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






42. 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.






43. The primary male sex organ. The testes are suspended outside the body cavity in the scrotum and have two functions (1) produce sperm - and (2) secrete testosterone.






44. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin - a hormone secreted by the trophoblast cells of a blasocyst (i.e. developing embryo) that prolongs the life of the corpus luteum - and thus increases the duration and amount of secreted progesterone. This helps to mainta






45. A prokaryotic enzyme used to twist teh single circular chromosome of prokaryotes upon itself to form supercois. Supercoiling helps to compact prokaryotic DNa and make it sturdier.






46. A long - coiled duct on the outside of the testis in which sperm mature.






47. A group of blood proteins that bind non - specifically to the surface proteins of foreign cells (such as bacteria) - ultimately leading to the destruction of the foreign cell - part of the innate immunity.






48. 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).






49. A four - carbon molecule that binds with the two - carbon acetyl unit of acetyl - CoA to form citric acid in the first step of the Krebs cycle.






50. A dense grwoth of bacteria that covers the surface of a petri dish.