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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 portion of the nephron after the glomerulus and apsule; the region of the nephron where the filtrate is modified along its path to becoming urine.






2. The volume of air inhaled and exhaled in a normla - resting breath - typically about 500 mL.






3. The theory that mitochondria and chloroplasts originated as independent unicellular organsims living in symbiosis with larger cells






4. The osmotic pressure in the blood vessels due only to plasma proteins (primarily albumin) --> causes water to rush back into capillaries at end.






5. 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)






6. Also known as the cortical reaction - the slow block invovles an increase in intracellular [Ca2+] in the egg - which causes the release of cortical granules near the egg plasma membrane. This results in the hardening of the zona pellucida and its sep






7. The volume of blood pumped out of the heart in one minute (vol/min); the product of the stroke volume (vol/beat) and the heart rate (beat/min). Cardiac output is directly proportional to blood pressure**.






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






9. Salivary amylase






10. A mutation caused by an insertion or deletion of base pairs in a gene sequence in DNA such that the reading frame of the gene (and thus teh amino acid sequence of the protein) is altered.






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






12. Movement of a hydrophilic molecuel across the plasma membrane of a cell - down its concentration gradient - through a channel - pore - or carrier molecule in the membrane. Because the hydrophilic nature of the molecule - it requires a special path th






13. Connective tissue with large amounts of either collagen fibers (making them strong) or elastic fibers - or both. Dense tissues are typically strong (e.g. bone - cartilage - tendons - etc.)






14. The region of teh brain that coordinates and smooth skeletal muscle activity.






15. An ion channel specific for potassium found in the plasma membrane of all cells in the body. Leak channels are constitutively open and allow their specifi ion to move across the membrane according to its gadient. Potassium leak channels allow potassi






16. The tubes that carry urine from the kindeys to the bladder.






17. 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'






18. Transfer RNA; the type of RNA that carries an amino acid from the cytoplasm to the ribosome for incorporation into a growing protein.






19. The portion of the nephron where water reabsorption is regulated via antidiuretic hormone (ADH). Several nephrons empty into each collecting duct - and this is the final region through which urine must passon its way to the ureter.






20. A methylated guanine nucleotide added to the 5' end of eukaryotic mRNA. The cap is necessary to initiate translation of mRNA

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21. Physical structures in two different organism that have funcitonal similarity due to their evoluntion in a common environment - but have different underlying structure. Analogous structures arise from convergent evolution.






22. Strong contractions of the uterus (stimulated by oxytoncin) that force a baby out of the mother's baby during childbirth. Labor contractions are part of a positive feedback cycle - during which the baby's head stretches the cervix - which stimulates






23. 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).






24. The period of human development beginning at 8 weeks of gestation and lasting until birth (38-42 weeks of gestation). During this stage the organs formed in the embryonic stage grow and mature. The developing baby is known as a fetus during this time






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






26. 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






27. 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.






28. 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.






29. A point mutation in which a codon that specifies an amino acid is mutated into a new codon that specifies the same amion acid.






30. The specialized cells of the heart that spontaneously initiate action potentials and transmit them to the cardiac muscle cells. The cells of the conduction system are essentially cardiac muscle cells - but lack the contractile fibers of the muscle ce






31. Also called Leydig cells - these are teh cells within testes that produce and secrete testosteron. They are stimulated by luteinizing hormone (LH).






32. A person with blood type AB+. Because this person's red blood cells possess all of the typical blood surface proteins - they will not display an immune reaction if transfused with any of the other blood types.






33. A type of lymphocyte that can recognize (bind to) an antigen adn secrete an antibody specific for that antigen. When activated by binding an antigen - B cells mature into plasma cells (that secreted antibody) and memory cells (that patrol the body fo






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






35. 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






36. The largest organ in the abdominal cavity. The liver has many roles - including procesing of carbohydrates and fats - synthesis of urea - production of blood proteins - production of bile - recycling heme - and storage of vitamins.






37. 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






38. 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.






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






40. A eukaryotic organelle filled with digestive enzymes (acid hydrolases) that is involved in digestion of macromolecules such as worng organelles or material ingested by phagocytosis.






41. The second major node of the cardiac conduction system (after the SA node). The cardiac impulse is delayed slightly at teh AV node - allowing the ventricles to contract just after the atria contract.






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






43. A layer of cells surroudning the granulosa cells of the follicles in an ovary. Thecal cells help produce the estrogen secreted from the follicle during the first phase of the ovarian cycle.






44. An enzyme that transcribes RNa. Prokaryotes have a single RNA pol - while eukaryotes have three; in eukaryotes - RNA pol I transcribes rRNA - RNA pol II transcribes mRNA - and RNA pol III transcribes tRNA.






45. The failure of homologous chromosomes or sister chromatids to separate properly during cell division. This could ocur during anaphase I of meiosis (homologous chromosomes) [--> leaving 2 gametes w/ 2 copies and 2 gametes w/ no copies of chromosome] -






46. A point mutation in which a pyrimidine is susbstituted for a pyrimidine - or a purine is substituted for a purine.






47. The outer protein coat of a virus (the whole coat)






48. A phagocytic - like bone cell that breaks down bone matrix to release calcium and phosphate into the bloodstream.






49. The newly forming daughter strand of DNA that is replicated in a discontinuous fashion - via Okazaki fragments that will ultimately be ligated together; the daugther strand that is replicated in the opposite direction that parallel DNA is unwinding






50. Small cavities in the bone or cartilage that hold individual bones or cartilage cells.