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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 layer of granulosa cells taht surround an oocyte after is has been ovulated.






2. 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**.






3. The small artery that carries blood toward the capillaries of the glomerulus.






4. Amino - acyl tRNA site; the site on a ribosome where a new amino acid is added to a growing peptide.






5. The portion of the diencephalon involved in maintaining body homeostasis. the hypothalamus also controls the release of hormones from the pituitary gland.






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






7. The modifaction of enzyme activity through interactino of molecules with specific sites on the enzyme other than the active site (called allosteric sites)






8. The third phase of the uterin (endometrial) cycle - during which the rebuilt endometrium is enhanced with glycogen and lipid stores. The secretory phase is primarily under the controll of progestone and estrogen (secreted from the copus luteum during






9. The three small bones found in the middle ear (the malleus - the incus - and the stapes) that help to amplify the vibrations from sound waves. The malleus is atached to the tympanic membrane and the stapes is attached to the oval window of the cochle






10. A sweat gland located in the dermis of the skin. Sweat consists of water and ions (including Na+ and urea) and is secreted with temperatures rise.






11. Specialized tissue with a lot of space that can fill with blood upon proper stimulation - causing teh tissue to become firm. Erectile tissue is found in the penis - the clitoris - the labia - and the nipples.






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






13. The sphincter that separates the final part of the small intestine (the ileum) from the fron part of the large intestine (the cecum). It is typically kept contracted (closed) so that chyme can remain in the small intestine as long as possible. The il






14. The process of reading a strand of mRNA to synthesize protein. Protein translation takes place on a ribosome.






15. A small gland encircling the male urethra just inferior to the bladder (only reproductive structure not paired). Its secretion contain nutrients and enzymes and account for approximately 35% of the ejaculate volume.






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






17. 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






18. Zygot - derived projections that extend into the endometrium of the uterus during pregnancy. Fetal capillaries grow into the placental villi - which are surrounded by a pool of maternal blood. THis facilitates nutrient and gas exchange between the mo






19. A hormone produced and secreted by the parathyroid glands that increases serum calcium levels. It targets the bones (stimulates osteoclasts) - the kidneys (increases calcium reabsorption) - and the small intestine (increases calcium absorption).






20. An enzyme that digests starch into disaccharides. Amylase is secreted by salivary glands and by the pancreas.






21. Myelinated axons






22. A cell characterized by the presence of a nucleus and other membrane - bound organelles. Eukaryotes can be unicellular (protists) or multicellular (fungi - plants and animals).






23. The valves in the heart that separate the ventricles from the arteries. The pulmonary semilunar valve separates the right ventricle from the pulmonary artery - and the aortic semilunar valve separates left ventricle from the aorta. These valves close






24. 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.






25. A statistical rule stating that the probability of two independent events occuring together is the product of their individual probabilities.






26. A sensory receptor that responds to mechanical disturbances - such as shape changes (being squashed - bent - pulled - etc.). Mechanoreceptors include touch receptors in the skin - hair cells - in the ear - muscle spindles - and others.






27. An organism that requires oxygen to survive (aerobic metabolism only).






28. A single piece of double - stranded DNA; part of the genome of an organism. Prokaryotes have circular chromosomes and eukaryotes have linear chromosomes.






29. The blood vessel that carries deoxygenated from the right ventricle of the heart to the lungs.






30. A hormone derived from cholesterol. Steroids are generally hydrophobic and can easily cross the plasma membrane of cells - thus receptors for steroids are found intracellularly. Once this steroid binds to its receptor - the receptor - steroid complex






31. A subset of a species consisting of members that mate and reproduce with one another.






32. Strong bands of connective tissue that connect skeletal muscle to bone.






33. The enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft.






34. The inside of the a hollow organ (e.g. - the somach - intestines - bladder - etc.) or a tube (e.g. - blood vessels - ureters - etc.)






35. The movement of a hydrophobic molecule across the plasma membrane of cell - down its concentration gradient. Since the molecule can esialy interact with the lipid bilayer - no additional help (such as a channel or pore) is required.






36. A gland that secretes a waxy product - found in the external ear canal.






37. Sensory receptors found in the inner ear. Cochlear hair cells respond to vibration in the cochlea caused by sound waves and vestibular hair cells respond to changes in position and acceleration (used for balance).






38. A concentrated region of white blood cells found along the vessels of the lympatic system.






39. The constant inhibition provided to the heart by the vagus nerve. Vagal tone reduces the intrinsic firing rate of teh SA node from 120 beats/minute to around 80 beats/minute.






40. Also known as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of the digestive tract - the alimentary canal is the long muscular 'tube' that includes the mouth esophagus - somatch - small intesitne - and large intestine.






41. A hormone secreted by the samll intestine (duodenum) in response to the presence of fats. It promotes release of bile from the gallbladder and pancreatic juice from the pancreas - and reduces stomach motility.






42. Paired glands found on the posterior external wall of the bladder in males. Their secretions contain an alkaline mucus and fructose - among other things - and make up approximately 60% of the ejaculate volume.






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






44. An asexual method of bacterial reproduction that serves only to increase the size of the population; ther is no introduciton of gnetic diversity. THe bacterium simply grows in size until it has doubled its cellular components - then it replicates its






45. A developing oocyte and all of its surrounding (supporting) cells.






46. Also called occluding junctions - tight junctions form a seal between cells that prevents the movement of substances across the cell layer - except by diffusion through the cell membranes themselves. Tight junctions are found between the epithelial c






47. The synthesis of blood cells (occurs in the red bone marrow)






48. 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'






49. One of two large chambers in the heart. The ventricles receive blood from the atria and pump it out of the lungs of the heart. The right ventricle has thing walls and pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs through the pulmonary artery. The left ventri






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