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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. 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






2. Partially digested - semiliquid food mixed with digestive enzymes and acids in the stomach.






3. A bacterial structure formed in unfavorable growth conditions. Endospores have very rough outer shells made of peptidoglycan and can survive harsh conditions. The bacterium inside the endospore is essentially dormant and can become active (called ger






4. A bacterial enzyme that recognizes a specific DNA nucleotide sequence and that cuts the double helix at a specific site within the sequence.






5. A viral life cycle in which the viral genome is incorporated into the host genome where it can remain dormant for an unspecified period of time. Upon activation - the viral genome is excised from the host genome and typically enters the lytic cycle.






6. The non - specific uptake of solid material by a cell accomplished by englufing the particle with plasma membrane and drawing it into the cell.






7. In skeletal and cardiac muscle tissue - a filament composed of bundles of myosin molecules. The myosin head groups attach to the thick filaments and pull the toward the center of the sarcomere during muscle contraction.






8. (Singular:villus). Folds of the intestinal mucosa that project into the lumen of the intestine; vili serve to increase the surface area of the intestine for absorption.






9. A projection of the cell body of a neuron that recieves a nerve impulse form a different neuron and send the impulse to the cell body. Neurons can have one or several dendrites!






10. 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






11. The period of time following an action potential when it is possible - but difficult - for the neuron to fire a second action potential due to the fact that membrane is further from theshold potential (hyperpolarized).






12. 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






13. 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.






14. The pressure measured in the arteries during contraction of the ventricles (during systole).






15. The valve that regulates the passage of chyme from the stomach into the small intestine.






16. A membrane lipid consisting of a glycerol molecule esteried to two fatty acid chains and a sugar molecule.






17. The allele in a heterozygou genotype that is not expressed; the phenotype resulting from possession of two recessive alleles (homozygous recessive).






18. Small organelles that contain the hydrogen peroxide produced as a byproduct of lipid metabolism. Peroxisomes convert hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen by way of the enzyme catalase.






19. 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






20. The ends of a saromere.






21. A small - extrachromosomal (outside the genome) - circular DNA molecule found in prokaryotes.






22. A wave of contraction that sweeps along a muscular tube - pushing substances along the tube (e.g. - food through the digestive tract - urine through the ureters - etc.)






23. 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).






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






25. The muscle tissue of the heart Cardiac muscle is striated - uninucleate - and under involuntary control (controlled by teh autonomic nervous system). Note also that cardiac muscle is self - stimulatory - and autonomic control serves only to modify th






26. An enzyme that lyses bacterial cell walls. Lysozyme is produced in the end stages of the lytic cycle so that new viral particles can escape their hosst; it is also found in human tears and human saliva.






27. An enzyme that connects two fragments of DNA to make a single fragment; also called DNA ligase. This enzyme is usedd during DNA replication and is also used in recombinant DNA research.






28. An inactive precursor of an enzyme - activated by various methods (acid hydrolysis - cleavage by another enzyme - etc.)






29. The region of the nephron that surrounds the glomerulus. The capsule ollects the plasma that is filtered from teh capillaries in the glomerulus.

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30. The third phase of meiosis II. During anaphase II the sister chromatids are finally spearated at their centromeres and puled to opposite sides of teh cell. Note that anaphase II is identical to mitotic anaphase - excep the number of chromosmes was re






31. The hollow center of an osteon - also known as a Haversian canal. The central canal contains blood vessels - lymphatic vessels - lymphatic vessels - and nerves. Bone is laid down around the central canal in concentric rings called lamellae.






32. To attach oxygen - to remove hydrogen - or to remove electrons from a molecule.






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






34. A solid clump of cells resulting from cleavage in the early embryo. Because there is very little growth of these cells during cleavage - the morula is ony about as large as the original zygote.






35. The largest artery in teh body; the aorta carries oxygenated blood away from the left ventricle of the heart.






36. A strong band of connective tissue that connets bones to one another.






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






38. All of the cell cycle except for mitosis. Interphase includes G1 - S phase - and G2.






39. 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.






40. The plasma membrane of a muscle cell.






41. A rigid structure at the top of the trachea (so it is part of trachea - I assume) made completely out of cartilage. The larynx has three main functions: (1) its rigidness ensures that the trachea is held open (provides an open airway). (2) the epiglo






42. The muscular femal organ - in which a baby develops during pregnancy.






43. 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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44. A small cell with extremely little cytoplasm that results from the unequal cytoplasmic divsion of the primary (produces the first polar body) and the secondary (produces the second polary body) oocytes during meiosis (oogenesis). The polar bodies deg






45. The largest of the cytoplasmic filaments. Microtubules are composed of two types of protein - alpha tubulin and beta tubulin. They are dynamic fibers - constantly being built up and broken down - according to cellular needs. Microtubules form the mit






46. An enzyme that phosphorylates something else. Kinases are frequently used in regulatory pathways - phosphorylating other enzymes.






47. Anterior pituitary gland






48. The fusion of a sperm with an ovum during sexual reproduction. Fertilization typically occurs in the uterine tubes and requires capacitation of the sperm and relase of the acrosomal enzymes. Fertilization is a species - specific process - requiring b






49. A bacterium having a spiral shape (plural = spirochetes)






50. A structure near the middle of eukaryotic chromosomes to which the fibers of the mitotic spindle attach during cell division.