Test your basic knowledge |

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 final portion of the large intestine.






2. The reduced from (carries electrons) of FAD (flavin adenine dinucleotide). this is the other main electron carrier in cellular respiration (NADH is the most common).






3. The tube that connects the middle ear acity with the pharynx; also known as the Eustachian tube. Its fucntion is to equalize midle ear pressure with atmospheric pressure so that pressure on boths sides of the tympanic membrane is the same.






4. A thin - watery fluid found in teh anterior segment of the eye (between the lens and the cornea). THe aqueous humor is constantly produced and drained - adn helps to bring nutrients to the lesn and corena - as well as to remove metabolic wastes






5. 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.






6. An organism that makes its own - typically using CO2 as a carbon source.






7. The reactants in an enzyme - catalyzed reaction. Substrate binds at the active site of an enzyme.






8. The first phase of the ovarian cycle - during which a follicle (an oocyte and its surroudning cells) enlarges and matures. This phase is under the control of FSH from the anterior pituitary - and typically lasts from day 1 to day 14 of the menstrual






9. The protective - connective tissue wrapping of the central nervous system (the dura mater - arachnoid mater - and pia mater).






10. A large - non - sepcific - phagocytic cell of the immune syste. Macrophages frequently leave the bloodstream to crawl around in the tissues and perform 'clean up' duties - such as ingesting dead cells or cellular debris at an injury site - or pathoge






11. One of the four aromatic bases found in RNA. Uracil is pyrimidine; it pairs with adnenine.






12. The portion of the ear consisting of the pinna and the external auditory canal. The outer ear is separated from the middle ear by the tympanic membrane (the eardrum).






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






14. 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).






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






16. A pair of similar chromosomes that have the same genes in the same order - but may have different versions (alleles) of those genes. One of the pair of chromosomes came from Mom in an ovum - and the other came from Dad in a sperm. Humans have 23 pair






17. A protein channel in a cell membrane that is specific for a particular ion - such as Na+ or K+. Ion channels may be constitutively open (leak channels) - or regulated (voltage - gated or ligand - gated).






18. Salivary amylase






19. Large conglomerations of proteins - fats - and cholesterol that transport lipids in the bloodstream. (chylomicrons are a type of lipoprotein).






20. A complex polymer of sugars and amino acids; the substance From which bacterial ell walls are made.






21. MRna that codes for several different proteins by utliizing different reading frames - nested genets - etc. Polycistronic mRNa is a characteristic of prokaryotes.






22. Receptors in the carotid arteries and the aorta that monitor blood pH to help regulate ventilation rate.






23. Sperm production; occurs in human males on a daily basis from puberty until death. Spermatogenesis results in the production of four mature gametes (sperm) from a single precursor cell (spermatogonium). For maximum sperm viability - spermatogenesis r






24. Molecules made from monosaccharides that serve as the primary source of cellular energy -. Carbohydrates can also act as cell surface markers (good thing to remember).






25. A blood clot that forms in an unbrokened blood vessel. Thrombi are dangerous they can break free and begin travelin in the bloodstream (become an embolus). Emboli ultimately become stuck in a small vessel and prevent adequate blood delivery to tissue






26. The reduction of pyruvate to either ethanol or lactate in order to regenerate NAD+ from NADH. Fermentation occurs in the absence of oxygen - and allow glycolysis to continue under those conditions.






27. Mal sex hormones. Testosteron is the primary androgen.






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






29. A network of membranes inside eukarytoic cells invovled in lipid synthesis (steroid in gonads) - detoxification (in liver cells) - and/or Ca2+ storage (muscle cells).






30. Receptors in the central nervous system that monitor the pH of cerebrospinal luid to help regulate ventilation rate.






31. To remove oxygen - to add hydrogen - or to add electrons to a molecule.






32. The neurotransmitter used by the sympathetic division of the ANS at the postganglionic (organ - level ) synapse.






33. The first generation of offspring from a given genetic cross.






34. A receptor that responds to light






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






36. The space between the inner and outer cell membranes in Gram - negative bactera. The peptidoglycan cell wall is found in the periplasmic space - and this space sometimes contains enzymes to degrade antibiotics.






37. The movement of a substance across a membane via pressure. In the kidney - filtration refers specifically to the movement of plasma across the capillary walls fo the glomerulus - into the capsule and tubule of the neprhon. Filtration at teh glomerulu






38. A duodenal enzyme that activates trypsinogen (from the pancreas) to trypsin.






39. A long projection off the cell body of a neruon down which an action potential can be propagated.






40. Identical copies of a chromosome - produced during DNA replication and held together at the centromere Sister chromatids are separated during anaphase of mitosis.






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






42. A clear area in a lawn of bacteria. Plaques represent an area where bacteria are lysing (dying) and usually caused by a lytic virus.






43. A subphase of male orgasm - a reflex reaction triggered by the presence of semen in the urethra. Ejaculation is a series of rhythmic contractions of muscles near teh base of teh penis that increase pressure in the urethra - forcing the semen out.






44. DNA replication in prokaryotes - so named because as replication proceeds around the single - circular chromosome - it takes on the appearnce of the Greek letter theta.






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






46. 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.






47. A systme of ductless glands taht secrete chemical messengers (into) the blood - has to be into the blood.






48. 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






49. The release of milk from the mammary glands via contraction of ducts within the glands. Contraction is stimulated by oxytocin - which is released from the posterior pituitary when the baby begins nursing.






50. Connective tissue that lacks great amount of collagen or elastic fibers (hence - loose) - e.g. - adipose tissue and areolar (general connective) tissue.