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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 subsequent immune response to previously encountered antigen that results in antibody production and T cell activation. The secondary immune response is mediated by memory cells (produced during the primary immune respone) and is much faster and st






2. The valves in the heart that separte the atria from teh ventricles. The tricuspid valve separates teh right atrium from the right ventricel - and the bicuspid (mitral) valves separates the left atrium from the left ventricle. These valves close at th






3. A blood pressure cuff






4. Also called DNA pol - this is the enzyme that replicates DNA. Eukaryotes have a single version of the enzyme - simply called DNA pol (not need to know much detail); prokaryotes have three versions - called DNA pol I - DNA pol II - and DNA pol III.






5. The phase of the cell cycle during which the genome is replicated.






6. The middle (approximtely 40%) of the small intestine.






7. The plasma membrane of a muscle cell.






8. Plasma with the clotting factors removed. Serum is often used in diagnostic tests because it does not clot.






9. The first phase of mitosis. During prophase the replicated chromosomes condense - the spindle is formed - and the nuclear envelope breaks apart into vessicles.






10. A type of lipoprotein; the form in which absorbed fats from the intestines are transported to the circulatory system.






11. Enzymes secreted by the mucosal cells lining the intestine. The brush border enzymes are disaccharides adn dipeptidases taht digest the smallest peptides and carbohydrates into their respective monomers.






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






13. 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.






14. The portion of the digestive tract that stores and grinds food. Limited digestion occurs in the somach - and it has the lowest pH in the body (1-2).






15. The force required to resist the movement of water by osmosis. Osmotic pressure is essentialy a measure of the concentration of a solution. A solution that is hyighly concnetrated has a strong tendency to draw water into itself - so the pressure requ






16. An incrase in the fragility of the membranes of sperm cells when exposed to the female reproductive tract. Capacitation is required sot aht the acrosomal enzymes can be relased to faciliate fertilization.






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






18. A specific DNA nucleotide sequence where transcriptional regulatory proteins can bind.






19. 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.






20. A junction between cells - consisting of a protein channel called a connexon on each of the two cells that connect to form a single channel between teh cytoplasms of both cells. Gap junctions allow small molecules to flow between teh cells - and are






21. A viral enzyme that makes a strand of RNA by reading a strand of RNa . All prokaryotic and eukaryotic RNa polymerases are DNa dependent; they make a strand of RNa by reading a strand of DNA.






22. A blood vessel that carries blood toward the heart chambers. Veins do not have muscular walls - have valves to ensure that blood flows in one direction only - and are typically low - pressure vessels.






23. The regino of the digestive tract where virtually al digestion and absorption occur. It is subdivided into three regions: the duodenum - the jejunum - and the ileum.






24. The folds of skin that enclose the vaginal and urethral openings of females.






25. Photoreceptors in the retina of the eye that respond to dim light and provide us with black and white vision.






26. 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.






27. A triat determined by a gen on either the X or Y chromosomes (the sex chromosomes).






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






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






30. The membranes that line the surface of the lungs (visceral pleura) and the inside wall of the chest cavity (parietal pleura).






31. A portion of DNA that codes for some product - usually a protein - including all regulatory sequences. Some genes code for rRNA and tRNA - which are not translated.






32. Paired masses of lymphatic tissue near the back of the throat that help trap inhaled or swallowed pathogens.






33. A waste product of protein dbreakdown - produced by the liver and relased into the bloodstream to be eliminated by the kidney.






34. Also called vasopressin - this hormone is produced in the hypothalamus and secreted by teh posterior pituitary gland. It tartes teh kidney tubules - increasing their permeability to water - adn thus increasing water retention by the body. Also raises






35. Having the ability to become anything; a zygote is totipotent.






36. A thin (4 mm) layer of gray matter on the surface of the cerebral hemispheres. The cerebral cortex is the conscious mind - and is functionally divided into four pairs of lobes: the frontal lobes - the parietal lobes - the temporal lobes - and the occ






37. The main air tube leading into the respiratory system. The trachea is made of alternating rings of cartilage and connective tissue.






38. A protein complex foudn in the inner membrane of the mitochondira. It is essentially a channel that llows H+ ions to flow from teh intermembrane space to the matrix (down teh gradeint produced by the enyzmes complexes of the electron transport chain)






39. The product of glycolysis; 2 pyruvic acid (pyruvate) molecules are produced from a single glucose molecule. In the absence of oxygen - pyruvic acid undergoes fermentation and is reduced to either lactic acid or ethanol; in the presence of oxygen - py






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






41. An integral protein that selectively allows molecules across the plasma membrane. See also entries under 'ion channel' - 'voltage - gated channel' - and 'ligand - gated channel'.






42. Anterior pituitary topic hormones FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing homeon) that stimulates the gonads (testes and ovaries) to produce gametes and to secrete sex steroids.






43. The synapse between a motor neuron and a muscle cell. At the NMJ - the muscle cel lmembrane is invaginated and the axon terminus is elongated so that a greater area of membrane can be depolarized at one time.






44. 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.






45. An integral membrane protein that undergoes a conformational change to move a molecule from one side of the membrane to another. See also 'uniporter' - 'antiporter' - and 'symporter'.






46. A green fluid made from cholesterol and secreted by teh liver. It is stored and concentrated in the gallbladder. Bile isn an amphipathic molecule that is secreted itno the small intestine when fats are present - adn serves to emulsify the fats for be






47. A mature - cartilage cell.






48. Salivary amylase






49. A carrier protein that transports two molecules acrss the plasma membrane in opposite directions.






50. The blood vessels taht carry blood to and from cardiac muscle. The coronary arteries branch off teh aorta and carry oxygenated blood to the cardiac tissue. The coronary veins collect deoxygenated blood from teh cardiac tissue - merge to form teh coro