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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. Something that works together with another thing to augment the the second thing's activity. For example - a uscle that assists another muslce is said to be a syngergist. An enzyme that helps another enzyme is a synergist.






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






3. The ability of tissues to regulate their own blood flow in the absence of neural stiulation. THis is generally accomplished via metabolic wastes (such as CO2) that act as vasodilators.






4. A region of specialized cardiac muscle cells in the right atrium of the heart that initiate the impules of heart contraction; for this reason the SA node is knownas the 'pacemaker' of the heart.






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






6. 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.






7. An organism that requires the aid of a host organism to survive - and that harms the host in the process.






8. A chromosome that does not determine gender (is not a sex chromosome). Humans have two sex chromsomes and 22 autosomes.






9. 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).






10. The monomer of a carbohydrate. Monosaccharides have the general chemical formula CnH2nOn - and common monosaccharides include glucose - fructose - galactose - and ribose.






11. The movement of a particle (the solute) in a solution from its region of high concentration to its region of low concentration ( or down it concentration gradient).






12. Aromatic bases found in DNA and RNA that are derived from purine. They have a double rightn structure and include adenine and guanine.






13. The subdivision of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord.






14. A non - bony material that fills the hollow spaces inside bones. Red bone marrow is found in regiosn of spongy bone and is the site of blood cell (red and white) production. Yellow bone marrow is found in the diaphysis (shaft) of long bones - is most






15. The smalles of all blodo vessles - typically having a diamtere just large neough for blood cells to pass through in single file. Capillaries have extremelyu thin walls to faciliate the exchange of material between the blood and the tissues.






16. The cellular elements of blood; erythrocytes - leukocytes - and platelets.






17. An alkaline - fructose - rich fluid produced by three different glands in the male reproductive tract and released during ejaculation. Semen is very nourishing for sperm.






18. A ductless gland that secretes a hormone into the blood






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






20. Muscles that help focus light on teh retin by controlling the curvature of the lens of the eye.






21. The outer ring of cells of a blastocyst. The trophoblast takes part in the formation of the placenta.






22. 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.






23. An organism that can survive in the presence of oxygen (oxygen is not toxic) - but that does not use oxygen during metabolism (anaerobic metabolism only).






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






25. An organism (such as a fungus) that feeds of dead plants and animals.






26. Cells that make up exocrine galnds - adn that secrete their products into ducts. For example - in the pancreas - acinar cells secrete digestive enzyme; in the salivary glands - acinar cells secrete saliva.






27. A string of sarcomeres with a skeletal muscle cell (hence smaller than myofiber). Each muscle cell contains hundreds of myofibirils.






28. A protein - based substance secreted by cells of the epiderms as they migrate outward. The keratin makes the cells tougher (better able to withstand abrasion) and helps make the skin waterproof.






29. The region at the center of an A band of a sarcomere that is made up of myosin only. The H zone gets shorter (and may disappear) during muscle contraction.






30. A subphase of male orgasm. Emission is the movement of sperm (via the vas deferens) and semen into the urtehra in prepartion for ejaculation.






31. Something that increases the rate of a chemical reaction by reducing the activation energy for that reaction. The free energy of reaction remains unchanged.






32. 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.






33. Pepsinogen - secreting cells foudn at teh bottom of the gastric glands






34. A group of blood proteins that bind non - specifically to the surface proteins of foreign cells (such as bacteria) - ultimately leading to the destruction of the foreign cell - part of the innate immunity.






35. Cells found in gastric glands that secrete hydrochloric acid (for hydrolysis of ingested food) and gastric intrinsic factor (for absorption of vitamin B-12).






36. Also called negative feedback - the inhibition of an early step in a series of events by the product of a later step in the series. This has the effect of stopping the series of events when the products are plentiful and the series is unnecesseary. F






37. Early embryonic ducts that can develop into male internal genitalia under the proper stimulation (testosterone).






38. (singular alveolus.) Tiny sacs - with walls only a single cell layer thick found at the end of the respiratory bronchiole tree. Alveoli are the site of gas exchange in the respiratory system.






39. 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.






40. An integral membrane proteint hat binds extracellular signaling molecules - suchas hormones and peptides.






41. The period of human development from implantation through 8 weeks of gestation. Gastrulation - neurulation - and organogenesis occur during this time period. The developing baby is known as embryo during this time period.






42. The uptake of material into a cell - usually by invagination. See also 'phagocytosis' - pinocytosis - and receptor - mediated endocytosis..






43. 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






44. 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.)






45. A group of sensory neuron cell bodies found just posterior to the spinal cord on either side. A pair of root ganglia exists for each spinal nerve that expands from the spinal cord. The ganglia are part of the peripheral nervous system (PNS).






46. Also known as the adenohypophysis - the anterior pituitary is made of gland tissue and makes and secretes six different homrones: FSH - LH - ACTH - prolactin - TSH - and growth hormone. The anterior pituitary is controlled b yreleasing and inhibiting






47. The portion of an integral membrane protein that passes through the lipid bilayer.






48. Molecules made by connecting amino acids via peptide bonds. Proteins are synthesized (translated) by ribosomes - and function as enzymes - carriers - structrual fibers - cell surface receptors - channels - porters - hormones - etc.






49. The flexible membrane in teh chochlea that supports the organ of Corti (structure which contains the hearing receptors). The fibers of the basilar membrane are short and stiff near the oval windown and long and fleaxible near the apex of the cochlea.






50. A cyclic version of adenosine monophosphate - where the phosphate is esterified to both the 5' and 3' carbons - forming a ring. Cyclic AMP is an important intracellular signaling moelcule - often called the 'second messenger.' It serves to activate c