MCAT CELL BIOLOGY STUDY GUIDE | HIGH-
YIELD MCAT PREP
Cell Theory - answer ✔✔-1) All living things are made of cells
2) Cell is the basic functional unit of life
3) Cells are formed from other cells
4) Cells contain DNA (genetic information)
Are viruses living organisms? - answer ✔✔-No. They dont contain DNA (they have RNA), and they are
not able to reproduce on their own (violates 3 and 4 of cell theory)
Eukaryotic cells vs Prokaryotic cells - answer ✔✔-Eu: Nucleus. Pro: No nucleus
Nucleus - answer ✔✔--contains all of the necessary information for replication
-surrounded by the nuclear envelope that protects nucleus from cytoplasm
Nucleolus - answer ✔✔--makes up 25% of the nucleus
-rRNA synthesis
Mitochondria - answer ✔✔--power plant of the cell, provides energy
-outer membrane, inner membrane (cristae), intermembrane space, michondrial matrix
-semi-autonomous - have their own DNA and can replicate through binary fision =
cytoplasmic/extranuclear inheritance
, **RBCs don't have mitochondria - their only source of energy is from glycolysis
Apoptosis - answer ✔✔--programmed cell death
-mitchondria can do apoptosis, as well as lysosomes
Lysosomes - answer ✔✔--have hydrolytic enzymes that can degrade substrates
-autolysis
Rough ER - answer ✔✔--has ribosomes
-place of protein translation
Smooth ER - answer ✔✔--no ribosomes
-important for lipid synthesis, detoxification of drugs/proteins
-transfer proteins from the RER to the Golgi Apparatus
Golgi Apparatus - answer ✔✔--packages and modifies the proteins, then sends them to their
corresponding cell part
-if secretory proteins, packaged in secretory granules and released into the blood stream via exocytosis
Peroxisomes - answer ✔✔--have H2O2 in them
-very important in the B oxidation of fatty acids
Cytoskeleton: 3 Parts - answer ✔✔-1) Microfilaments
2) Microtubules
3) Intermediate filaments
Microfilaments - answer ✔✔--part of the cytoskeleton
-primary protein is ACTIN
YIELD MCAT PREP
Cell Theory - answer ✔✔-1) All living things are made of cells
2) Cell is the basic functional unit of life
3) Cells are formed from other cells
4) Cells contain DNA (genetic information)
Are viruses living organisms? - answer ✔✔-No. They dont contain DNA (they have RNA), and they are
not able to reproduce on their own (violates 3 and 4 of cell theory)
Eukaryotic cells vs Prokaryotic cells - answer ✔✔-Eu: Nucleus. Pro: No nucleus
Nucleus - answer ✔✔--contains all of the necessary information for replication
-surrounded by the nuclear envelope that protects nucleus from cytoplasm
Nucleolus - answer ✔✔--makes up 25% of the nucleus
-rRNA synthesis
Mitochondria - answer ✔✔--power plant of the cell, provides energy
-outer membrane, inner membrane (cristae), intermembrane space, michondrial matrix
-semi-autonomous - have their own DNA and can replicate through binary fision =
cytoplasmic/extranuclear inheritance
, **RBCs don't have mitochondria - their only source of energy is from glycolysis
Apoptosis - answer ✔✔--programmed cell death
-mitchondria can do apoptosis, as well as lysosomes
Lysosomes - answer ✔✔--have hydrolytic enzymes that can degrade substrates
-autolysis
Rough ER - answer ✔✔--has ribosomes
-place of protein translation
Smooth ER - answer ✔✔--no ribosomes
-important for lipid synthesis, detoxification of drugs/proteins
-transfer proteins from the RER to the Golgi Apparatus
Golgi Apparatus - answer ✔✔--packages and modifies the proteins, then sends them to their
corresponding cell part
-if secretory proteins, packaged in secretory granules and released into the blood stream via exocytosis
Peroxisomes - answer ✔✔--have H2O2 in them
-very important in the B oxidation of fatty acids
Cytoskeleton: 3 Parts - answer ✔✔-1) Microfilaments
2) Microtubules
3) Intermediate filaments
Microfilaments - answer ✔✔--part of the cytoskeleton
-primary protein is ACTIN
