FRQ AP BIO UNIT 4 PROGRESS CHECK
CERTIFICATION REVIEW 2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
>> Part 1 A: Describe the first interaction that triggers signaling to begin in a
target cell.
Answer: A ligand binds to a receptor and activates a response from the cell.
This receptor can either be inside the cell or outside.
>> Part 1 B: Identify a dependent variable in the experimental design. Identify a
negative for the effects of hormone addition. Identify a likely reason why the
researchers continued their experiment for 240 minutes.
negative control: no hormone present.
The researchers may have wanted to see how long the response to the hormone
lasted or they could have wanted to see the long-term effect.
Answer: dependent variable: what was measured, so it's the level of
phosphorylated signaling proteins.
>> Part 1 C: Identify the hormone and signaling protein combination that
produced the greatest and most prolonged response. For the STAT5 response that
reached 100% at 10 minutes in Figure 1A, calculate rate the rate of decrease (%
decrease per minute) in the detected level of phosphorylated STAT5 from 10 to
30 minutes.
The rate of decrease is around 3%. (100-40=60, 60/20=3)
Answer: The addition of insulin caused high levels of phosphorylated
protein kinase B.
>> Part 1 D: The researchers claim that the similar regulation of carbohydrate
metabolism by hepatocytes when the cells are treated with growth hormone or
insulin results from the activation of different signaling pathways. Use the data
from the researchers' experiment to support their claim.
CERTIFICATION REVIEW 2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
>> Part 1 A: Describe the first interaction that triggers signaling to begin in a
target cell.
Answer: A ligand binds to a receptor and activates a response from the cell.
This receptor can either be inside the cell or outside.
>> Part 1 B: Identify a dependent variable in the experimental design. Identify a
negative for the effects of hormone addition. Identify a likely reason why the
researchers continued their experiment for 240 minutes.
negative control: no hormone present.
The researchers may have wanted to see how long the response to the hormone
lasted or they could have wanted to see the long-term effect.
Answer: dependent variable: what was measured, so it's the level of
phosphorylated signaling proteins.
>> Part 1 C: Identify the hormone and signaling protein combination that
produced the greatest and most prolonged response. For the STAT5 response that
reached 100% at 10 minutes in Figure 1A, calculate rate the rate of decrease (%
decrease per minute) in the detected level of phosphorylated STAT5 from 10 to
30 minutes.
The rate of decrease is around 3%. (100-40=60, 60/20=3)
Answer: The addition of insulin caused high levels of phosphorylated
protein kinase B.
>> Part 1 D: The researchers claim that the similar regulation of carbohydrate
metabolism by hepatocytes when the cells are treated with growth hormone or
insulin results from the activation of different signaling pathways. Use the data
from the researchers' experiment to support their claim.
