MCAT Test #6
Questions and Answers
Updated 2026 A+
WhichBofBtheBfollowingBisBLEASTBlikelyBtoBcontributeBtoBtheBincidenceBofBcerebr
alBedema?
BA.BIncreasedBcerebralBbloodBflow
BB.BIncreasedBcerebrospinalBfluid
BC.BIncreasedBneuronalBintracellularBfluid
BD.BIncreasedBserumBglucoseB-
BAnswerBD.BWhileBincreasedBserumBglucoseBisBassociatedBwithBtheBelectrolyteBbalanc
eBforBmostBDKABpatients,BthereBisBnoBevidenceBpresentedBinBtheBpassageBorBtheBlite
ratureBfromBwhichBitBisBdrawnBtoBsuggestBthatBitBcontributesBtoBtheBincidenceBofBce
rebralBedemaB(choiceBDBisBnotBcausativeBandBthusBcorrect).BCerebralBedemaBwouldBb
eBinfluencedBbyBprocessesBincreasingBfluidBdeliveryBtoBorBretentionBofBfluidBinBtheBbr
ainB(choicesBA,BB,BandBCBwillBcontributeBtoBcerebralBedemaBandBareBwrong).
electronBcaptureB(typeBofBdecay)B-
BAnswerBanBatomBabsorbsBanBelectronBandBcombinesBitBwithBoneBofBitsBprotonsBto
BmakeBaBneutron
soBprotonB#BgoesBdownBbyB1
butBneutronB#BgoesBupBbyBone
diabeticBketoacidosisB(DKA)BoccursBasBaBresultBofBaBlackBofBinsulin.BThisBstateBgivesBr
iseBtoBincreasedBreleaseBofBglucagonBfromBtheBpancreasBwhichBspursBtheBliverBtoBpr
oduceBandBreleaseBglucoseBviaBglycogenolysisBandBgluconeogenesis.BLipolysisBalsoBincr
easesBinBadiposeBtissue,BreleasingBfreeBfattyBacidsB(FFAs)BintoBtheBbloodstream.BThes
eBFFAsBareBbrokenBdownBbyBtheBliverBintoBacetyl-
CoABwhichBis,BinBturn,BconvertedBtoBacetoacetateBandBβ-
hydroxybutyrate,BtheBlatterBofBwhichBcanBbeButilizedBbyBmostBtissuesBinBtheBbodyBas
,BanBenergyBsource.BTheBconversionBofBacetyl-CoABtoBβ-
hydroxybutyricBacidBisBshownBinBFigureB1
TheBadministrationBofBinsulinBtoBaBpatientBwithBdiabeticBketoacidosisBwillBhaveBtheB
mostBdirectBeffectBonBwhichBofBtheBfollowingBreactions?
BA.BCombinationBofBtwoBacetyl-CoABmoleculesBintoBacetoacetyl-CoA
BB.BConversionBofBacetoacetyl-CoABtoBHMG-CoA
BC.BBreakdownBofBacetoacetateBintoBacetoneBandBD-β-hydroxybB-
BAnswerBD.BBasedBonBtheBdescriptionBinBtheBpassage,BtheBbiochemicalBprocessBwhic
hBgivesBriseBtoBdiabeticBketoacidosisBinBtheBcontextBofBsevereBinsulinBdeficiencyBisBke
togenesisBfollowingBtheBbreakdownBofBtriglyceridesBinBadiposeBtissue,BreleaseBofBfree
BfattyBacidsBintoBtheBblood,BandBsubsequentBβ-
oxidationBofBthoseBfreeBfattyBacids.BThusBtheBmostBdirectBeffectBofBtheBadministratio
nBofBinsulinBwouldBbeBtoBreduceBtheBbreakdownBofBadiposeBtriglyceridesB(choiceBDBi
sBcorrect).BWhileBtheBrateBofBketogenesisBwouldBdecreaseBuponBadministrationBofBins
ulinBtoBaBDKABpatient,BallBofBtheBstepsBofBketogenesisBinBFigureB1BwouldBbeBaffecte
dBdownstreamBfromBtheBdecreaseBinBtriglycerideBbreakdownB(decreasedBrateBofBtheB
ketogenicBstepsBdescribedBinBAnswerBchoicesBA,BB,BandBCBwouldBbeBindirectBeffectsB
ofBinsulinBadministration;Bthus,BtheseBAnswerBchoicesBareBincorrect).
WhichBofBtheBfollowingBmetabolicBderangementsBareBmostBlikelyBtoBbeBfoundBinBDia
beticBketoacidosis?
AccumulationBofBintracellularBglucose
IncreasedBplasmaBfattyBacidBconcentration
DecreaseBinBplasmaBpH
B
BA.BIBonly
BB.BIIIBonly
BC.BIIBandBIIIBonlyB
BD.BI,BII,BandBIIIB-
BAnswerBC.BItemBIBisBfalse:BDueBtoBtheBlackBofBinsulin,BcellsBwillBexperienceBaBshort
,ageBofBintracellularBglucoseBdueBtoBaBlackBofBexpressionBofBGLUT4BchannelsBwhichBa
reBresponsibleBforBtransportingBextracellularBglucoseBinBtoBtheBintracellularBcompartm
entB(choicesBABandBDBareBwrong).BItemBIIBisBtrue:BtheBpassageBstatesBthatBaBlackBof
BinsulinBleadsBtoBincreaseBlipolysisBandBreleaseBofBfreeBfattyBacidsBintoBtheBbloodstre
amB(choiceBBBcanBbeBeliminatedBandBchoiceBCBisBcorrect).BNoteBthatBItemBIIIBisBalso
Btrue:BtheB"acidosis"BpartBofB"ketoacidosis"BimpliesBaBdecreasedBplasmaBpH.
BasedBonBinformationBpresentedBinBtheBpassage,BwhichBofBtheBfollowingBmechanisms
BisBLEASTBlikelyBtoBbeBeffectiveBinBtreatingBcerebralBedemaBinBpatientsBwithBdiabetic
Bketoacidosis?
BA.BIncreasingBcellularBelectrolyteBuptakeBinBcentralBnervousBsystemBneuronsB
BB.BIncreasingBtheBosmoticBpressureBofBserumBplasma
BC.BDecreasingBgenerationBofBketoneBbodies
BD.BDecreasingBserumBglucoseBconcentrationB-
BAnswerBA.BAsBitBwouldBincreaseBtheBosmoticBpressureBofBtheBintracellularBcompart
ment,BincreasingBcellularBuptakeBofBelectrolytesBwouldBmostBlikelyBincreaseBtheBaccu
mulationBofBfluidBinBtheBbrain;Bplus,BtheBpassageBmentionsBblockingBaBchannelBrespo
nsibleBforBthisBfunctionB(NKCC1)BasBaBnovelBtreatmentBtargetBforBcerebralBedemaB(ch
oiceBABisBtheBleastBeffectiveBtreatmentBforBcerebralBedemaBandBisBthereforeBcorrect).
BIncreasingBtheBosmoticBpressureBofBserumBplasmaB(byBadministrationBofBhypertonicB
saline)BwouldBpullBfluidBfromBtheBbrainBintoBtheBbloodstreamBwhereBitBcanBbeBexcre
tedB(choiceBBBisBaBreasonableBtreatmentBandBcanBbeBeliminated).BAdministrationBofBi
nsulinBwillBresultBinBtheBdown-
regulationBofBbothBlipolysisBandBketogenesis,BdecreasingBtheBgenerationBofBketoneBbo
diesB(choiceBCBisBwrong).BAmongBotherBeffects,BaBdecreaseBinBserumBglucoseBwillBlik
elyBresultBfromBinsulinBadministration.BWhetherBthisBwouldBameliorateBorBexacerbateB
cerebralBedemaBisBunclearBbasedBonBtheBdataBshownBinBTableB1;Bthus,BitBisBunclear
BwhetherBthisBinterventionBwouldBbeBhelpfulBorBhurtfulB(theBeffectBofBchoiceBDBisBn
otBclear,BmakingBchoiceBABaBbetterBAnswer).BNoteBalsoBthatBchoicesBBBandBCBareBd
escribedBinBtheBpassageBasBtreatments,BthusBareBlikelyBtoBbeBeffectiveBandBcanBbeBe
liminated.
amphipathicB(orBamphiphilic)BmoleculesB-
BAnswerBtheyBareBbothBhydrophilicBandBhydrophobic
, AmphotericBmoleculesB-BAnswerBcanBactBasBeitherBacidsBorBbases.B
ExamplesBofBamphotericBmoleculesBareBaminoBacidsB(dueBtoBtheirBaminoBandBcarbox
ylBends)BorBbicarbonateB(HCO3-
)BwhichBneutralizesBstomachBacidBinBtheBduodenumBandBfunctionsBasBaBbloodBbuffer.
WhatBareBtheBcomponentsBofBtheBpelletBformedBafterBtheBsecondBcentrifugationBstep
?
BA.BPeptidoglycan,Bphospholipids,Bgenome,BproteinsBandBenzymesB
BB.BNucleicBacidsBincludingBtheBgenome,BRNABandBtheBplasmid
BC.BCellBwallBandBplasmaBmembraneBcomponents,BRNABandBproteinsB
BD.BProteinsBandBenzymesBonlyB-BAnswerBAnswerBisBA
needBtoBrealizeBthatBtheBgenomeBisBNOTBpartBofBtheBplasmid.BtheBpassageBstatedBt
hatBtheBplasmidBneededBtoBbeBpurifiedBandBwasBtheBtargetBgoal.BsoBmyBconfusionB
wasBthatBiBthoughtBtheBplasmidBhadBtheBgenomeBinBit
First,BaBsmall,BliquidBbacterialBcultureB(3BmL)BisBgrownBovernightBinBtheBpresenceBof
BanBantibiotic;BtheBplasmidBtoBbeBpurifiedBcontainsBtheBresistanceBmarkerBforBthisBa
ntibiotic.
WhichBofBtheBfollowingBwouldBbeBidealBgrowthBconditionsBforBtheBE.BcoliBcultureBus
edBinBtheBminiprep?
BA.B30°C,BcontinuousBshaking,BnutrientBrichBmediaBcontainingBampicillin
BB.B37°C,BminimalBshaking,BnutrientBrichBmediaBcontainingBnoBampicillin
BC.B30°C,BnoBshaking,BnutrientBrichBmediaBcontainingBampicillin
BD.B37°C,BcontinuousBshaking,BnutrientBrichBmediaBcontainingBampicillinB-
BAnswerBD.BLikeBhumans,BE.BcoliBgrowBbestBatB37°C;BthisBcanBbeBinferredBfromBthe
BfactBthatBourBcolonsBareBfullBofBtheseBbacteriaB(E.Bcoli)BthatBflourishBatBourBbodyBt
Questions and Answers
Updated 2026 A+
WhichBofBtheBfollowingBisBLEASTBlikelyBtoBcontributeBtoBtheBincidenceBofBcerebr
alBedema?
BA.BIncreasedBcerebralBbloodBflow
BB.BIncreasedBcerebrospinalBfluid
BC.BIncreasedBneuronalBintracellularBfluid
BD.BIncreasedBserumBglucoseB-
BAnswerBD.BWhileBincreasedBserumBglucoseBisBassociatedBwithBtheBelectrolyteBbalanc
eBforBmostBDKABpatients,BthereBisBnoBevidenceBpresentedBinBtheBpassageBorBtheBlite
ratureBfromBwhichBitBisBdrawnBtoBsuggestBthatBitBcontributesBtoBtheBincidenceBofBce
rebralBedemaB(choiceBDBisBnotBcausativeBandBthusBcorrect).BCerebralBedemaBwouldBb
eBinfluencedBbyBprocessesBincreasingBfluidBdeliveryBtoBorBretentionBofBfluidBinBtheBbr
ainB(choicesBA,BB,BandBCBwillBcontributeBtoBcerebralBedemaBandBareBwrong).
electronBcaptureB(typeBofBdecay)B-
BAnswerBanBatomBabsorbsBanBelectronBandBcombinesBitBwithBoneBofBitsBprotonsBto
BmakeBaBneutron
soBprotonB#BgoesBdownBbyB1
butBneutronB#BgoesBupBbyBone
diabeticBketoacidosisB(DKA)BoccursBasBaBresultBofBaBlackBofBinsulin.BThisBstateBgivesBr
iseBtoBincreasedBreleaseBofBglucagonBfromBtheBpancreasBwhichBspursBtheBliverBtoBpr
oduceBandBreleaseBglucoseBviaBglycogenolysisBandBgluconeogenesis.BLipolysisBalsoBincr
easesBinBadiposeBtissue,BreleasingBfreeBfattyBacidsB(FFAs)BintoBtheBbloodstream.BThes
eBFFAsBareBbrokenBdownBbyBtheBliverBintoBacetyl-
CoABwhichBis,BinBturn,BconvertedBtoBacetoacetateBandBβ-
hydroxybutyrate,BtheBlatterBofBwhichBcanBbeButilizedBbyBmostBtissuesBinBtheBbodyBas
,BanBenergyBsource.BTheBconversionBofBacetyl-CoABtoBβ-
hydroxybutyricBacidBisBshownBinBFigureB1
TheBadministrationBofBinsulinBtoBaBpatientBwithBdiabeticBketoacidosisBwillBhaveBtheB
mostBdirectBeffectBonBwhichBofBtheBfollowingBreactions?
BA.BCombinationBofBtwoBacetyl-CoABmoleculesBintoBacetoacetyl-CoA
BB.BConversionBofBacetoacetyl-CoABtoBHMG-CoA
BC.BBreakdownBofBacetoacetateBintoBacetoneBandBD-β-hydroxybB-
BAnswerBD.BBasedBonBtheBdescriptionBinBtheBpassage,BtheBbiochemicalBprocessBwhic
hBgivesBriseBtoBdiabeticBketoacidosisBinBtheBcontextBofBsevereBinsulinBdeficiencyBisBke
togenesisBfollowingBtheBbreakdownBofBtriglyceridesBinBadiposeBtissue,BreleaseBofBfree
BfattyBacidsBintoBtheBblood,BandBsubsequentBβ-
oxidationBofBthoseBfreeBfattyBacids.BThusBtheBmostBdirectBeffectBofBtheBadministratio
nBofBinsulinBwouldBbeBtoBreduceBtheBbreakdownBofBadiposeBtriglyceridesB(choiceBDBi
sBcorrect).BWhileBtheBrateBofBketogenesisBwouldBdecreaseBuponBadministrationBofBins
ulinBtoBaBDKABpatient,BallBofBtheBstepsBofBketogenesisBinBFigureB1BwouldBbeBaffecte
dBdownstreamBfromBtheBdecreaseBinBtriglycerideBbreakdownB(decreasedBrateBofBtheB
ketogenicBstepsBdescribedBinBAnswerBchoicesBA,BB,BandBCBwouldBbeBindirectBeffectsB
ofBinsulinBadministration;Bthus,BtheseBAnswerBchoicesBareBincorrect).
WhichBofBtheBfollowingBmetabolicBderangementsBareBmostBlikelyBtoBbeBfoundBinBDia
beticBketoacidosis?
AccumulationBofBintracellularBglucose
IncreasedBplasmaBfattyBacidBconcentration
DecreaseBinBplasmaBpH
B
BA.BIBonly
BB.BIIIBonly
BC.BIIBandBIIIBonlyB
BD.BI,BII,BandBIIIB-
BAnswerBC.BItemBIBisBfalse:BDueBtoBtheBlackBofBinsulin,BcellsBwillBexperienceBaBshort
,ageBofBintracellularBglucoseBdueBtoBaBlackBofBexpressionBofBGLUT4BchannelsBwhichBa
reBresponsibleBforBtransportingBextracellularBglucoseBinBtoBtheBintracellularBcompartm
entB(choicesBABandBDBareBwrong).BItemBIIBisBtrue:BtheBpassageBstatesBthatBaBlackBof
BinsulinBleadsBtoBincreaseBlipolysisBandBreleaseBofBfreeBfattyBacidsBintoBtheBbloodstre
amB(choiceBBBcanBbeBeliminatedBandBchoiceBCBisBcorrect).BNoteBthatBItemBIIIBisBalso
Btrue:BtheB"acidosis"BpartBofB"ketoacidosis"BimpliesBaBdecreasedBplasmaBpH.
BasedBonBinformationBpresentedBinBtheBpassage,BwhichBofBtheBfollowingBmechanisms
BisBLEASTBlikelyBtoBbeBeffectiveBinBtreatingBcerebralBedemaBinBpatientsBwithBdiabetic
Bketoacidosis?
BA.BIncreasingBcellularBelectrolyteBuptakeBinBcentralBnervousBsystemBneuronsB
BB.BIncreasingBtheBosmoticBpressureBofBserumBplasma
BC.BDecreasingBgenerationBofBketoneBbodies
BD.BDecreasingBserumBglucoseBconcentrationB-
BAnswerBA.BAsBitBwouldBincreaseBtheBosmoticBpressureBofBtheBintracellularBcompart
ment,BincreasingBcellularBuptakeBofBelectrolytesBwouldBmostBlikelyBincreaseBtheBaccu
mulationBofBfluidBinBtheBbrain;Bplus,BtheBpassageBmentionsBblockingBaBchannelBrespo
nsibleBforBthisBfunctionB(NKCC1)BasBaBnovelBtreatmentBtargetBforBcerebralBedemaB(ch
oiceBABisBtheBleastBeffectiveBtreatmentBforBcerebralBedemaBandBisBthereforeBcorrect).
BIncreasingBtheBosmoticBpressureBofBserumBplasmaB(byBadministrationBofBhypertonicB
saline)BwouldBpullBfluidBfromBtheBbrainBintoBtheBbloodstreamBwhereBitBcanBbeBexcre
tedB(choiceBBBisBaBreasonableBtreatmentBandBcanBbeBeliminated).BAdministrationBofBi
nsulinBwillBresultBinBtheBdown-
regulationBofBbothBlipolysisBandBketogenesis,BdecreasingBtheBgenerationBofBketoneBbo
diesB(choiceBCBisBwrong).BAmongBotherBeffects,BaBdecreaseBinBserumBglucoseBwillBlik
elyBresultBfromBinsulinBadministration.BWhetherBthisBwouldBameliorateBorBexacerbateB
cerebralBedemaBisBunclearBbasedBonBtheBdataBshownBinBTableB1;Bthus,BitBisBunclear
BwhetherBthisBinterventionBwouldBbeBhelpfulBorBhurtfulB(theBeffectBofBchoiceBDBisBn
otBclear,BmakingBchoiceBABaBbetterBAnswer).BNoteBalsoBthatBchoicesBBBandBCBareBd
escribedBinBtheBpassageBasBtreatments,BthusBareBlikelyBtoBbeBeffectiveBandBcanBbeBe
liminated.
amphipathicB(orBamphiphilic)BmoleculesB-
BAnswerBtheyBareBbothBhydrophilicBandBhydrophobic
, AmphotericBmoleculesB-BAnswerBcanBactBasBeitherBacidsBorBbases.B
ExamplesBofBamphotericBmoleculesBareBaminoBacidsB(dueBtoBtheirBaminoBandBcarbox
ylBends)BorBbicarbonateB(HCO3-
)BwhichBneutralizesBstomachBacidBinBtheBduodenumBandBfunctionsBasBaBbloodBbuffer.
WhatBareBtheBcomponentsBofBtheBpelletBformedBafterBtheBsecondBcentrifugationBstep
?
BA.BPeptidoglycan,Bphospholipids,Bgenome,BproteinsBandBenzymesB
BB.BNucleicBacidsBincludingBtheBgenome,BRNABandBtheBplasmid
BC.BCellBwallBandBplasmaBmembraneBcomponents,BRNABandBproteinsB
BD.BProteinsBandBenzymesBonlyB-BAnswerBAnswerBisBA
needBtoBrealizeBthatBtheBgenomeBisBNOTBpartBofBtheBplasmid.BtheBpassageBstatedBt
hatBtheBplasmidBneededBtoBbeBpurifiedBandBwasBtheBtargetBgoal.BsoBmyBconfusionB
wasBthatBiBthoughtBtheBplasmidBhadBtheBgenomeBinBit
First,BaBsmall,BliquidBbacterialBcultureB(3BmL)BisBgrownBovernightBinBtheBpresenceBof
BanBantibiotic;BtheBplasmidBtoBbeBpurifiedBcontainsBtheBresistanceBmarkerBforBthisBa
ntibiotic.
WhichBofBtheBfollowingBwouldBbeBidealBgrowthBconditionsBforBtheBE.BcoliBcultureBus
edBinBtheBminiprep?
BA.B30°C,BcontinuousBshaking,BnutrientBrichBmediaBcontainingBampicillin
BB.B37°C,BminimalBshaking,BnutrientBrichBmediaBcontainingBnoBampicillin
BC.B30°C,BnoBshaking,BnutrientBrichBmediaBcontainingBampicillin
BD.B37°C,BcontinuousBshaking,BnutrientBrichBmediaBcontainingBampicillinB-
BAnswerBD.BLikeBhumans,BE.BcoliBgrowBbestBatB37°C;BthisBcanBbeBinferredBfromBthe
BfactBthatBourBcolonsBareBfullBofBtheseBbacteriaB(E.Bcoli)BthatBflourishBatBourBbodyBt
