Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) Exam study
guide Questions and Answers Latest 2024/2025
1. stop codon codon that signals to ribosomes to stop translation (last
•
exon in a series of exons)
2. partial coding se- portion of DNA/RNA that codes for protein (subset of a
quence exon)
3. splice acceptor Located at the 3' end of the intron, terminates the intron
site with an AG sequence (exon/intron border)
4. splice donor site 5' end of intron (exon/intron border)
5. promoter region of DNA that indicates to an enzyme where to bind
to make RNA
6. signal sequence the sequence mature RNA sequence within a protein that
directs the protein to a particular organelle
7. nuclear localiza- the signal sequence for the nucleus that enables proteins
tion signal to move through pores in the nuclear envelope
8. glycolysis first step in releasing the energy of glucose, in which
a molecule of glucose is broken into two molecules of
pyruvic acid (making two ATPs)
9. chemiosmosis a process for synthesizing ATP using the energy of an
electrochemical gradient and the ATP synthase enzyme
(making 28 ATPs)
10. citric acid cycle completes the breakdown of glucose by oxidizing a deriv-
ative of pyruvate to carbon dioxide (making 2 ATPs)
11. electron trans- series of electron carrier proteins that shuttle high-energy
port chain electrons during ATP-generating reactions
12. steroid a type of lipid (terpene) characterized by a carbon skele-
ton consisting of four rings (6-6-6-5) with various function-
al groups attached
13. indole a particular chemical structure found in serotonin and
LSD, has two fused rings
, Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) Exam study
guide Questions and Answers Latest 2024/2025
14. monoterpene
• a single terpene unit, contains two isoprene units
15. proximal convo- first section of the renal tubule that the blood flows
luted tubule through; reabsorption of water, ions, and all organic nutri-
ents
16. distal convoluted between the loop of Henle and the collecting duct, selec-
tubule tive reabsorption and secretion occur here, most notably
to regulate reabsorption of water and sodium
17. cortical portion reabsorbs NaCl but is impermeable to water
of collecting duct
18. medullary por- more permeable to water than to NaCl (glomerular filtrate
tion of collecting reaches highest concentration)
duct
19. transcription fac- a regulatory protein that binds to DNA and affects tran-
tors scription of specific genes
20. active transport the movement of ions or molecules across a cell mem-
brane into a region of higher concentration, assisted by
enzymes and requiring energy
21. receptor mediat- the movement of specific molecules into a cell by the
ed endocytosis inward budding of membranous vesicles containing pro-
teins with receptor sites specific to the molecules being
taken in, enables a cell to acquire bulk quantities of spe-
cific substances
22. diffusion direct- accomplished by hydrophobic molecules
ly through the
membrane
23. ion channel a complex of protein molecules in a cell membrane that
form a pore through which ions can pass, used for elec-
trochemical gradients (secondary transport)
24. translocation
, Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) Exam study
guide Questions and Answers Latest 2024/2025
change to a chromosome in which a fragment of one
• chromosome attaches to a nonhomologous chromosome
25. lipid rafts lipids assembled in a defined patch in the cell membrane,
specifically the plasma membrane
26. microtubules a hollow rod composed of tubulin proteins that makes up
part of the cytoskeleton in all eukaryotic cells and is found
in cilia and flagella, form mitotic spindle in cell division
27. microfilaments fine, threadlike proteins found in the cell's cytoskeleton
used for cell movement, made up of actin
28. intermediate fila- threadlike proteins in the cell's cytoskeleton that are
ments roughly twice as thick as microfilaments, not used for
cellular movement, instead used to anchor organelles in
place
29. countercurrent a system for exchanging materials or heat when the
exchange two different components flow in opposite directions past
system each other, pertains to renal medulla osmolarity
30. glomerular capil- blood pressure inside capillary tends to move fluid or
lary pressure filtrate out of capillary into Bowman's capsule
31. capsular hydro- pressure exerted by fluid in the glomerular capsule
static pressure against the fluids coming out of the glomerulus, 1st form
of opposition to filtration
32. blood colloid os- the largest driving force for pulling fluid from the interstitial
motic pressure spaces back into the capillaries, tries to pull water in
because it has less solutes in solution
33. enzyme activator molecules that bind to enzymes and increase their activity
34. oxidative phos- electron transport chain and chemiosmosis
phorylation
35. acetyl coenzyme
A
guide Questions and Answers Latest 2024/2025
1. stop codon codon that signals to ribosomes to stop translation (last
•
exon in a series of exons)
2. partial coding se- portion of DNA/RNA that codes for protein (subset of a
quence exon)
3. splice acceptor Located at the 3' end of the intron, terminates the intron
site with an AG sequence (exon/intron border)
4. splice donor site 5' end of intron (exon/intron border)
5. promoter region of DNA that indicates to an enzyme where to bind
to make RNA
6. signal sequence the sequence mature RNA sequence within a protein that
directs the protein to a particular organelle
7. nuclear localiza- the signal sequence for the nucleus that enables proteins
tion signal to move through pores in the nuclear envelope
8. glycolysis first step in releasing the energy of glucose, in which
a molecule of glucose is broken into two molecules of
pyruvic acid (making two ATPs)
9. chemiosmosis a process for synthesizing ATP using the energy of an
electrochemical gradient and the ATP synthase enzyme
(making 28 ATPs)
10. citric acid cycle completes the breakdown of glucose by oxidizing a deriv-
ative of pyruvate to carbon dioxide (making 2 ATPs)
11. electron trans- series of electron carrier proteins that shuttle high-energy
port chain electrons during ATP-generating reactions
12. steroid a type of lipid (terpene) characterized by a carbon skele-
ton consisting of four rings (6-6-6-5) with various function-
al groups attached
13. indole a particular chemical structure found in serotonin and
LSD, has two fused rings
, Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) Exam study
guide Questions and Answers Latest 2024/2025
14. monoterpene
• a single terpene unit, contains two isoprene units
15. proximal convo- first section of the renal tubule that the blood flows
luted tubule through; reabsorption of water, ions, and all organic nutri-
ents
16. distal convoluted between the loop of Henle and the collecting duct, selec-
tubule tive reabsorption and secretion occur here, most notably
to regulate reabsorption of water and sodium
17. cortical portion reabsorbs NaCl but is impermeable to water
of collecting duct
18. medullary por- more permeable to water than to NaCl (glomerular filtrate
tion of collecting reaches highest concentration)
duct
19. transcription fac- a regulatory protein that binds to DNA and affects tran-
tors scription of specific genes
20. active transport the movement of ions or molecules across a cell mem-
brane into a region of higher concentration, assisted by
enzymes and requiring energy
21. receptor mediat- the movement of specific molecules into a cell by the
ed endocytosis inward budding of membranous vesicles containing pro-
teins with receptor sites specific to the molecules being
taken in, enables a cell to acquire bulk quantities of spe-
cific substances
22. diffusion direct- accomplished by hydrophobic molecules
ly through the
membrane
23. ion channel a complex of protein molecules in a cell membrane that
form a pore through which ions can pass, used for elec-
trochemical gradients (secondary transport)
24. translocation
, Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) Exam study
guide Questions and Answers Latest 2024/2025
change to a chromosome in which a fragment of one
• chromosome attaches to a nonhomologous chromosome
25. lipid rafts lipids assembled in a defined patch in the cell membrane,
specifically the plasma membrane
26. microtubules a hollow rod composed of tubulin proteins that makes up
part of the cytoskeleton in all eukaryotic cells and is found
in cilia and flagella, form mitotic spindle in cell division
27. microfilaments fine, threadlike proteins found in the cell's cytoskeleton
used for cell movement, made up of actin
28. intermediate fila- threadlike proteins in the cell's cytoskeleton that are
ments roughly twice as thick as microfilaments, not used for
cellular movement, instead used to anchor organelles in
place
29. countercurrent a system for exchanging materials or heat when the
exchange two different components flow in opposite directions past
system each other, pertains to renal medulla osmolarity
30. glomerular capil- blood pressure inside capillary tends to move fluid or
lary pressure filtrate out of capillary into Bowman's capsule
31. capsular hydro- pressure exerted by fluid in the glomerular capsule
static pressure against the fluids coming out of the glomerulus, 1st form
of opposition to filtration
32. blood colloid os- the largest driving force for pulling fluid from the interstitial
motic pressure spaces back into the capillaries, tries to pull water in
because it has less solutes in solution
33. enzyme activator molecules that bind to enzymes and increase their activity
34. oxidative phos- electron transport chain and chemiosmosis
phorylation
35. acetyl coenzyme
A
