All MCAT Biology Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Biology
To form a female zygote, the sperm cell must contribute which chromosome(s)?
An X-chromosome
Two X-chromosomes
Both an X- and a Y-chromosome
A Y-chromosome
Two Y-chromosomes
An X-chromosome
The necessary genotype for a female zygote is XX.
The mother will share this XX genotype (since she is also female) and will contribute one X-chromosome. The father, however, will be male and have the genotype XY. This means he has a 50% chance of passing on an X-chromosome and a 50% chance of passing on a Y-chromosome. If the zygote inherits a Y-chromosome from the father's sperm, then the offspring will be male. If the zygote inherits an X-chromosome from the father's sperm, then the resulting genotype will be XX and the offspring will be female.
Example Question #1 : Reproductive System And Development
What is a totipotent cell?
Stem cells from adult tissues
A cell that has the ability to form a complete organism through embryogenesis
A cell that has the ability to differentiate into a limited number of tissue types if exposed to the appropriate chemical signals
Stem cells from the inner cell mass
A cell that has the ability to differentiate into any type of tissue if exposed to the appropriate chemical signals
A cell that has the ability to form a complete organism through embryogenesis
Totipotent cells have the ability to propogate and differentiate into any cell types, including the trophoblast. They are different from stem cells, which could be considered multipotent (able to differentiate into multiple tissue types) or pleuripotent (able to differentiate into any major tissue type, but cannot create trophoblast). The only truly totipotent cells are the first two blastomeres.
Example Question #1 : Systems Biology And Tissue Types
What is the "common dogma"?
None of the other answers
Cells lose genetic material over time, becoming less totipotent
All cells come from other cells
Most cells in the body contain a complete genome, despite the fact that most of the genes in the genome are not necessary for each cell's specific function
All organisms are made of cells
Most cells in the body contain a complete genome, despite the fact that most of the genes in the genome are not necessary for each cell's specific function
Most cells contain a complete genome, but not all genes are activated in each cell. Activation of particular genes produces appropriate protein function.
Example Question #1 : Reproductive System And Development
Differentiation of the endoderm in a developing human embryo will eventually give the human the ability to __________.
think
produce urine
move
circulate blood
breathe
breathe
The endoderm develops into a number of internal organs, including the lung, which are vital for breathing.
The kidneys (urine production), muscles (movement), and blood vessels (blood circulation) develop from the mesoderm. The brain (thought) develops from the ectoderm.
Example Question #1 : Systems Biology And Tissue Types
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) stimulates the growth of a follicle in the ovary, a process that occurs __________.
between birth and puberty
between puberty and menopause
only before the female is born
between fertilization and birth
between puberty and menopause
At puberty, the oocytes arrested at birth in meiosis I resume growth. This most often happens once a month, if fertilization has not occurred, and continues from puberty until menopause. The oocytes arrested at birth complete meiosis I, and are then arrested in meiosis II until fertilization occurs. During ovulation, the follicle ruptures and develops into the corpus luteum. Without fertilization, the endometrium is shed and the cycle continues. Once menopause is reached, this cycle ceases and most often women are no longer fertile.
Example Question #1 : Reproductive System
The hormones FSH and LH are involed in oogenesis in women. When LH surges in the ovarian cycle, what event will result?
Menstruation
Corpus luteum degradation
Endometrium proliferation
Ovulation
None of the above
Ovulation
Follicles are stimulated to grow when FSH level rises. The follicles produce estrogen that exerts a positive feedback on LH, whose levele begin to rise. When LH levels peak on the 14th day of the cycle, the follicle ruptures, releasing the egg from the ovary and leaving the corpus luteum behind in the ovary. After ovulation, the corpus luteum secretes both estrogen and progesterone to inhibit GnRH. When GnRH is inhibited, FSH and LH will also be inhibited.
Example Question #1 : Reproductive System And Development
An environmental toxin has been found to directly disrupt normal gamete production in women. What tissue or organ is the toxin likely localizing to?
Oviduct
Ovaries
Endometrium
None of these
Uterus
Ovaries
The most likely localization of the toxin would be to the ovaries, since this is where gamete production begins for females. For males, gametes are produced in the testes. The incorrect answers are all parts of the female reproductive system. The oviduct is where fertilization takes place. The endometrium (the lining of the uterus) is where the embryo will eventually implant.
Example Question #2 : Reproductive System
Which of the following describes the function of follicle-stimulating hormone in females?
Increase basal metabolic rate
Promote milk production
Stimulate estrogen secretion from ovaries
Promote growth of immature follicles in ovaries
Promote growth of immature follicles in ovaries
Follicle-stimulating hormone stimulates the growth of granulosa cells surrounding the primary oocyte within the ovary, which further promotes maturity of the immature follicle. Prolactin is the hormone that promotes milk production from mammary glands during pregnancy. In females, luteinizing hormone (LH) supports theca cells in the ovaries, which subsequently give rise to precursors to estrogen production. Thyroid hormones regulate metabolism by increasing basal metabolic rate.
Example Question #3 : Reproductive System
Progesterone is primarily secreted by which of the following structures?
Corpus luteum
Spermatozoon
Secondary follicle
Ovum
Primary follicle
Corpus luteum
The corpus luteum is the remnant structure of the secondary follicle after the egg is released during ovulation. It secretes progesterone following this process. The other structures do not release appreciable amounts of progesterone; the primary follicle differentiates into the secondary follicle, which in turn releases the ovum, or the egg. The spermatozoon is involved with the fertilization of the egg, and does not release any progesterone.
Example Question #2 : Female Reproductive Physiology
The presence of which of the following hormones can determine if a woman is two weeks pregnant?
Testosterone
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
Estrogen
Oxytocin
Progesterone
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone produced by a fertilized egg and can be detected about six days after conception; it is only found in pregnant women, and can be used to help detect pregnancy.
The other answers are hormones that are present in both pregnant and nonpregnant women, so they cannot be used to determine pregnancy.