Biology Admission Exam Review: Victor Babeş University 2026

Comprehensive vocabulary-style flashcards covering anatomy, physiology, and cell biology for medical faculty admission prep.

Cytology

The specialized branch of biology dedicated to investigating the structural and functional properties of cells.

Gross Anatomy

The study of anatomical structures that are observable to the naked eye without the assistance of magnification tools.

Homeostasis

A vital physiological process that maintains the stability of the body's internal environment within specific limits despite external stressors.

Metabolism

The totality of chemical reactions occurring in the organism, encompassing both catabolism, which releases energy, and anabolism, which consumes it to synthesize organic matter.

Active Transport

A cellular process that moves substances across a membrane against their concentration gradient, requiring energy consumption in the form of $ATP$.

Osmosis

The passive movement of water molecules through a semi-permeable membrane from a region of low solute concentration to one of high solute concentration.

Lysosomes

Cytoplasmic vesicles originating from the Golgi apparatus that house enzymes responsible for intracellular digestion.

Mitochondria

Double-membrane organelles that conduct cellular respiration and generate energy stored in metabolic molecules.

Mitosis

A phase of the cell cycle where the replicated nuclear material is distributed equally into two identical daughter cells.

Adenosine Triphosphate ($ATP$)

An organic molecule that serves as the primary energy currency for cellular functions, releasing approximately $7.3\,kcal/mol$ when its terminal phosphate bond is broken.

Neuroglia

A diverse group of non-conducting cells, including astrocytes and Schwann cells, that provide structural and metabolic support to neurons.

Action Potential

A rapid electrochemical impulse produced by a stimulated neuron involving changes in the distribution of ions like $Na^{+}$ and $K^{+}$.

Myelin Gland

An insulative multi-layered membrane produced by oligodendrocytes or Schwann cells that facilitates the rapid transmission of nerve impulses along axons.

Reflex Arc

The fundamental anatomical path of a reflex, consisting of a receptor, sensory neuron, interneuron, motor neuron, and an effector like a muscle or gland.

Blood-Brain Barrier

A selective physiological barrier, significantly supported by astrocytes, that regulates the passage of substances between the blood and the tissue of the central nervous system.

Photoreceptors

Specialized sensory neurons in the retina, classified as rods for low-light vision and cones for color and detail perception.

Ossicles

A series of three small bones in the middle ear—the malleus, incus, and stapes—that transmit sound vibrations to the inner ear.

Otoliths

Small fragments of calcium carbonate within the vestibule that shifted by head movement to help the brain perceive static balance and posture.

Osteon

The primary structural unit of compact bone, featuring concentric rings of matrix called lamellae surrounding a central canal containing nerves and blood vessels.

Osteoclasts

Large, multinucleated cells responsible for the resorption and breakdown of bone tissue to release minerals like $Ca^{2+}$ into the blood.

Diarthrosis

A type of highly mobile synovial joint, such as the shoulder or knee, characterized by a fluid-filled cavity and articular capsule.

Sarcomere

The functional unit of contraction in striated muscle fibers, delineated by $Z$ lines and composed of overlapping filaments of actin and myosin.

Neuromuscular Junction

A specialized synapse where a motor neuron's terminal button releases the neurotransmitter acetylcholine to stimulate a muscle fiber.

Myoglobin

An iron-rich protein found in red muscle fibers that binds and stores oxygen to support prolonged aerobic respiration.

Peristalsis

The involuntary waves of smooth muscle contraction that move materials, such as food boluses, through the gastrointestinal tract.

Chyme

A semi-fluid mixture of partially digested food and gastric secretions formed in the stomach through mechanical and chemical processes.

Villi

Small, finger-like projections of the intestinal mucosa that significantly increase surface area to maximize the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream and lymph.

Hepatocytes

The functional primary cells of the liver involved in bile production, nutrient metabolism, and detoxification.

Hemoglobin

A protein in erythrocytes consisting of four polypeptide chains, each associated with an iron-containing heme group that transports $O_{2}$ and $CO_{2}$.

Erythropoiesis

The developmental process within the red bone marrow through which hematocytoblasts differentiate into mature red blood cells.

Systole

The phase of the cardiac cycle representing the period of heart muscle contraction, during which blood is pumped into the circulation.

Electrocardiogram ($ECG$)

A clinical recording of the heart's electrical activities, typically showing a $P$ wave (atrial depolarization), a $QRS$ complex (ventricular depolarization), and a $T$ wave (ventricular repolarization).

Alveoli

Microscopic air sacs in the lungs where gas exchange occurs across a thin respiratory membrane via passive diffusion.

Nephron

The functional unit of the kidney, which processes blood through filtration in the glomerulus and selective reabsorption and secretion in the tubules.

Glomerular Filtration

The initial step of urine formation where water and small solutes are forced out of the glomerular capillaries into the Bowman's capsule by blood pressure.

Spermatogenesis

The multi-stage process of male gamete production that occurs within the seminiferous tubules of the testes, beginning at puberty.

Corpus Luteum

A temporary endocrine structure formed from a ruptured ovarian follicle that secretes progesterone and estrogen to prepare the uterus for potential pregnancy.

Endometrium

The inner mucosal lining of the uterus that undergoes structural changes during the menstrual cycle and provides attachment for a developing embryo.

Adenohypophysis

The anterior lobe of the pituitary gland which synthesizes and releases tropic hormones like $TSH$, $ACTH$, and $STH$ under hypothalamic control.

Insulin

A protein hormone secreted by the pancreatic beta cells that lowers blood glucose levels by facilitating glucose uptake into body cells.