UWorld Biology and Biochemistry Flashcards

MCAT-style vocabulary cards based on UWorld FL #1 notes covering liver physiology, genetics, metabolic pathways, and laboratory techniques.

Hepatocytes

Liver cells derived from the endoderm that are responsible for macromolecule synthesis, blood glucose regulation, and detoxification.

Endoderm

The germ layer that gives rise to hepatocytes and pancreatic beta cells.

Mesoderm

The germ layer that contains cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts.

Ectoderm

The germ layer that contains neurons.

Macrophages

Leukocytes derived from monocytes in the red bone marrow that are responsible for phagocytosis.

Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) Inheritance

A condition where, if a father is heterozygous ($Aa$) and there is a $50\%$ chance for offspring to be affected or unaffected, the mother must carry two copies of the recessive $LDLR$ allele ($aa$).

Bacterial Lactate Fermentation

An anaerobic process that regenerates $NAD^+$ from $NADH$ without the use of oxygen, converting pyruvate to lactate.

Linked Loci

Gene loci indicated by a recombination frequency of less than $50\%$.

Unlinked Loci

Gene loci that have a recombination frequency of $50\%$.

Aldosterone

A hormone released by the adrenal cortex that increases $Na^+$ reabsorption in the distal convoluted tubule ($DCT$) and collecting duct to regulate blood pressure.

Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH)

A hormone released by the posterior pituitary that stimulates water reabsorption in the kidney collecting ducts and promotes vasoconstriction.

Triacylglycerols

Molecules consisting of $1$ glycerol backbone and $3$ fatty acid tails.

Restriction Enzymes

Endonucleases that recognize specific sequences of $dsDNA$ and are used to cut vector $DNA$ for gene cloning.

Transduction

The process of using a virus to transport nucleic acids ($DNA$ or $RNA$) across the plasma membrane and into a cell.

Primary Protein Structure

The specific amino acid sequence of a protein.

Secondary Protein Structure

The local folding patterns along the length of a protein.

Tertiary Protein Structure

The three-dimensional shape of an individual protein.

Quaternary Protein Structure

The overall shape of multiprotein complexes.

Synapsis

The side-by-side alignment of homologous chromosomes during meiosis that facilitates the exchange of genetic segments between nonsister chromatids.

Southern Blotting

A technique used to detect changes or deletions in a gene’s $DNA$ sequence.

Western Blotting

A technique that uses antibodies to assess the presence or absence of a specific protein.

Fluorescent Probes

Tools used to visualize the specific location and presence of transcripts or proteins in cells or tissues.

Viral Reverse Transcriptase

An enzyme that converts viral $RNA$ into $dsDNA$.

Integrase

A viral enzyme that facilitates the integration of viral $DNA$ into the host genome.

Pulmonary Artery

A blood vessel that carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs, characterized by low oxygen saturation.

Protein Denaturation

The loss of a protein's native three-dimensional structure and biological activity due to heat, $pH$, or chemicals like $SDS$.

Stop Codons

The three $mRNA$ sequences ($UAA$, $UAG$, and $UGA$) that signal the termination of translation.

Alkalization of HCN

The process of adding $OH^-$ to neutralize $H^+$ ions, shifting the equilibrium to the right and ensuring all $HCN(aq)$ dissociates into $CN^-(aq)$.

Hepatic Portal Vein

The vessel that carries nutrient-rich blood from the gastrointestinal tract to the liver for processing.

Kinetochores

Structures that bind to centromeres on chromatids and to mitotic spindle fibers to position chromosomes during mitosis.

Endocrine Signaling in Prokaryotes

A form of signaling prokaryotes cannot perform because they lack a bloodstream and multicellular body.

Respiratory Alkalosis

A condition caused by hyperventilation (often due to hypoxia at high altitudes) which results in increased blood $pH$.

Cell Determination

The first phase of maturation where a cell commits to a specific lineage through transcriptional changes.

Cell Differentiation

The process of developing specific cell type characteristics through changes in protein expression, cell shape, and function.

Induced Fit

Conformational changes in an enzyme upon substrate binding that stabilize the transition state and lower activation energy.

Proton Motive Force

The potential energy generated by the $H^+$ gradient across the inner mitochondrial membrane, often reaching up to $-180\,mV$.

Wobble Pairing

The flexible pairing between the $5'$ end of the $tRNA$ anticodon and the $3'$ end of the $mRNA$ codon.

Reducing SDS-PAGE

A lab technique involving a reducing agent that denatures proteins by breaking disulfide links, causing them to travel farther/faster relative to non-reducing conditions.

B Cells

Immune cells that identify foreign pathogens, present antigens, and produce antibodies.

Natural Killer Cells

Immune cells that release toxins to destroy virus-infected body cells.