PCAT Cell Biology Flashcards
6 cards from real PCAT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 PCAT Cell Biology flashcards as text
Which molecule serves as the primary energy currency in cellular metabolism?
Answer: ATP
ATP (adenosine triphosphate) stores chemical energy in its phosphate bonds, releasing it upon hydrolysis to power nearly all cellular processes.
What is the process by which a cell engulfs large solid particles or bacteria by extending pseudopods around them?
Answer: Phagocytosis
Phagocytosis ('cell eating') is a type of endocytosis where the plasma membrane extends pseudopods to surround and internalize large particles into a phagosome.
Nuclear pore complexes embedded in the nuclear envelope primarily function to:
Answer: Transport RNA and proteins between the nucleus and cytoplasm
Nuclear pore complexes are selective channels that allow mRNA, tRNA, ribosomal subunits, and regulatory proteins to move between the nucleus and cytoplasm.
Which organelle is the site of photosynthesis, capturing light energy to synthesize glucose?
Answer: Chloroplast
Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll in thylakoid membranes, harvesting light energy to drive the Calvin cycle and produce glucose from CO₂ and water.
What cellular event occurs during the S phase of the cell cycle?
Answer: DNA replication
During S (synthesis) phase, the entire genome is duplicated so each daughter cell will receive a complete copy of DNA.
Which type of cell junction allows direct cytoplasmic communication between adjacent cells through protein channels?
Answer: Gap junctions
Gap junctions are intercellular channels made of connexin proteins that allow ions and small molecules to pass directly between neighboring cells.