Blueprint MCAT Blog: MCAT Biology

Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow: 4 Misconceptions About the Excretory System

As a prospective doctor, you likely spend significant time thinking about how our bodies work. Some aspects of human organ systems may feel almost like second nature by now – how an action potential propagates, perhaps, or the parts of the digestive tract. But if you ask even the most physiology-savvy MCAT students, they will READ MORE

Jun 20, 2017

Strategies For Difficult MCAT Passages: Biological and Biochemical Foundations

Preparing for the MCAT often involves making decisions about passage strategy. After all, most questions on the exam are associated with a passage, and these passages may be dense or difficult to read. This problem can be especially relevant to the Biological and Biochemical Foundations section. Imagine clicking “Next” on your exam and seeing something READ MORE

Jun 01, 2017

Types of Inhibition: Focus on the Basics

Michaelis-Menten enzyme kinetics, and especially keeping track of the various kinds of reversible enzyme inhibition, is one of the most challenging areas of biochemistry for many MCAT students. It’s extremely easy to get lost in the details of memorizing terminology, types of graphs, x-intercepts, y-intercepts, and so forth – but superficially memorized information is very READ MORE

May 01, 2017

MCAT Genetics: A Quick Guide to Recognizing Modes of Inheritance

After a long day of studying for the MCAT, you decide to finish up with some quick biology practice. You turn to the first passage in your prep book and see this: “Disease X is a blood disorder caused by a mutation in a clotting factor gene. Jane’s father, sister, and brothers have Disease X, READ MORE

Mar 31, 2017

Advisor Office Hours – Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems

Dr. Anthony LaFond, one of our course instructors and a senior content developer, delves into the Biological and Biochemical Foundations section of the MCAT exam. He will give a brief overview of the section before discussing what subjects are tested. He will also highlight the pre-med classes your students will need to take to help READ MORE

Mar 19, 2015

MCAT Biology Question — Carbon Reactions

In the Felkin model, a carbon which is originally achiral can undergo a reaction to generate a single enantiomer with 98% yield (with the remaining 2% generating the opposite enantiomer). This type of reaction is best described as: A) Chiral chromatography B) Racemization C) Asymmetric induction D) Unimolecular elimination READ MORE

Mar 18, 2015

MCAT Biology – Germ Layers

The lining of the digestive tract and the respiratory tract develops from which germ layer? I. Endoderm II. Mesoderm III. Ectoderm a) I only b) II only c) III only d) I and II READ MORE

Feb 20, 2015

MCAT Biology – Substrate Concentrations

Noncompetitive inhibition differs from uncompetitive inhibition in that a noncompetitive inhibitor binds to an allosteric site on the enzyme and prevents it from catalyzing a reaction, whereas uncompetitive inhibitors bind to the enzyme-substrate complex and prevent catalysis. Increasing the substrate concentration would have which of the following effects? A) Increasing impact of uncompetitive inhibitor and READ MORE

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