reproductive system/development on mcat

[acepoint]

hi...i've noticed that EK completely skips over the reproductive system and development, while kaplan seems to dedicate quit a bit to it. I never learned this stuff in intro bio so was wondering how important it is on the mcat from those of you that have taken it. Thanks

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[bella_dottoressa]

EK does do a bit on it, with a section on male repro, female repro and then one on fertilization. I mean, it IS brief but its there.

I hear ya, I don't remember learning ANY physio really in intro bio! Where I was that day I don't know. Thank god I took two quarters of physio.

 

[imsotired]

I've only really seen questions on gastrulation. (At least one question in each of the AAMC practice tests 3R, 4R, 5R, and EK 1g). They only ask questions like which of these comes from the same germ layer as this? And like which germ layer does this tissue arise from? Basically, they only put in 1 or 2 stand alone questions. Don't sweat it if you don't know EVERYTHING about it.

 

[DieselPetrolGrl]

Know difference in male and female germ cell maturation
Know gross anatomy of both
Know order
After fertilization: zygote ? cleavage?morula?development of blastocoel ? blastula?in-vagination?gastrula
Gastrula : 3 germ layers : ectoderm/endoderm and mesoderm
Layers Q is very common
Common ones:
Ectoderm ? nervous, optic
Endoderm- lining , pancreas
Mesoderm ? muscles-skeletal, cardiac
Know about notochord/ neuralization
In fetus : fetal circulator seems to be a fun(important for them) subject - foramen ovale, ductus artioles, ductus venous


Q: Which germ layer do the gonads arise from? I feel like saying meso but I am not sure..thanks

 

[stoic]

DieselPetrolGrl's post is right on.

My version of the MCAT had germ cell maturation and endo/meso/ecto questions on it.

Slightly off topic, but know the basics about female reproductive cycle regulation.

 

[stoic]

PS: Gonads do develop from the mesoderm 🙂

 

[DieselPetrolGrl]

PS: Gonads do develop from the mesoderm 🙂

thank you !...yeah seems like everything important save the brain and eyeballs is from meso ..meso seems like a good "guess choice" for systems

 

[UCLAstudent]

Be careful with using mesoderm as a guess choice ... things like the lungs, pancreas and liver are from the endoderm.

I do think it's worth being familiar with embryology. I had a full passage about it on my real MCAT. Luckily, I had taken two embryology classes at the time. 🙂