AFMC / NEET-linked AFMC Admission Zoology (NEET-UG Biology: Animal Sciences) Syllabus

Name the enzyme in RBCs that catalyses CO2 + H2O <-> H2CO3, key to CO2 transport.

Carbonic anhydrase.

List the formed elements of blood and state the most numerous leukocyte.

Formed elements: erythrocytes (RBCs), leukocytes (WBCs), and platelets (thrombocytes). The most numerous WBC is the neutrophil.

Describe the double circulation pathway of the human heart.

Pulmonary circulation: right ventricle -> lungs -> left atrium (deoxygenated to oxygenated). Systemic circulation: left ventricle -> body -> right atrium (oxygenated to deoxygenated). Blood passes through the heart twice per cycle.

What is the pacemaker of the human heart, and where is it located?

The sino-atrial node (SA node), located in the wall of the right atrium; it initiates and sets the rhythm of the heartbeat.

What does a normal ECG's P wave, QRS complex, and T wave each represent?

P wave = atrial depolarisation; QRS complex = ventricular depolarisation (and atrial repolarisation is masked); T wave = ventricular repolarisation.

Name the four nitrogenous excretory categories of animals and one example each.

Ammonotelic (excrete ammonia, e.g. bony fishes), ureotelic (urea, e.g. mammals/adult amphibians), uricotelic (uric acid, e.g. birds, reptiles, insects), and aminotelic (amino acids, some molluscs).

What is the structural and functional unit of the kidney, and roughly how many are in each human kidney?

The nephron; about 1 million (10 lakh) per kidney.

List the three main processes of urine formation in the nephron.

Glomerular filtration (ultrafiltration in Bowman's capsule), tubular reabsorption, and tubular secretion.

Which hormone increases water reabsorption in the kidney (preventing diuresis), and where does it act?

ADH (vasopressin, from the posterior pituitary) increases water reabsorption mainly in the distal convoluted tubule and collecting duct.

Name the three types of skeletal muscle fibre arrangement proteins and the contraction theory explaining muscle shortening.

Contractile proteins actin (thin) and myosin (thick), with regulatory proteins troponin and tropomyosin. The sliding filament theory explains contraction: thin filaments slide over thick filaments, shortening the sarcomere.

Classify joints by mobility, giving the example for each functional type.

Fibrous/fixed (immovable, e.g. skull sutures), cartilaginous (slightly movable, e.g. between vertebrae), and synovial (freely movable, e.g. ball-and-socket of shoulder/hip).

How many bones are in the adult human axial and appendicular skeleton, and the total?

Axial skeleton = 80 bones, appendicular skeleton = 126 bones; total = 206 bones.

Name the structural and functional unit of the nervous system and its three principal parts.

The neuron; consists of the cell body (cyton/soma), dendrites, and an axon.

Define resting membrane potential of a neuron and its approximate value.

The polarised electrical potential difference across a resting neuronal membrane (inside negative), maintained largely by the Na+/K+ pump; about -70 mV.

List the three meninges covering the brain and spinal cord from outer to inner.

Dura mater (outer), arachnoid mater (middle), and pia mater (inner).

Name the three main regions of the human brain and the part that controls balance and coordination.

Forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain. The cerebellum (hindbrain) controls balance, posture, and coordination of muscular activity.

Which gland is called the 'master gland', and name one hormone it secretes.

The pituitary gland (hypophysis). It secretes hormones such as growth hormone (GH), TSH, ACTH, FSH, LH, prolactin, ADH, and oxytocin.

Which hormones from the islets of Langerhans regulate blood glucose, and what does each do?

Insulin (from beta-cells) lowers blood glucose (promotes uptake and glycogenesis); glucagon (from alpha-cells) raises blood glucose (promotes glycogenolysis).

Name the hormone of the adrenal medulla and a key 'fight-or-flight' effect.

Adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline; they increase heart rate, blood pressure, blood glucose, and alertness during emergencies.

What hormone does the thyroid secrete, and what element is essential for it? Name a deficiency disorder.

Thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3); iodine is essential. Deficiency causes goitre, and hypothyroidism in adults causes myxoedema (cretinism in children).

Name the site of sperm production and the site of sperm maturation/storage in the human male.

Sperm are produced in the seminiferous tubules of the testes; they mature and are stored in the epididymis.

Which cells in the testis provide nourishment to developing sperm, and which secrete testosterone?

Sertoli cells (sustentacular cells) nourish developing sperm; Leydig cells (interstitial cells) secrete testosterone.

Name the normal site of fertilisation in the human female and the stage of the embryo that implants.

Fertilisation normally occurs in the ampulla of the fallopian tube (oviduct); the blastocyst stage implants in the uterine endometrium.

State the average length of the human menstrual cycle and the approximate day of ovulation.

About 28 days; ovulation occurs around day 14, triggered by an LH surge.

What does MTP stand for, and name two assisted reproductive techniques (ART).

MTP = Medical Termination of Pregnancy (induced abortion). ARTs include IVF (in-vitro fertilisation/test-tube baby), ZIFT, GIFT, ICSI, and IUI.

During early development, name the three primary germ layers and one tissue derived from each.

Ectoderm (epidermis, nervous system), mesoderm (muscles, blood, bones, kidneys), and endoderm (gut lining, liver, lungs).

Define gastrulation and name its product.

Gastrulation is the morphogenetic process where cells of the blastula rearrange to form the three germ layers, producing the gastrula.

Differentiate an antigen from an antibody, and name the most abundant antibody in human serum.

An antigen is a foreign molecule that triggers an immune response; an antibody (immunoglobulin) is a protein produced by plasma cells that binds the antigen. The most abundant serum antibody is IgG.

Name the causative organism and vector of malaria, and the malarial pathogen causing malignant malaria.

Malaria is caused by Plasmodium, transmitted by the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito; Plasmodium falciparum causes malignant (cerebral) malaria.

State the central concept of Darwin's theory of evolution and one piece of evidence for common ancestry.

Natural selection: organisms with favourable heritable variations survive and reproduce more (survival of the fittest), causing adaptive change over generations. Evidence: homologous organs (same structure, different function), indicating divergent evolution from a common ancestor.

Name two microbes used in producing antibiotics or fermented products, and one product each.

Penicillium notatum produces the antibiotic penicillin; Lactobacillus (LAB) curdles milk into curd; Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) is used in bread-making and brewing (ethanol).