Anatomy & Physiology for the MCAT

Musculoskeletal

• Skeletal muscle: Voluntary, striated; sarcomere = functional unit
• Sliding filament theory: Ca²⁺ → troponin → actin-myosin binding
• Bone: Osteoblasts build, osteoclasts resorb

Reproductive System

• Male: Testes → sperm + testosterone
• Female: Ovaries → eggs + estrogen/progesterone
• Menstrual cycle: Follicular (FSH) → Ovulation (LH surge) → Luteal (progesterone)

Sensory Systems

• Vision: Rods (dim light), cones (color)
• Hearing: Cochlea transduces sound waves
• Vestibular: Semicircular canals (rotation), otoliths (linear)

Embryology

• Cleavage → Morula → Blastocyst
• Gastrulation: ectoderm (skin, nerves), mesoderm (muscle, bone), endoderm (GI, lungs)
• Neurulation: neural tube → CNS