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ACT Science - Anatomy and Genetics

Here you will learn some English words related to anatomy and genetics, such as "trisomy", "allele", "cecum", etc. that will help you ace your ACTs.

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ACT Vocabulary for Science
haploid
[noun]

a cell or organism containing a single set of unpaired chromosomes, typically denoted as n, representing half the genetic material of a diploid cell

Ex: In certain organisms , such as fungi , haploids can undergo meiosis to produce haploid spores .
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a family of transcription factors that play important roles in regulating gene expression in response to various stimuli

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diaphragm
[noun]

(anatomy) the muscular body partition that separates the chest and abdomen

Ex: Contraction of the diaphragm allows air into the lungs during inhalation .
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appendix
[noun]

a sack of tissue that is attached to the large intestine and is surgically removed if infected

Ex: Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix and requires surgical removal .
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intestinal
[Adjective]

relating to the intestines, which are part of the digestive system responsible for absorbing nutrients and removing waste from the body

Ex: Intestinal motility refers to the movement of food and waste through the intestines , regulated by muscular contractions called peristalsis .
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the front part of the brain involved in higher cognition and executive functions

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spleen
[noun]

(anatomy) an abdominal organ that controls the quality of the blood cells

Ex: The spleen also serves as a reservoir for platelets and white blood cells , releasing them into circulation as needed to support the immune response .
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enamel
[noun]

the hard white external layer that covers the crown of a tooth

Ex: Enamel can be damaged by excessive brushing, grinding teeth, or trauma to the mouth.
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clavicle
[noun]

(anatomy) a bone of the shoulder girdle that connects the breastbone to the shoulder bone

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cochlea
[noun]

(anatomy) a spiral cavity in the inner ear that contains sensory organs which send nerve signals to the brain in response to vibrations

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cecum
[noun]

the first part of the large intestine, located in the lower right abdomen

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torso
[noun]

the upper part of the human body, excluding the arms and the head

Ex: The yoga instructor led the class in a series of poses to strengthen the muscles of the torso and improve core stability .
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artery
[noun]

any blood vessel, carrying the blood to different organs of body from the heart

Ex: Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to various parts of the body .
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joint
[noun]

a place in the body where two bones meet, enabling one of them to bend or move around

Ex: He underwent surgery to repair a damaged joint in his thumb , restoring functionality and relieving pain .
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spine
[noun]

the row of small bones that are joined together down the center of the back of the body

Ex: In yoga , many poses are designed to improve flexibility and strength in the spine.
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tract
[noun]

(anatomy) a system of interconnected organs or tissues that perform a particular task in the body

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coronary
[Adjective]

relating to the heart or the network of blood vessels encircling it

Ex: Coronary stents are small tubes placed in narrowed coronary arteries to help keep them open and improve blood flow .
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thyroid
[Adjective]

related to the thyroid gland, a small organ in the neck that produces hormones affecting metabolism and growth

Ex: A healthy diet is crucial for maintaining thyroid health.
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talus
[noun]

the bone that forms the ankle joint with the tibia and fibula, supporting the body's weight and allowing movement of the foot

Ex: The talus articulates with the tibia and fibula to form the ankle joint.
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bladder
[noun]

a sac-like organ inside the body where urine is stored before being passed

Ex: The ultrasound showed that the bladder was functioning normally .
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reproductive
[Adjective]

relating to processes and behaviors involved in the creation of offspring within a species

Ex: Reproductive health encompasses aspects like contraception , family planning , and sexually transmitted infection prevention .
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sensory
[Adjective]

relating to any of the five senses

Ex: Sensory integration therapy helps children with autism spectrum disorder improve their responses to sensory input .
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tactile
[Adjective]

relating to the sense of touch or the ability to perceive objects by touch

Ex: The tactile experience of holding a warm cup of tea on a cold winter's day brought a sense of coziness and comfort.
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retinal
[Adjective]

(anatomy) connected with the sensory part of the eye that sends signals to the brain, called retina

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auditory
[Adjective]

related to the ability of hearing

Ex: Auditory cues can be used to assist individuals with visual impairments in navigating their environment .
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optical
[Adjective]

relating to sight or vision

Ex: The company specializes in producing high-quality optical equipment for scientific research .
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a very small threadlike structure in a living organism that carries the genes and genetic information

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genotype
[noun]

the genetic makeup of an organism, determined by the combination of genes inherited from its parents

Ex: In selective breeding , farmers aim to produce crops with specific desirable traits by manipulating the genotype of plants .
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phenotype
[noun]

the observable physical and behavioral characteristics of an organism, resulting from the interaction of its genotype (genetic makeup) with the environment

Ex: Inherited traits , such as freckles or dimples , contribute to an individual 's phenotype.
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to receive traits or attributes from a previous generation through genetic inheritance

Ex: She inherited a tendency towards anxiety and depression from her maternal side of the family .
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to modify
[Verb]

to alter or change the genetic makeup of an organism through genetic engineering techniques

Ex: Geneticists modified animal cells to study how certain diseases might be prevented .
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lineage
[noun]

the passing down of traits from one generation to another within a family

Ex: The family 's lineage included a long line of doctors , each generation contributing to the medical field .
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a person from whom other offsprings are descended

Ex: In biology , the study of DNA reveals clues about the genetic makeup passed down from progenitors to descendants .
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transgenic
[Adjective]

(of an organism) having genetic material from another species that has been artificially introduced into its genome

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a specialist in or student of the branch of biology that deals with how individual features and different characteristics are passed through genes

Ex: The geneticist collaborated with doctors to develop a gene therapy treatment for patients with genetic disorders .
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genome
[noun]

the complete set of genetic material of any living thing

Ex: Advances in genome editing technologies , like CRISPR , allow scientists to precisely modify the genetic material of organisms for research and therapeutic purposes .
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karyotype
[noun]

a visual display of an individual's chromosomes, used for genetic analysis and identifying abnormalities

Ex: A normal karyotype consists of pairs of chromosomes in a specific order .
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eugenics
[noun]

the practice of improving the genetic quality of a human population through selective breeding and other methods

Ex: The history of eugenics includes numerous human rights violations .
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allele
[noun]

one of two or more alternative forms of a gene that arise by mutation and are found at the same place on a chromosome

Ex: Mutations can alter alleles, leading to changes in protein structure or function .
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recessive
[Adjective]

(of a gene or trait) showing its specific appearance only when an individual inherits it from both parents

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dominant
[Adjective]

(of genes) causing a person to inherit a particular physical feature, even if it is only present in one parent's genome

Ex: The dominant gene responsible for dimples appears in many family members.
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the process by which information from a gene is used to synthesize functional gene products, such as proteins, which can influence an organism's traits

Ex: The expression of the gene was significantly higher in the mutated strain compared to the wild type .
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trisomy
[noun]

a genetic condition in which an individual has three copies of a chromosome instead of the usual two

Ex: Researchers are studying the effects of trisomy on cellular function and development .
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the region of a chromosome where the two sister chromatids are joined and where the spindle fibers attach during cell division

Ex: During metaphase , chromosomes align at the cell 's equator with their centromeres attached to spindle fibers .
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a DNA sequence that has the same order of nucleotides on each side of the complementary DNA strands

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the branch of genetics that studies the structure and function of chromosomes using microscopic and molecular techniques

Ex: Cytogenetics has been instrumental in diagnosing conditions like Down syndrome and Turner syndrome .
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autosome
[noun]

any chromosome that is not involved in determining sex, present in pairs in both males and females, and carrying most of an individual's genetic information

Ex: Unlike sex chromosomes , autosomes are inherited equally from both parents .
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the process of introducing foreign DNA or RNA into eukaryotic cells to study gene function or manipulate gene expression

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genetically
[Adverb]

in a manner that is related to genetics or genes

Ex: The research focused on understanding the condition genetically, investigating its genetic components .
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mutation
[noun]

(biology) a change in the structure of the genes of an individual that causes them to develop different physical features

Ex: Due to a mutation in his genes , the child was born with blue eyes , even though both parents had brown eyes .
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