Biology Mnemonics To Know For the DAT and OAT

Mnemonics are a great tool to memorizing large amounts of information quickly. Here are a couple I used to answer some questions on the DAT and OAT:

Cell Division / Cell Biology

Cell Replication Phases = I Pee on a MAT

• I = Interphase
  P = Prophase
  M = Metaphase
  A = Anaphase
  T = Telophase

Metaphase = “M” = Middle

• All chromosomes line up in the middle of the cell at the metaphase Plate

Anaphase = “A” = Apart

• Sister chromatids are pulled Apart

Pyrimidines = CUT the PYE (pyrimidine)

• C = Cytosine
  U = Uracil
  T = Thymine

Purines = Pure (purine) Silver (Ag)

• A = Adenine
  G = Guanine

Ion Movement Across a Membrane = Salted Bananas

• 3 Sodium ions (“salt”) flow out of the cell and 2 Potassium ions (“bananas”) into the cell

Central Dogma = Roast Turkey Later

• R = Replication
  T = Transcription
  L = transLation

Anatomy & Physiology

Sequence of the Small Intestine = The small intestine “Don’t Just Injest”

• D = Duodenum
  J = Jejunum
  I = Ileum

COPS = Four Types of Myelinated Cells in the Nervous System

• Central NS: Oligodendrocytes
  Peripheral NS: Schwann Cells

Epidermis Layers = Come Lets Get Sun Burned

• C = Corneum
  L = Lucidum
  G = Granulosum
  S = Spinosum
  B = Basal

Liver Functions = PUSH DoG

• P = Protein synthesis
  U = Urea synethesis
  S = Storage
  H = Hormone synthesis
  D = DetOxification
  G = Glucose and fat metabolism

Afferent vs. Efferent Neurons = SAME DAVE

• S, A= Sensory, Afferent
  M, E = Motor, Efferent
  D, A = Dorsal, Afferent
  V, E = Ventral, Efferent

FLAT PEG = Hormones secreted by the Anterior Pituitary

• F = Follicle stimulating hormone
  L = Luteinizing hormone
  A = ACTH
  T = Thyroid stimulating hormone
  P = Prolactin
  E = Endorphins
  G = Growth hormone

Calcitonin/Parathyroid Differentiation

• CalciTONin = “Tone it down” = Decrease in blood calcium
  Parathyroid is the opposite

Taxonomy

Four Chordate Features = Do Not Pinch People

• D = Dorsal hollow nerve cord
  N = Notochord
  P = Pharyngeal gill slits
  P = muscular Post-anal tail

King Phillip Came Over From Great Spain (or King Phillip Came Over For Great Soup)

• K = Kingdom
  P = Phylum
  C = Class
  O = Order
  F = Family
  G = Genus
  S = Species

Phylogeny

Animal Kingdom Phylums = How to remember which are acoelomates, pseudocoelomates, and coelomates = Privileged Children Play Nicely and Maturely Always Ensuring Cooperation

• P = Porifera
  C = Cnidarian
  P = Platyhelminthes
  N = Nematoda
  A = Annelida
  M = Mollusca
  A = Arthropoda
  E = Echinodermata
  C = Chordates
  * Rotifers are pseudocoelomates (not included in this mnemonic)

Immunology

Order of White Blood Cell Abundance in Blood = Never Let Monkeys Eat Bananas

• N = Neutrophils (most abundant)
  L = Lymphocytes
  M = Monocytes
  E = Eosinophils
  B = Basophils (least abundant)

Evolution

Hardy-Weinberg Requirements = Large Random M&M

• L = Large population
  R = Random mating
  M = no Mutation
  N = no Natural selection
  M = no Migration

Biology Lab Techniques

Southern Northern and Western Blot = SNOW DROP

• S = Southern blot = D = DNA detection
  N = Northern blot = R = RNA detection
  O = –
  W = Western blot = P = Protein detection