B2.1 HL only Flashcards
Membrane fluidity
the property of the cell membrane that allows it to adapt its shape and movement to different conditions
cytokinesis
the physical process of cell division, which divides the cytoplasm of a parental cell into two daughter cells
viscosity
a measure of a fluid’s resistance to flow
Hydrocarbon
an organic compound made of nothing more than carbons and hydrogens
Saturated
if there are only single bonds between neighboring carbons in the hydrocarbon chain
double bond
A double bond occurs when two atoms share two sets of electrons
Unsaturated
a fat or fatty acid in which there is at least one double bond within the fatty acid chain
intermolecular forces
the attractive and repulsive forces that arise between the molecules of a substance
Notothenioid fish
Thenotothenioid fishesof the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica are remarkable examples of organismal adaptation to extreme cold
Caribou
Large hoofed animals belonging to the deer family, caribou and reindeer are actually the same species
Cholesterol
a structural component of cell membranesand serves as a building block for synthesizing various steroid hormones, vitamin D
Bulk transport
a mode of transport of large quantities of materials and food particles across the membrane
Endocytosis
the process by which cells take in substances from outside of the cell by engulfing them in a vesicle
Exocytosis
a process for moving large molecules out of the cell to the cell exterior
Pinocytosis
a process by which the cell takes in the fluids along with dissolved small molecules
central vacuole
large, membrane-bound organelles found in plant cells that act as a storage space for water and other molecules in the cell
phagocytosis
The process by which a phagocyte (a type of white blood cell) surrounds and destroys foreign substances (such as bacteria) and removes dead cells
Receptor-mediated endocytosis
a form of endocytosis in which receptor proteins on the cell surface are used to capture a specific target molecule
Neurotransmitters
are endogenous chemicals that allow neurons to communicate with each otherthroughout the body
synapse
the site of transmission of electric nerve impulses between two nerve cells (neurons) or between a neuron and a gland or muscle cell (effector)
Hormones
chemical substances that act like messenger molecules in the body
homeostasis
any self-regulating process by which biological systems tend to maintain stabilitywhile adjusting to conditions that are optimal for survival
Neurotransmitter-gated / Ligand-gated
membrane proteins that mediate information transfer at synapses. Their function relies on the ability to respond very rapidly to the transient release of a neurotransmitter to produce a change in membrane potential of the postsynaptic cell
Na+ voltage-gated channels
Voltage-gatedsodium channelsare transmembrane proteins that open when the membrane potential in their vicinity become depolarized
resting potential
the electrical potential difference across the plasma membrane when the cell is in a non-excited state
depolarization
a process that shifts the electrical charge distribution so that the cell is less negatively charged compared to the environment
K+ voltage-gated channels
transmembrane channels specific for potassium and sensitive to voltage changes in the cell’s membrane potential. During action potentials, they play a crucial role in returning the depolarized cell to a resting state
repolarization
a stage of an action potential in which the cell experiences a decrease of voltage due to the efflux of potassium (K+) ions along its electrochemical gradient
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor
receptor polypeptides that respond to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Nicotinic receptors also respond to drugs such as the agonist nicotine
acetylcholine
a neurotransmitter, a chemical that carries messages from your brain to your body through nerve cells
neuromuscular junction
a synaptic connection between the terminal end of a motor nerve and a muscle
muscle contraction
an increase in the tension or a decrease in the length of a muscle
nicotine
a natural ingredient acting as a botanical insecticide in tobacco leaves
ATP molecule
the source of energy for use and storage at the cellular level
hydrolyzed
any chemical reaction in which a molecule of water breaks one or more chemical bonds
phosphorylation
the addition of a phosphoryl (PO3) group to a molecule. In biological systems, this reaction is vital for the cellular storage and transfer of free energy using energy carrier molecules
conformational change
a change in the shape of a macromolecule, often induced by environmental factors
co-transporter
subcategory of membrane transport proteins (transporters) that couple the favorable movement of one molecule with its concentration gradient and unfavorable movement of another molecule against its concentration gradient
Sodium-glucose linked transporter (SGLT)
large family of membrane proteins that transport glucose, amino acids, vitamins, osmolytes, and several ion species across the brush-border membrane of the intestinal epithelium andproximal renal tubulesthrough the use of the electro-chemical sodium gradient as the source of energy
tubules
small tube or similar type of structure
nephron
the basic structural and functional unit of the kidney
filtrate
solution of nutrients and waste material removes from the blood in the kidneys
emergent properties
characteristic an entity gains when it becomes part of a bigger system
Cell-adhesion molecules (CAM)
a subset of cell surface proteins that are involved in the binding of cells with other cells or with the extracellular matrix (ECM), in a process called cell adhesion
Desmosomes
a specialized structure of the cell membrane especially of an epithelial cell that serves as a zone of adhesion to anchor contiguous cells together
Tight junctions
a type of cellular junction formed between adjacent epithelial cells or between adjacent epithelial cells
Plasmodesmata
small channels that directly connect the cytoplasm of neighboring plant cells to each other, establishing living bridges between cells
Cancer
a disease caused when cells divide uncontrollably and spread into surrounding tissues
mutations
Any change in the DNA sequence of a cell
metastasis
The spread of cancer cells from the place where they first formed to another part of the body
