BIO - CELLS Flashcards
How many types of cells are there and what are they called?
There are two different types of cells and they are called ‘Eukaryotic’ and ‘Prokaryotic’ cells.
Where are eukaryotic cells found in?
They are found in plants, animals, fungi and protists.
What is a eukaryote?
A eukaryote is an organism made up of eukaryotic cells.
Where are prokaryotic cells found in?
They are found in bacteria.
What are the key features of prokaryotic cells?
- They have plasmids
- They do not contain mitochondria or chloroplasts
- They do not have a nucleus - they have a single DNA loop in the cytoplasm
What are the different types of units used for distance?
1 kilometre (km) = 1000 metres 1 metre (m) = 100 centimetres 1 centimetre (cm) = 10 millimetres 1 millimetre (mm) = 100 micrometres 1 micrometre (µm) = 1000 nanometres (nm)
What are sub-cellular structures?
Sub-cellular structures are things found in a cell.
What sub-cellular structures are found in an animal cell?
- Cell membrane
- Nucleus
- Ribosomes
- Mitochondria
- Cytoplasm
What is the cell membrane?
The cell membrane separates the inside of the cell from the outside. It controls substances moving in and out of the cell (selectively permeable).
What is the nucleus?
The nucleus is the control centre of the cell. It contains chromosomes (which contain the cell’s genetic material).
What are the ribosomes?
The ribosomes are responsible for making (synthesising) proteins.
What is the mitochondria?
The mitochondria are the ‘powerhouses’ of the cell. Aerobic respiration takes place in the mitochondria meaning energy is released in the mitochondria.
What is cytoplasm?
The cytoplasm is a jelly-like fluid that fills the cell. The cytoplasm is where most of the cell’s chemical reactions take place.
What sub-cellular structures are found in a plant cell?
In addition with the sub-cellular structures in an animal cell, a plant cell contains:
- Permanent vacuole
- Chloroplasts
- Cell wall
What is the permanent vacuole?
The permanent vacuole is a fluid-filled sac that stores water. It is enclosed in a membrane (a wall that substances can pass through).
What are the chloroplasts?
The chloroplasts contain chlorophyll, which is needed for the process of photosynthesis.
What is the cell wall?
The cell wall surround the cell and is made of cellulose. The cell wall increases the structural strength of the cell.
How do plant cells differentiate?
Plant cells can differentiate throughout their lives. Plants are always able to create new tissues.
How do animal cells differentiate?
Most animal cells differentiate early on in their development. In mature animals, cells mostly divide to replace cells and repair tissues that are already present. New tissues are rarely created by cell differentiation.
What sub-cellular structures are found inside bacterial cells?
- Flagella
- Plasmids
- Cell wall
- Cell membrane
- Cytoplasm
What is the flagella?
The flagella are whip-like structures used for movement.
What are plasmids?
Plasmids are just small rings of DNA.
What is cell differentiation?
Cell differentiation is the process where a cell develops new sub-cellular structures to let it perform a specific function. This makes the cell specialised.
What happens in embryonic cell differentiation?
Cell differentiation happens during an organism’s development. Organisms start as one cell. These cells divide to form embryos that differentiate to produce cells that can perform all of the body’s functions.
What is the function of the sperm cell?
Sperm cells are functioned to fertilise egg cells.
How do sperm cells carry out their job?
Sperm cells travel long distances. When they get to the egg cell, they break through the egg cell and fertilise it.
How does the middle section of sperm cell work?
The middle section is filled with mitochondria to provide the sperm with the energy it needs to travel a long distance to reach the egg cell.
How does the head of the sperm cell work?
The head contains the sperm cell’s nucleus. The nucleus carries one half of an organism’s genetic material. This combines with the egg cell’s half of genetic material to fertilise the egg cell.
How does the tail of the sperm cell work?
The tail is used for the sperm cell’s motion (movement). This allows sperm cells to travel towards the egg cell.
How do sperm cells move their tails to get to the egg?
The sperm cells spin their tails in a corkscrew motion to move themselves towards the egg.
What happens when the sperm cell reaches the egg cell?
The sperm cell fuses with the egg, sharing its genetic information to make a complete genome (all the DNA needed to make a whole organism).
What is the function of the nerve cell?
The function of the nerve cell is to transmit electrical messages around the body.
What is another word for a nerve cell?
Another word for a nerve cell is a neurone.
How does the axon of a nerve cell work?
The axon is the part of the cell that electrical signals travel along. Nerve cells have a long axon, which increases the distance that electrical signals can travel.
How does the myelin sheath of a nerve cell work?
A sheath made of material called myelin surrounds the nerve cell. This stops the electrical nerve signals from leaking out of the nerve cell. This increases the speed of transmission (travel) of electrical signals.
What do the dendrites of a nerve cell work?
The dendrites are the branches of a nerve cell. Several dendrites spread outwards from the cell body to transfer electrical messages (impulses) to other nerve cells.
What are synapses?
Synapses are the gaps between neurones.
What is the function of a muscle cell?
The function of the muscle cells is to move and contract.