BIO - TERMS - FREQUENCY > 1 PT 1 Flashcards
3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-co-enzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase
The regulated enzyme of cholesterol synthesis. // Ratelimiting enzyme in the production of cholesterol and a target of cholesterollowering drugs such as the statins.
acetylcholine // ACh
Neurotransmitter produced by the central and peripheral nervous systems. // An amine that serves as a neurotransmitter at many synapses in the peripheral and central nervous systems, including the neuromuscular junction.
adenylyl cyclase (adenylate cyclase)
An enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), a second messenger. // Membrane-bound enzyme that catalyzes the formation of cyclic AMP from ATP. An important component of some intracellular signaling pathways.
Aldehydes (RCHO)
A class of compounds containing the -CHO functional group. // A member of the family of organic compounds that contain a carbonyl functional group (C=O) bonded to two R groups, one of which is a hydrogen atom.
Alternative pathway
One of three pathways in the complement system; activates the C3 and C5 convertases without going through the C1-C2-C4 complex. (Chapter 3) // A form of complement activation that is initiated by spontaneous hydrolysis of C3 and which uses factor B and factor D to form the unique C3 convertase C3bBb.
Anabolic pathway
Biosynthetic pathway. // A pathway by which a metabolite is synthesized; a biosynthetic pathway.
antidiuretic hormone (ADH)
Hormone released by the posterior pituitary gland; increases water reabsorption in the kidney and reduces urine production. // A peptide hormone produced by the hypothalamus that facilitates the reabsorption of water by the kidney tubules. Also known as vasopressin. anthocyanidin A class of purple to blue plant flavonoid pigments without sugar moieties attached that have potential health benefits such as cancer prevention as well as antiaging and anti-inflammatory effects.
Apolipoprotein
Protein component of a lipoprotein.
atomic mass unit (AMU)
A unit of mass for atomic and molecular weights. // A unit used to express the masses of atoms and subatomic particles, defined as 1/12 the mass of a carbon atom containing 6 protons and 6 neutrons.
autophagosome
Organelle surrounded by a double membrane contains engulfed cytoplasmic cargo in the initial stages of autophagy. // A double bilayer membrane structure that functions in macroautophagy by engulfing cytoplasmic contents and fusing with lysosomes.
bacteriocin
An antimicrobial peptide produced by bacteria that kills other bacteria. // Proteinaceous toxins produced by bacteria to inhibit the growth of similar or closely related bacterial strain(s).They are typically considered to be narrow spectrum antibiotics though this has been debated.
Bilirubin
A yellow pigment formed from biliverdin. // (bil-i-rū′bin) Waste product derived from the breakdown of hemoglobin and excreted in bile.
bond length
The average length of a bond between two particular atoms in a variety of compounds. // The equilibrium distance between the nuclei of two atoms that are bonded to each other.
cancer
Various types of malignant cells that multiply out of control. // Disease involving a malignant neoplasm that can metastasize (spread to other organs).
Carnitine
A coenzyme that carries long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondrion. // Essential for transport of fatty acyl CoA from cytoplasm to mitochondria for β oxidation; synthesized by most species except some insects, which require a dietary source for growth
cerebellum
(ser-e-bel′ŭm) The second largest part of the brain; develops posteriorly to the pons in the metencephalon. // A structure derived from the rhombencephalon, attached to the brain stem at the pons; an important movement control center.
chemoreceptor
Any sensory receptor selective for chemicals. // (kē′mō-rē-sep′tor) Peripheral sensory receptor or specialized cells within the brain that detect specific chemicals in a fluid; e.g., taste receptors.
Cholestasis
Lack of bile flow. // Little or no bile secreted.
cleavage
(klēv′ij) Series of mitotic cell divisions occurring in the zygote immediately following its fertilization. // (1) Physical splitting of a cell into two. (2) Specialized type of cell division seen in many early embryos whereby a large cell becomes subdivided into many smaller cells without growth.
Competence (adj, competent)
Ability of a bacterial cell to incorporate DNA and become genetically transformed. // The physiological state in which a recipient cell can take and incorporate a large piece of donor DNA.
conjugative plasmid
A prokaryotic plasmid that carries genes for sex pili and for transfer of the plasmid to another cell.
contralateral
(kon-tră-lat′er-ăl) Relating to the opposite side. // An anatomical reference meaning on the opposite side of the midline.
cyclic photophosphorylation
ATP synthesis driven by cyclic electron flow through photosystem I. // The movement of an electron from chlorophyll through a series of electron acceptors and back to chlorophyll; anoxygenic; purple and green bacterial photophosphorylation.
Degeneracy (of the genetic code)
The specification of an amino acid by more than one codon. // Redundancy of the genetic code; that is, most amino acids are encoded by several codons.
diabetes mellitus
(me-lı̄′tŭs) Disease involving reduced insulin release or reduced tissue response to insulin; leads to elevated blood and urine glucose levels. // A group of metabolic diseases with symptoms that result from a deficiency in insulin production or utilization; characterized by a failure in glucose transport from the blood into cells at normal glucose concentrations.
dislocation
(dis-lō-kā′shŭn) A joint injury where there is complete displacement of a bone from its normal position. // In reference to viral defense mechanisms, the degradation of newly synthesized MHC class I molecules by viral proteins.
DNA primase
Enzyme that synthesizes a short strand of RNA on a DNA template, producing a primer for DNA synthesis. // An enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of short strands of RNA that initiate the synthesis of DNA strands.
Dynein
The ATPase that moves cilia and flagella. // Large motor protein that undergoes ATP-dependent movement along microtubules.
electrical current
The flow of electric charge. // The rate of movement of electrical charge, represented by the symbol I and measured in amperes (amp).
element
Substance composed of only one type of atom. // A substance that cannot be chemically broken down into simpler substances.
endotoxin
Part of the outer portion of the cell wall (lipid A) of most gram- negative bacteria; released on destruction of the cell. // Toxins derived from bacterial cell walls released by damaged cells. They can potently induce cytokine synthesis and in large amounts can cause a systemic reaction called septic shock or endotoxic shock.
essential fatty acid
The group of polyunsaturated fatty acids produced by plants, but not by humans; required in the human diet. // A fatty acid needed by the body that must be supplied by the diet because the tissues are unable to synthesize it.
Fab // Fab fragment
The antigen-binding fragment of immunoglobulins. // Antibody fragment composed of a single antigen-binding arm of an antibody without the Fc region, produced by cleavage of IgG by the enzyme papain. It contains the complete light chain plus the amino-terminal variable region and first constant region of the heavy chain, held together by an interchain disulfide bond.
Fiber
A thin thread produced by extruding a molten polymer through small holes in a die. // Indigestible fibrous structural molecule found in plant tissue; includes indigestible straight and branchedchain polysaccharides as well as lignin.
fluorescence microscope
A microscope that uses an ultraviolet light source to illuminate specimens that will fluoresce. // Microscope designed to view material stained with fluorescent dyes or proteins. Similar to a light microscope but the illuminating light is passed through one set of filters before the specimen, to select those wavelengths that excite the dye, and through another set of filters before it reaches the eye, to select only those wavelengths emitted when the dye fluoresces.
fructan
Are polymers of fructose usually with a sucrose molecule at the end. // A class of fructose-based polymers of varying length that includes inulin, oligofructose, and fructooligosaccharides (FOS).
gamma motor neuron
A motor neuron that innervates intrafusal muscle fibers.
genome-wide association studies (GWASs)
A study that relates a large number of DNA variants to a disease or other phenotype. // Genetic association studies in the general population that look for a correlation between disease frequency and variant alleles by scanning the genomes of many people for the presence of informative single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).
glycocalyx
A gelatinous polymer surrounding a cell. // (glı̄-kō-kā′liks) Carbohydrate coating on the apical surface of cells formed by glycolipids and glycoproteins.
Graft copolymer
Linear heteropolymers with branches of one type of monomer “hung” from a main chain consisting of another homopolymer. // Copolymers in which homopolymer branches of one monomer unit are “grafted” onto a homopolymer chain of another monomer unit.
gustation
(gŭs-tā′shŭn) Sense of taste.
