Biology UNIT 2-Cells & Cell structure Flashcards
What is a Eukaryotic cell?
A cell that contains a nucleus surrounded by a plasma mebrane. The nucleus contains DNA surrounded by histone proteins.
There are also a number of other specialised membrane bound organelles.
What is the structure and function of the chloroplasts?
Structure:
Has a doubled membrane. Inner membrane is folded into lamellae.
Inner membrane contains a continuous network of Thylakoids (containing photosynthetic pigments)
Function:
Site of photosynthesis.
What is the structure and function of Microvilli?
Structure:
Have a plasma membrane, cytoplasm and a cellular fluid. Also contain microfiliments called Actin.
Function:
Increase surface area of cells to absorb more nutrients and aids in cellular adhesion,
What is the structure and function of the Nucleus?
Structure:
Largest Organelle occupying 10% of the cell.
Has a double membrane with the outer membrane having continuous rough ER.
Nuclear envelope to separate genetic material and the cytoplasm,
Nucleolus is central containing Chromatin.
Function:
Controls a cells growth, movement and reproduction.
Contains the DNA and genetic material of the cell.
What is the structure and function of the mitochondria?
Structure:
Present in all eukaryotic cells.
Has double membrane with outer membrane being fairly permeable and inner membrane strictly permeable to Oxygen and ATP.
Inner membrane is folded into a shelf called Cristae.
Has a Matrix with proteins and enzymes contained within it.
Function:
Produce ATM from respiration
Help maintain calcium ion levels
Help in building parts of blood and hormones.
What is the structure and function of Lysosomes?
Structure:
Surrounded by a membrane of phospholipids separating internal and external areas of the organelle.
Have a sac/bag like structure full of digestive enzymes (lytic enzymes)
Function:
To digest organic waste
remove warn out cells
What is the structure and function of the cell wall?
Structure:
Made of cellulose and other polysaccharides.
Has 3 layers (Plasma membrane, Primary cell wall, middle lamella)
Function:
Protects the cell
regulates life cycle of plant organisms
provides structural support
separates inner and outer environments of the cell
Prevents water loss.
What is the structure and function of the vacuole?
Permanent organelle in plants, can be in animal cells,
Structure:
Cell membrane surrounding a body of fluid
Function:
could store nutrients or food or waste products to prevent contamination. Helps keeps plants turgid
What is the structure and function of the Golgi apparatus?
Structure:
Made of several flattened membrane sacs called cisternae.
One end is set to synthesise proteins from the ER.
Has secretory vesicles which release proteins.
Function:
Modify sort and package proteins for secretion. Creates lysosomes and transport lipids around the cell.
What is the structure and function of ribosomes?
Structure:
60% RNA and 40% proteins,
found in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
can be freely suspended in the cytoplasm or joined to the end of rough ER.
Function:
To make proteins which are needed for growth and repair. They are required for protein synthesis.
What is the structure and function of the cell surface membrane?
Structure:
Plasma membrane separates the cell interior from the exterior environments.
Consists of a phospholipid bilayer with embedded proteins.
Cell membrane is selectively permeable to ions, organic molecules.
Function:
Passive osmosis and diffusion of small molecules and ions.
Absorbing molecules by engulfing them. (Endocytosis).
What is the structure and function of the Endoplasmic Reticulum?
Structure:
2 types, (rough ER and Smooth ER)
Rough ER is stubbed due to outer membrane is covered with ribosomes.
Both ER form a network of flattened sacs called cisternae,
Phospholipid membrane which encloses the cisternal space.
Function:
Rough ER transports proteins created by ribosomes to the golgi and folds proteins in the cisternae.
What is the structure and function of Cilia?
Structure:
Tiny hairs with microtube pairs and filaments.
Function:
Moves substances/liquid along the surface of the cell.
What is the structure and function of flagella?
Structure:
Tail filled with mitochondria to provide energy.
Function:
Helps the cell to move using energy and to move liquid past easily.
What is a specialised cell?
Specialised cells can be differentiated for a particular function. The number of organelles will differ depending on that function.
How do you calculate the actual size of an image and the magnification?
Actual size= Image size / magnification
Magnification= Image size / Actual size
What is a prokaryotic cell?
A cell with no true nucleus/ They do not contain membrane bound organelles and are in general much smaller than a eukaryotic cell.
What are the features of a eukaryotic cell?
Contains membrane bound organelles.
True nucleus
Tend to be bigger
Often multi-cellular
What are the features of a prokaryotic cell?
No true nucleus Lacks membrane bound organelles uni-cellular Asexually reproduce No Cytoplasm
What are prokaryotic cell walls made from?
Peptidoglycan
What is gram positive and gram negative bacteria?
Gram positive- Thick cell walls containing many layers of peptidoglycan and teichoic acids.
Gram Negative- Relatively thin cell walls consisting of a few layers of peptidoglycan surrounded by a second lipid membrane containing liopolysaccharides and lipoproteins.
What is the origin of a virus?
Uncertain!!!
What are the 5 Kingdoms?
Animalia Plantae Fungi Prokaryotae Protoctista
Which of the 5 kingdoms do viruses fit into?
None- as viruses show no/tiny amounts of characteristics to define a living organism.
What are the characteristics of a virus?
Obtigates intercellular parasites.
Small (nanometers in size)
Contain a single type of nucleic acid. (either DNA or RNA)
Contain a protein coat (capsid)
May contain a host
Multiply inside living cells using bio synthetic machinery of the host.
What the the different types (morphological types) a virus can be classified as?
Helical
Polyhedral/cubic
enveloped
complex
What are the 5 major steps in viral replication?
Attachment Penetration Nucleic acid and protein synthesis. Assembly of virons (virus particles) Release/egress
Define a parasite.
An oragnism which lives in or off another organism (host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the other organisms expense.
(viruses are a type of parasite)
What does the virus do once inside the host cell?
Makes use of the cells enzymes to reproduce.
some take over the machinery of the host cell immediately.
They make large numbers of new virus particles which are then released ready to infect new cells.
What is the genetic material of a virus?
May contain DNA or RNA
The type of genetic material depends on the function/nature of the specific virus.
What is a bacteriophage?
A virus that attacks bacteria.
DNA is coated by proteins.
DNA is long thread with 150 genes packed into the head.
Larger than most other viruses.
How does a bacteriophage attack bacteria?
Attacks the surface of the bacteria using its tail.
DNA is injected into the bacteria where it proceeds to replicate,
The new viral DNA enables the manufactoring and assembly of new viral heads and tails.
After 30 mins the bacterium bursts open releasing 300+ viruses which repeat the process.
Define magnification size.
Magnification- How much bigger the image is in comparison to the actual size of the sample.
Define Resolution.
Resolution- How well a microscope distinguishes between two points which are close together.
How do you calibrate the eyepiece gratitude on a microscope?
1) place the stage micrometer on the microscope stage.
2) Line up the divisions on the eyepiece with those on the micrometer.
3) work out the length of one eyepiece graticule unit in micrometeres
4) repeat for each of the objective lenses on the microscope.
What is staining?
Biological material is not coloured (often) so chemicals can be bound to a specimen allowing it to be seen.
(Eg. Acetic Orcin stains DNA red)
What is sectioning?
Specimens are embedded into wax and then thin sections are cut without changing the structure of the specimen. (prevents distortion)
How does a Transmission Electron Microscope Work?
Beam of electrons are passed through the specimen and dispersed by the structures.
The scattered electrons are then captured on a photographic film.
How does a Scanning Electron Microscope Work?
Specimen is coated in a very thin metal layer.
Beam of electrons is bounced off the surface and onto a photographic plate.
Allows a 3D image to be produced.
What is etching?
Specimens are coated with a very thin layer of heavy metal in order to be looked at under a SEM.
What is freeze Fracture?
The specimen is frozen rapidly and then cracked on a plane through the tissue.
The Fracture occurs along weak portions of the tissue such as the cell membranes and organelles.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using Electron Microscopes?
Adv- Higher magnification and resolution so better detailed images.
DisAdv- Very expensive and require training to use. Can only look at dead organisms.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using optical microscopes?
Adv- Cheap, simple to use and can view living organisms up to 1500x magnification.
DisAdv- Lower resolution and magnification.
What is cell fractionation?
The separation of different parts of the cells in order to study cell structure and function.
Why is the chopped tissue homogenised in a cold, isotonic and buffered solution?
Cold- Reduce enzyme activity.
Isotonic- Prevents organelles shrivelling/bursting.
Buffered- Maintains a constant pH.
What are the main steps in cell frationation?
1) tissue is cut into small pieces.
2) Made smaller by a homogeniser.
3) homogenate is filtered to remove any large cells such as cell membrane and wall.
4) suspension of homogenate is placed into a test tube and centrifuged at high speeds.
5) slower speeds = larger fragments becomes sediment pellets and removed from the supernatant.
6) re-spun at a faster speed for longer = smaller organelles
7) repeat until the organelles have been removed.
What is a lipid?
A mixed group of hydrophobic compounds composed of Carbon, Hydrogen and oxygen, (FATS)
What are the main functions of lipids?
Storage. Production of metabolic water thermal insulation electrical insulation water proofing hormone production buoyancy.