Biology Unit 6: The Cell Flashcards
Absorption
The transport of dissolved substances into cells
Digestion
The breakdown of absorbed substances
Respiration
The breakdown of food molecules with a release of energy
Excretion
The removal of soluble waste materials
Egestion
The removal of non-soluble waste materials
Secretion
The release of biosynthesized substances
Homeostasis
Maintaining the status quo
Reproduction
Producing more cells
Cytology
The study of cells
Cell Wall
A rigid structure on the outside of certain cells, usually plant and bacterial cells
Middle lamella
The thin film between the cell walls of adjacent plant cells
Plasma Membrane
The semipermeable membrane between the cell contents and either the cell wall or the cell’s surroundings
Cytoplasm
A jellylike fluid inside the cell in which the organelles are suspended
Ions
Substances in which at least one atom has an imbalance of protons and electrons
Cytoplasmic streaming
The motion of cytoplasm in a cell that results in a coordinated movement of the cell’s contents
Mitochondria
The organelles in which nutrients are converted to energy
Lysosome
The organelle in animal cells responsible for hydrolysis reactions that break down proteins, polysaccharides, disaccharides, and some lipids
Ribosomes
Non-membrane-bounded organelles responsible for protein synthesis
Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)
An organelle composed of an extensive network of folded membranes that performs several tasks within a cell
Rough ER
ER that is dotted with ribosomes
Smooth ER
ER that has no ribosomes
Golgi Bodies
The organelles where proteins and lipids are stored and then modified to suit the needs of the cell
Leucoplasts
Organelles that store starches or oils
Chromoplasts
Organelles that contain pigments used in photosynthesis
Central Vacuole
A large vacuole that rests at the center of most plant cells and is filled with a solution that contains a high concentration of solutes
Waste Vacuoles
Vacuoles that contain the waste products of digestion
Phagocytosis
The process by which a cell engulfs foreign substances or other cells
Phagocytic vacuole
A vacuole that holds the matter which a cell engulfs
Pinocytic vesicle
Vesicle formed at the plasma membrane to allow the absorption of large molecules
Secretion vesicle
Vesicle that holds secretion products so that they can be transported to the plasma membrane and released
Microtubules
Spiral strands of protein molecules that form a tube-like structure
Nuclear membrane
A highly-porous membrane that separates the nucleus from the cytoplasm
Chromatin
Clusters of DNA, RNA, and proteins in the nucleus of a cell
Cytoskeleton
A network of fibers that holds the cell together, helps the cell to keep its shape, and aids in movement
Microfilaments
Fine, threadlike proteins found in the cell’s cytoskeleton
Intermediate filaments
Threadlike proteins in the cell’s cytoskeleton that are roughly twice as thick as microfilaments
Active transport
Movement of molecules through the plasma membrane (typically opposite the dictates of osmosis or diffusion) aided by a process that requires energy
Hypertonic solution
A solution in which the concentration of solutes is greater than that of the cell that resides in the solution
Cytolysis
The rupturing of a cell due to excess internal pressure
Hypertonic solution
A solution in which the concentration of solutes is less than that of the cell that resides in the solution
Activation energy
Energy necessary to get a chemical reaction going
