Cell Bio Lecture 1 Flashcards
list the 6 main elements of life
- carbon
- oxygen
- hydrogen
- nitrogen
- phosphorous
- sulfur
what is the most common element of life? where is it found? (2)
hydrogen; found in air and as a component of water
what main element is the backbone of most molecules?
carbon
what main element is a component of amino acids and air?
nitrogen
what main element is highly reactive and a component of RNA, DNA, ATP, and phospholipids?
phosporous
what main element is odoriferous, a component of amino acids, vitamins, keratin, and antibodies?
sulfur
what are the 2 most important trace elements for life? say why
- calcium: important second messenger and critical for bone development
- iron: important in RBCs
what are the 4 macromolecules?
- carbohydrates
- proteins
- lipids
- nucleic acids
what is the ratio of elements in carbohydrates?
1:2:1 carbon:hydrogen:oxygen
what are the 3 kinds of carbohydrates?
- monosaccharides
- disaccharides
- polysaccharides
what macromolecule comprises 50% of a cell’s dry weight?
protein
describe the basic structure of proteins
the amino acid, which is composed of an alpha carbon, an amino group, a carboxyl group, and an R group
what are lipids composed of? describe structure
fatty acids; with a polar hydrophilic group and a nonpolar hydrophobic group
describe the structure of nucleic acids
composed of monomeric nucleotides with a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base
what is the sugar in RNA?
ribose
what is the sugar in DNA?
deoxyribose
can mature RBCs divide? why or why not?
nope; no nucleus
why do we care about cells in terms of disease?
disease starts at a cellular level, then affects multiple cells (tissues), then multiple tissues (organs), then health of an animal
contrast eukaryotic cells to prokarytic cells
- eukaryotic cells have a nucleus, prokaryotes don’t
- eukaryote organelles are membrane-bound; prokaryote organelles have no membrane of their own
- eukaryotic DNA is linear, has histones, and is capped with mRNAs while prokaryotic DNA is circular, has no histones (is naked), and is not capped with mRNAs
what is the purpose of the histones in eukaryotic DNA?
keeps linear DNA from tangling and getting damaged