cell biology Flashcards
What are the two types of cells?
Eukaryotic (plant and animal)
● Prokaryotic (bacteria)
What are the differences between eukaryotic and
prokaryotic cells?
Prokaryotic cells are much smaller than
eukaryotic cells.
Eukaryotic cells contain membrane
bound-organelles and a nucleus containing
genetic material, while prokaryotes do not.
What are plasmids
Small, circular loops of DNA found free in the
cytoplasm and separate from the main DNA.
● Carry genes that provide genetic advantages
e.g. antibiotic resistance.
How is genetic information stored in a
prokaryotic cell?
Found free within the cytoplasm as:
● Chromosomal DNA (single large loop of circular DNA)
● Plasmid DNA
What is order of magnitude?
A power to the base 10 used to quantify
and compare size
What is a centimetre (cm)?
1 x 10^-2 metres
What is a millimetre (mm)?
1 × 10^-3 metres
What is a micrometre (µm)?
1 × 10^-6 metres
What is a nanometre (nm)?
1 x 10^-9 metres
What is the difference in order of magnitude between
a human hair (length = 100 µm) and the HIV virus
(length = 100 nm)?
100 µm = 10-4 m
100 nm = 10-7 m
-4-(-7) = -4 + 7 = 3
List the components of both plant and animal cells
Nucleus
● Cytoplasm
● Cell membrane
● Mitochondria
● Ribosomes
List the additional cell components found in plant
cells
Chloroplasts
● Permanent vacuole
● Cell wall
Other than storing genetic information, what is the
function of the nucleus?
Controls cellular activities
Describe the structure of the cytoplasm
● Fluid component of the cell.
● Contains organelles, enzymes and dissolved
ions and nutrients.
What is the function of the cytoplasm?
Site of cellular reactions e.g. first stage
of respiration.
Transport medium
What is the function of the mitochondria?
Site of aerobic respiration
in which ATP is produced.
What is the function of the cell membrane?
Controls the entry and exit of materials
into and out of the cell.
What does the permanent vacuole contain?
Cell sap (a solution of salts, sugars and
organic acids).
What is the function of the ribosomes?
Joins amino acids in a specific order
during translation for the synthesis of
proteins.
What is the function of the plant cell wall?
● Provides strength.
● Prevents the cell bursting when water
enters by osmosis.
What is the plant cell wall made of?
Cellulose
What is the function of the permanent vacuole?
Supports the cell, maintaining its
turgidity.
What is the function of chloroplasts?
Site of photosynthesis
Describe how sperm cells in animals are adapted to
their function
● Haploid nucleus contains genetic information.
● Tail enables movement.
● Mitochondria provide energy for tail movement.
● Acrosome contains enzymes that digest the egg cell
membrane.
Describe how nerve cells in animals are adapted to
their function
● Long axon allows electrical impulses to be transmitted all over
the body from the central nervous system.
● Dendrites from the cell body connect to and receive impulses
from other nerve cells, muscles and glands.
● Myelin sheath insulates the axon and speeds up the
transmission of impulses along the nerve cell.
Describe how root hair cells in plants are adapted to
their function
● Large surface area to absorb nutrients and
water from surrounding soil.
● Thin walls meaning short diffusion distance.
lotf of mitochondria to provide nrg for active transport
Describe how muscle cells are adapted to their
function
● Arrangement of protein filaments allows them to
slide over each other to produce muscle contraction.
● Mitochondria to provide energy for muscle
contraction.
● Merged cells in skeletal muscle allow muscle fibre
contraction in unison.
Describe how xylem cells in plants are adapted to
their function
● No upper or lower margins between cells
to provide a continuous route for water to flow.
● Thick, woody side walls strengthen their
structure and prevent collapse.
What is cell differentiation?
The process by which cells become
specialised.
Describe how phloem cells in plants are adapted to
their function
● Sieve plates let dissolved amino acids and
sugars be transported up and down the stem.
● Companion cells provide energy needed for
active transport of substances along the
phloem.
Why is cell differentiation important?
Allows production of different tissues and
organs that perform various vital
functions in the human body
What changes does a cell go through as it
differentiates?
Becomes specialised through acquisition
of different sub-cellular structures to
enable a specific function to be
performed by the cell.
At what point in their life cycle do most animal cells
differentiate?
Early in their life cycle
For how long do plant cells retain the ability to
differentiate?
throughout their life
What is the purpose of cell division in mature
animals?
growth and repair
Define resolution
The smallest distance between two
objects that can be distinguished.
Define magnification
The number of times bigger an image
appears compared to the size of the real
object.
How does a light microscope work?
Passes a beam of light through a specimen
which travels through the eyepiece lens,
allowing the specimen to be observed.
What are the advantages of light microscopes?
● Inexpensive
● Easy to use
● Portable
● Observe both dead and living specimens
What is the disadvantage of light microscopes?
Limited resolution
Name the two types of electron microscope
Transmission electron microscope (TEM)
Scanning electron microscope (SEM)
How does an electron microscope work?
It uses a beam of electrons which are
focused using magnets. The electrons hit
a fluorescent screen which emits visible
light, producing an image.
Why do electron microscopes have a greater
magnification and resolution?
They use a beam of electrons which has
a shorter wavelength than photons of
light.
What is the advantage of electron microscopes
Greater magnification and resolution.
How have electron microscopes enabled scientists
to develop their understanding of cells?
● Allow small sub-cellular structures (e.g. mitochondria,
ribosomes) to be observed in detail.
● Enable scientists to develop more accurate
explanations about how cell structure relates to
function.
What are the disadvantages of electron
microscopes?
Expensive
● Large so less portable
● Require training to use
● Only dead specimens can be observed
How can the magnification of an image be
calculated?
magnification =
size of image / size of real object
What is standard form?
A way of expressing numbers - written as
a figure between 1 and 10 multiplied by a
positive or negative power of 10.