Cell Structure and Function Definitions Flashcards
To memorize definitions that are super important to build off of in the future.
What is cytology?
[SY] + [TOL] + [UH] + [JEE]
Cytology is the study of cells.
What is ingestion?
[IN]+[JES]+[CHUN]
Ingestion is the ability to bring dissolved materials into a cell. Taking in nutrients.
What is digestion?
[DY]+[JES]+[CHUN]
Digestion is the process of using hydrolysis and/or help of enzymes, to break down food and nutrients for your body to use.
What is respiration?
[RESP] + [UH] + [RAY] + [SHUHN]
Respiration is the ability to release energy from the breakdown of food molecules.
What is transport?
[TRAN] + [SPORT]
Transport is the ability to distribute/circulate molecules from one part of a cell to the other.
What is secretion?
[SUH]+[KREE]+[SHN]
Secretion is the ability to release biosynthesized substances.
Biosynthesis is a multi-step, enzyme-catalyzed process where substrates are converted into more complex products in living organisms.
What is excretion?
[UHK]+[SKREE]+[SHN]
Excretion is the ability to remove soluble metabolic waste from the cell.
What is egestion?
[IH]+[JES]+[CHUH]+[N]
Egestion is the ability to remove non soluble, undigested waste from the cell.
What is irritability?
[EE]+[RUH]+[TUH]+[BI]+[LUH]+[TEE]
Irritability is the ability to respond to stimuli.
Stimuli: detectable change in the internal or external environment.
What is an organelle?
[OR] + [GUH] + [NEL]
An organelle is a tiny cellular structure that carries out a specific function necessary for the cell to survive.
What is a prokaryotic cell?
[PROH] + [KARR] + [EE] + [OT] + [IK]
A prokaryotic cell is a cell that has no nucleus or other distinct, membrane-bound organelles.
What is a eukaryotic cell?
[YOO]+[KEH]+[REE]+[AA]+[TUHK]
A eukaryotic cell is a cell with a membrane-bound nucleus and other distinct, membrane-bound organelles.
What is a plasma membrane?
A plasma membrane is the semipermeable membrane between the cell contents and the cell’s surroundings.
Semipermeable: allowing some substances to pass through, but not others.
Semipermeable is allowing certain substances to pass through, but not others.
What is cytoplasm?
[SAI]+[TUH]+[PLA]+[ZM]
Cytoplasm is a jellylike fluid inside of cells in which organelles are suspended.
What is cytoplasmic streaming?
Cytolplasmic streaming is the motion of cytoplasm in a cell that results in a coordinated movement of the cell’s content.
What are ribosomes?
[RAI]+[BUH]+[SOWMZ]
Ribosomes are non-membrane-bound organelles responsible for protein structures.
What is a cell wall?
A cell wall is a rigid structure on the outside of certain cells, usually plant and bacteria cells.
What is middle lamella?
Middle lamella is the thin film between the cell walls of adjacent plant cells.
What is a nuclear membrane?
A nuclear membrane is a highly porous membrane that serperates the nucleus of the cell from the cytoplasm.
What is chromatin?
[KROW]+[MUH]+[TIN]
Chromatin is long strands of clusters of DNA and proteins (or RNA and proteins) in the nucleus of a cell.
What is endoplasmic reticulum?
[ENDO]+[PLAZ]+[MIK]-[RUH]+[TI]+[KYUH]+[LUHM]
Endoplasmic reticulum is and organelle composed of an extensive network of folded membranes that performs several tasks within a cell.
What is rough ER?
Abbreviation: RER
Rough ER is endoplasmic reticulum that is dotted with ribosomes.
What is smooth ER?
Abbreviation: SER
Smooth ER is endoplasmic reticulum that has no ribosomes.
What is golgi apparatus?
[GOAL]+[JEE]-[A]+[PA]+[RA]+[TUHS]
Golgi apparatus is the organelles where proteins and lipids are stored and then modified to suit the needs of the cell.
What is a vacoule?
[VA]+[KUEL]
A vacoule is a longer membrane-bound organelle used for storage of food, water, or waste.
It’s like a sac.
What is a vesicle?
[VEH]+[SUH]+[KL]
A vesicle is a smaller membrane-bound organelle used mainly for transport of food, waste, or products synthesized for secretion.
Synthesizing is the composition or combination of parts or elements so as to form a whole.
What is a secretory vesicle?
[SI] + [KREE] + [TUH] + [REE]-[VEH]+[SUH]+[KL]
A secretory vesicle is a vesicle that holds products of biosythesis (like proteins) and transports them to the plasma membrane for secretion.
What is a central vacoule?
[SEN]+[TRUHL]-[VA]+[KUEL]
A central vacoule is a large vacoule that rests at the center of most plant cells and is filled with water.
What is lysosome?
[LAI]+[SUH]+[ZOWM]
Lysosome is the organelle in animal cells responsible for hydrolysis reactions that break down proteins, carbohydrates, (polysaccharides, disaccharides), and some lipids.
What is peroxisome?
[PER]+[AAK]+[SUH]+[SOWM]
Peroxisome is a cell organelle containing enzymes that catalyze the decomposition of fatty acids and hydrogen peroxide.
What are mitochondria?
[MAI]+[TUH]+[KAAN]+[DREE]+[UH]
Mitochondria are double-bound-organelles in which nutrients are converted to energy.
What are plastids?
Plastids are double-membrane-bound organelles found in the cells of plants, algae, and some protozoa, generally involved in either the manufacture or storage of food.
Protozoa are one-celled animals found worldwide in most habitats
What are chloroplasts?
Chloroplasts are plastids containing the green pigment, chlorophyll, used in photosynthesis.
What are chromoplasts?
Chromoplasts are plastids containing yellow, orange, or red pigments used in photosynthesis.
What are leucoplasts?
[LOO]+[KUH]+[PLASTS]
Leucoplasts are nonpigmented plastids that store starches or oils.
What is a cytoskeleton?
A cytoskeleton is a network of fibers that holds the cell together, helps the cell keep its shape, and aids in movement.
What are microfilaments?
Microfilaments are fine, threadlike proteins found in the cell’s cytoskeleton.
One out of the three things in the cytoskeleton.
What are intermediate filaments?
Intermediate filaments are threadlike proteins in the cell’s cytoskeleton that are roughly twice as thick as microfilaments.
One of the three things in the cytoskeleton.
What are microtubules?
[MICRO]+[TOO]+[BE]+[OOLZ]
Microtubules are spiral strands of protein molecules that form a tubelike structure.
One of the three things in the cytoskeleton.
What are centrioles?
[CEN]+[TREE]+[OLS]
Centrioles are paired organelles (positioned at right angles to each other) that organzie fibers required for cell division.
Found in animal cells.
What is a centrosome?
[SEN]+[TRA]+[SOWM]
A centrosome is a small region near the nucleus that is the main organizing site for microtubules; in animal cells it contains the two centrioles.
What is the fluid mosaic model?
The fluid mosaic model is a model proposing that the plasma membrane is composed of a mosaic of components, (mainly phospholipids, proteins, and cholesterol), that are free to move fluidly within the plane of the membrane.
What is a phospholipid?
[FAWS]+[FO]-[LIPID]
A phospholipid is a lipid in which one of the fatty acid molecules has been replaced by a molecule that contains a hydrophilic phosphate group.
What is a semipermiable membrane?
(think: sem eye)
A semipermiable membrane is a membrane that allows some molecules to pass through but does not allow other molecules to pass through.
What is passive transport?
Passive transport is movement of molecules through the plasma membrane without the need for energy input.
Does not use energy in the process.
What is active transport?
Active transport is movement of molecules throught the plasma membrane aided by a process that requires energy input.
Uses energy in the process.
What is concentration?
Concentration is a measurement of how much solute exists within a certain volume of solvent.
The solute is the substance that is being dissolved, while the solvent is the dissolving medium.
What is concentration gradient?
[GRAY]+[DEE]+[UHNT]
Concentration gradient is the difference in the concentration of like molecules in two areas, like on each side of a plasma membrane.
What is diffusion?
Diffusion is the random motion of molecules from an area of low concentration (with a concentration gradient) until its concentration becomes equal throughout the area (reaches equilibrium).
What is osmosis?
[OZ]+[MOH]+[SIS]
Osmosis is the diffusion of water through a semipermeable membrane from an area of high water concentration (low solute concentration) to low water concentration (high solute concentration).
What is a hypotonic solution?
A hypotonic solution is a solution that has a low solute concentration (and so a high water concentration) relative to another solution.
Low solute meaning not much is being dissolved.
What is a hypertonic solution?
A hypertonic solution is a solution that has a high solute concentration (and so a low water concentration) relative to another solution.
High solute meaning there’s less being dissolved.
What is an isotonic solution?
[ICE]+[UH]+[TONIC]
An isotonic solution is a solution that has the same solute concentration (and water concentration) relative to another solution.
What is plasmolysis?
[PLAZ]+[MAA]+[LUH]+[SUHS]
Plasmolysis is when a cell’s cytoplasm collapses due to the lack of water.
What is cytolysis?
Cytolysis is the rupturing of a cell due to excess internal pressure.
What is facilitated diffusion?
Facilitated diffusion is the movement of certain molecules across a cell membrane through protein channels from high concentratoin to low concentration.
What is endocytosis
[EN]+[O]+[SAI]+[TOW]+[SUHS]
Endocytosis is the process of moving particles into the cell by means of vesicles forming from the cell membrane.
What is exocytosis?
[EX]+[O]+[SAI]+[TOW]+[SUHS]
Exocytosis is the process of moving particles out of the cell by means of vesicle membranes fusing with the cell membrane.
What is phagocytosis?
[FAG]+[e]+[SAI]+[TOW]+[SUHS]
Phagocytosis is the endocytic process by which a cell engulfs large, solid particles or cells.
What is pinocytosis?
[PIN]+[O]+[SAI]+[TOW]+[SUHS]
Pinocytosis is the endocytic process by which a cell absorbs extracellular fluid containing dissolved particles.
