Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

BIOSCI 107 Part One > Cell Structure and Function - Introduction > Flashcards

Cell Structure and Function - Introduction Flashcards

1
Q

What is a Prokaryotic cell?

A

are cells that do not have a true nucleus or membrane-bound organelles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is a Eukaryotic cell?

A

cells that have a nucleus enclosed within membranes (humans)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What do Eukaryotic cells and prokaryotic cells have in common?

A

The plasma membrane, cytosol, DNA, RNA,

protein and ribosomes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are the main differences between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells?

A

Eukaryotic cells are much larger and have a membrane bound nucleus while prokaryotic cells are much smaller and their nucleus is not membrane-bound

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is the cytoplasm?

A

is everything inside the plasma membrane including the organelles,
but not including the nucleus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is cytosol?

A

The fluid portion of the cytoplasm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What does cytosol consist of?

A

water plus dissolved and suspended substances (eg. ions, ATP, proteins, lipids)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What organelles make up the endomembrane system?

A

Nucleus
Endoplasmic Reticulum (smooth and rough)
Golgi apparatus
Lysosomes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the endomembrane system?

A

A network of membranes inside and around a eukaryotic cell organelles
Work together to modify, package, and transport lipids and proteins (ie shared membrane space)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Order of the sizes of microvilli, cilia and flagellum

A

Microvilli < Cilia < Flagellum

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is the function of the plasma membrane?

A

is a selectively permeable barrier controlling
the passage of substances in and out of the cell (acts as a physical barrier separating the inside and outside of the cell)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is the plasma membrane made of?

A

it is made of a double layer of phospholipids with embedded proteins

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

How does the fat portion of a phospholipid react with water?

A

It is hydrophobic so it repels water

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

How does the phosphate (head) portion of a phospholipid react with water?

A

It is hydrophilic so it will face the water

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What does a phospholipid consist of?

A

a hydrophilic polar head (phosphate) and a hydrophobic lipid tails (fatty acids) which are arranged as a double layer around cytoplasm, tail to tail

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is a feature of plasma membrane proteins? (Not the 6 things they are involved in)

A

An often amphipathic protein that is associated with the plasma membrane.
Mediate movement of hydrophilic substances, allow cell-to-cell identification, adhesion between cells, attach to other structures and facilitate intercellular communication.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

How do plasma membrane proteins react with water?

A

They are often amphipathic so they have both hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions. This is to allow molecules to pass through the plasma membrane

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What are integral proteins

A

proteins that are embedded (partially or fully) into the membrane

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What are transmembrane proteins?

A

proteins that fully span the entire membrane, contact extracellular
and cytoplasmic areas

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What are Peripheral membrane proteins?

A

proteins that are associated with the

membrane, but not actually embedded in it

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What are the functions of the plasma membrane proteins?

A 
Transport
enzymatic activity
signal transduction
cell-cell recognition
intercellular joining 
 attachment to the cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix (ECM)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Example of transport function of the plasma membrane

A

channels or transporters may be

general or selective, gated or not

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Example of enzymatic activity function of the plasma membrane

A

Carry out a chemical reaction,

may or may not be a part of a team of enzymes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Example of signal transduction function of the plasma membrane

A

External signalling molecule causing transduction of information to the inside of
the cell

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Example of cell-cell recognition function of the plasma membrane

A

Use of glycoproteins (carbohydrate
+ protein) as molecular signatures
of the extracellular side of the cell

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Example of intercellular joining function of the plasma membrane

A

gap and tight junctions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Example of attachment to the cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix (ECM) function of the plasma membrane. hint = FIBRONECTIN

A

fibronectin mediates contact between cell surface integrins and ECM (eg. collagen).
can facilitate movement

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

What is the fluid mosaic model?

A

The model used to describe proteins and other structure moving freely in a fluid bilayer of phospholipids.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

What is the nucleus?

A

The largest distinct structure inside the cell

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

What is the structure of the nucleus

A

It is enclosed by a double lipid bilayer called the nuclear envelope, continuous with rough ER and has entry and exit through nuclear pores. Has the nucleolus in the centre

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

What is the function of the nucleus?

A
  • to house/protect DNA in eukaryotic cells
  • Make RNA and assemble ribosomes
  • pores regulate the movement of substances (eg protein and mRNA) in and out
  • Molecule segregation to allow temporal and spatial control of cell function
32
Q

What is the nucleolus?

A

Distinct structure present in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells

33
Q

What is the function of the nucleolus?

A

rRNA production

Assembly of the small and large ribosomal subunits

34
Q

What is the nuclear envelope?

A

Lipid bi-layer enclosing the nucleus

Continuous with the rough ER

35
Q

What is the function of the nuclear pore and where are they?

A

Structures in the nuclear envelope

Allow passage of certain materials between the cell nucleus and cytoplasm

36
Q

What is Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)?

A

Nucleic acid that encodes our phenotype

37
Q

What is histone?

A

Protein molecule which binds with 7 others to form a nucleosome

38
Q

What is nucleosome?

A

Bead-like structure in chromatin

Composed of a short length of DNA wrapped twice around core of histone proteins

39
Q

What is chromatin?

A

‘spaghetti like’ structure

strings of nucleosomes that are wound together to from fibres

40
Q

What is a chromosome?

A

Bundles of tightly coiled DNA located within the nucleus of almost every cell in our body

41
Q

What is a gene?

A

a DNA segment that contributes to phenotype/function

42
Q

How many chromosomes are in a human cell?

A

Humans are diploid so have 2N chromosomes
= 46 chromosomes (23 pairs), one from each parent
22 Autosomes and 2 sex chromosomes

43
Q

What is a ribosome and its function?

A

The organelle that is the site of protein production/synthesis

44
Q

Where are ribosomes found in the cell??

A

Free in the cytoplasm - making proteins to be used in the cytosol (non-endomembrane destinations)
OR
Attached to the rough ER making non-cytosolic proteins/endomembrane

45
Q

How are ribosomes made?

A

Subunits are assembled in the nucleolus

Leave through nuclear pores (large and small subunit)

46
Q

What is the endoplasmic reticulum?

A

An extensive network of tubes and tubules

Stretch out from the nuclear membrane

47
Q

What is the function of the rough ER?

A

Major Function is production of:
Secreted proteins
Membrane proteins
Organelle Proteins

Proteins enter lumen within the rough ER for folding
The rough ER membrane surrounds the protein to form transport vesicles which are destined for the Golgi

48
Q

What is the structure of the RER?

A

A membrane that is continuous with the nuclear envelope

Dotted with attached ribosomes

49
Q

What is the smooth ER?

A

An extension of the rough ER

50
Q

What is the function of the SER

A

Is very cell/tissue type specific
Major function:
Housing unit for proteins and enzymes
Synthesise lipids (including steroids and phospholipids)
Storage of cell-specific proteins, not all cells make proteins

51
Q

What is the main difference between SER and RER

A

Smooth ER doesn’t have ribosomes (does not make proteins)

52
Q

The function of SER in liver

A

Houses enzymes for detoxification and glucose release

53
Q

The function of SER in muscles

A

Stores calcium ions which are used for contraction

54
Q

What is the sarcoplasmic reticulum?

A

SR is a form of smooth muscle ER
Found in skeletal muscle
Function is to regulate Ca2+ storage and release homeostasis during and after muscle contraction

55
Q

What is the cis face of the Golgi apparatus?

A

The receiving side

56
Q

What is the trans face of the golgi apparatus?

A

The shipping side

57
Q

What is the Golgi apparatus made of?

A

3 to 20 flattened membranous sacs called cisternae

Stacked on top of one another ( like ‘pita bread’)

58
Q

What is the function of the Golgi apparatus?

A

Modify, sort, package and transport proteins received from the rough ER using enzymes in each cisternae

Formation of:

  • Secretory vesicles (proteins for exocytosis)
  • Membrane vesicles (PM molecules)
  • Transport vesicles (molecules to lysosome)
59
Q

What are lysosomes?

A

Vesicles formed from the Golgi membrane
Contain powerful digestive enzymes
Have membrane proteins that pump H+ in order to maintain an acidic pH
The rest of the cell is protected by a membrane

60
Q

What is the function of lysosomes?

A

Main function is digestion of substances that enter the cell:

  • Cell components (eg organelles, autophagy)
  • Entire cells (autolysis)
61
Q

What is Gaucher metabolic disorder?

A

Occurs when a particular lipid is poorly degraded
Results in a severe phenotype in humans
(Failure of a single lysosome enzyme can cause sever disease as digestion by lysosomes is crucial)

62
Q

What is the function of mitochondria?

A

Generate ATP through cellular respiration

63
Q

What are mitochondria made of?

A

Outer mitochondrial membrane
Inner mitochondrial membrane (with folds called cristae)
Fluid filled interior cavity (called mitochondrial matrix)

64
Q

What is cristae?

A

The inner mitochondrial membrane

65
Q

What is the mitochondrial matrix?

A

The fluid filler filled interior cavity

66
Q

What is the cytoskeleton?

A

Structural support system of the cell

Contains fibres/filaments that help maintain the size, shape and integrity of the cell

Acts as scaffolding across the cell

Involved in intracellular transportation and cell movement

67
Q

What are the microfilaments in the cytoskeleton made of?

A

Comprised of actin molecules assemble in two long chains twisted around each other
Assembled and disassembled as required - DYNAMIC

68
Q

What is the function of microfilaments?

A

Bear tension and weight by anchoring the cytoskeleton to the plasma membrane proteins
Promote motility if required (eg Macrophage)

69
Q

Where are microfilaments found?

A

Found around the periphery and lining of the interior of cell

70
Q

What are the intermediate filaments in the cytoskeleton made of?

A

Comprised of a diverse range of materials Eg Keratin

Found in cytoplasm of the cell

71
Q

What is the function of the intermediate filaments of the cytoskeleton?

A

Bear tension and weight throughout the cell
Eg during cell anchoring

Act as a scaffold for cellular organelles
Eg the nucleus

72
Q

What are the microtubules of the cytoskeleton made of?

A

Tubular structure
Comprise of Lublin dimers (alpha and beta) coiled to from a tube
Extends from centriole into cytoplasm/nucleus

73
Q

What is the function of the microtubules of the cytoskeleton?

A

Support cell shape and size
Guide movement of organelles (Eg vesicles from Golgi to membrane)
Chromosome organisation - cell division
Support and movement of cilia/flagella (sperm tail)

74
Q

Diameter of microfilament

75
Q

Diameter of intermediate filament

76
Q

Diameter of micro-tubule

A

25nm with the central lumen of 15nm diameter

BIOSCI 107 Part One (12 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions