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BIOL 186 > Cells > Flashcards

Cells Flashcards

1
Q

What are the four common features all cells share?

A

DNA, ribosomes, plasma membrane, cytosol

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2
Q

What are the five types of light microscopy?

A

Five types; brightfield unstained, brightfield stained, phase contrast, differential interference contrast, fluorescence

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3
Q

What is electron microscopy and what are the two types?

A

Very detailed but hard to see life. 2 types; scanning and transmission - trans can see both longitudinal and cross section because of orientation and 3D shape.

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4
Q

What are microsomes, and where to they come from?

A

Small vesicles that come from fragmented cell membranes during cell fractionation.

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5
Q

What are the characteristics of prokaryotes?

A

They have no organelles, but have regions surrounded by proteins to partake in reactions. Have nucleoid, fimbriae, ribosomes, plasma membrane and cell wall, capsule, flagella (usually), chromosome(s) and cytosol.

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6
Q

What is the plasma membrane and its characteristics? Where is it found?

A

It is the semi-permeable barrier between inside and outside of all cells. It has hydrophilic areas (phospholipids) in contact with the aqueous solution on both sides and carbohydrate side chains attached to proteins on the non-cytosolic side of the the membrane.

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7
Q

What is the nucleoid? Where is it found?

A

DNA/genetic information in prokaryotes with no membrane enclosure.

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8
Q

What are ribosomes, what is their function, and where are they located?

A

Made of rRNA and proteins, main function is protein synthesis - help couple tRNA anticodons with mRNA. Located freely or attached to nuclear envelope or endoplasmic reticulum, different proteins made depending on location.

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9
Q

What is the cytosol? Where is it found?

A

Fluid in all cells inside the plasma membrane.

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10
Q

What happens to surface area as cells increase in size?

A

The surface area of the cells grows slower than the volume.

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11
Q

Do larger organisms have larger cells?

A

No, they simply have more cells.

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12
Q

Why are eukaryotic cells bigger than prokaryotic cells?

A

Because they are carrying more ‘stuff’ - organelles.

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13
Q

How are eukaryotes organized?

A

Eukaryotes are organized into organelles via membranes.

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14
Q

What is the nucleus and its function?

A

The nucleus contains the cell’s DNA, organized into chromatin which is further sorted into chromosomes. It transcribes DNA to mRNA which is then transported from the nucleus into the cytosol where it is then translated into proteins.

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15
Q

What is the nuclear envelope and its function?

A

It is a double membrane permeated by pores that separates DNA from the rest of the nucleus.

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16
Q

What is the nuclear pore complex and its function?

A

The pore complex is a series of pores in the double membrane of the nuclear envelope that regulates the passage of macromolecules in and out of the nucleus.

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17
Q

What is the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and its function?

A

The ER has two different parts: cisternae and the ER lumen. It is continuous with the nuclear envelope and synthesizes proteins and lipids, stores calcium and helps with carbohydrate metabolism.

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18
Q

What is the rough ER and its function?

A

The rough ER is studded with ribosomes and synthesizes proteins and lipids. It also helps with transport in the form of vesicles that deliver proteins to the ER, golgi, lysosomes and plasma membrane.

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19
Q

What is the smooth ER and its function?

A

The smooth ER lacks ribosomes. It synthesizes lipids, stores calcium, detoxifies drugs and toxins and helps with carbohydrate metabolism (glycogen -> glucose)

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20
Q

What is the golgi apparatus and its function?

A

The golgi apparatus is the warehouse of the cell. It synthesizes macromolecules and recieves, modifies, organizes and then ships molecules to different parts of the cell.

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21
Q

The golgi apparatus has structural directionality. What does this mean?

A

The golgi has two sides: cis and trans. Cis receives, trans ships.

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22
Q

What are cisternae and its function?

A

Cisternae are pieces of flattened membrane vesicles found in the golgi and ER that have different sets of enzymes depending on location.

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23
Q

What is the ER lumen?

A

Area enclosed by the ER

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24
Q

What are the transport vesicles?

A

The transport vesicles connect the ER and the golgi apparatus together.

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25
Describe the process the transport vesicles take to deliver proteins to the plasma membrane.
ER synthesizes proteins with rough ER --> transport to golgi by vesicles --> golgi modifies, sorts and ships --> transport vesicles deliver to lysosomes, plasma membrane --> proteins in plasma membrane fuse to membrane or are secreted by lipids into extracellular space.
26
What are lysosomes and what are their function? Where are they found?
Lysosomes are animal cell specific ad are a digestive compartment with hydrolytic enzymes - meaning they break down molecules - and acidic pH. They are used for cell-eating, defense and recycling.
27
How are lysosomes used for defense?
They can fight off bacterial infection by engulfing bacteria (white blood cells.)
28
Lysosomes can 'recycle' via something called autophagy. What is it?
They can digest damaged organelles that no longer function.
29
Lysosomes can 'eat' via something called phagocytosis. What is it?
When cells take up particles from outside environments, food vacuoles fuse with lysosomes which carries digestive enzymes for digestion of these particles. Form of eating in unicellular organisms.
30
What are peroxisomes and their function?
Peroxisomes have a single membrane and generate hydrogen peroxide. They are involved in lipid catabolism.
31
Peroxisomes performs lipid catabolism. What is that?
Lipid catabolism involves the break down of fatty chain acids into smaller molecules which are then transferred to the mitochondria to be used as fuel for cell respiration.
32
What are glyocyxisomes and their function?
Glyocyxisomes are like peroxisomes in plant cells that store and convert fatty acids to sugars to grow seedlings.
33
What are the types of vacuoles in animal cells?
Food vacuoles, contractile vacuoles
34
What is the contractile vacuole and its function?
The contractile vacuole helps pump H2O outside of the cell to provide the cell with a sustainable concentration of ions and molecules.
35
What is the function of vacuoles in plant cells?
Store pigments (petals), proteins (seeds), organic compounds (defense) and hydrolytic enzymes; help keep plant shape.
36
What is the central vacuole and its function?
The central vacuole helps with growth by absorbing water, which enlarges the cell with minimal investment.
37
What is the mitochondria made of?
The mitochondria has an outer membrane, an intermembrane space and inner membrane with cristae.
38
What are cristae?
Cristae are folds in the inner membrane of the mitochondria that increase surface area.
39
What is the mitochondria matrix?
The mitochondira matrix is found in the inner membrane that has its own DNA, ribosomes and enzymes that provides some proof for endosymbiosis.
40
What is the function of the mitochondria?
The mitochondria produces most of the energy as ATP for the cell and its enzymes in the inner membrane and matrix catalyze cellular respiration.
41
What is a chloroplast and its function?
They are only found in plant cells. They have an outer membrane, an intermembrane space and an inner membrane. Photosynthesis occurs in thylakoids inside stroma that has its own ribosomes and DNA.
42
What are the three types of plastids in plants and their functions?
Chloroplasts: green, where photosynthesis happens. Amyloplasts: colourless, store starch. Chromoplasts: yellow/orange, store pigments.
43
What is the function of the cell wall?
It is only found in plants and gives cells their shape, prevents H2O loss and excessive H2O uptake, and holds plants up against gravity.
44
What is the structure of the cell wall?
The cell wall has three parts - the primary, secondary cell wall and middle lamella. It is made of cellulose which is embedded in a matrix of proteins and other other polysaccharides.
45
What is the structure of the primary cell wall?
It is thin and flexible.
46
What is the structure of the secondary cell wall?
It forms with lignin (wood) and forms inside the primary cell, not outside.
47
What is the structure of the middle lamella?
The middle lamella has pectins that glue the cell together.
48
What are plasmodesmata and their function?
Found only in plants, they are cytosolic bridges between neighboring cells to allow the free passage of H2O and small molecules.
49
What is the extracellular matrix (ECM) and its function?
Only in animals, it is a method of support made of collagen in a network of proteoglycans connected by fibronectin and integrins to the cell.
50
What are integrins?
Membrane proteins
51
What are the three types of cell junctions in animal cells?
Tight junctions, gap junctions and desmosomes.
52
What are tight junctions and their function?
Tight junctions are neighboring cells pressed tightly together to prevent the leakage of extracellular fluid.
53
What are desmosomes and their function?
They are intermediate filaments for cell-cell adhesion.
54
What are gap junctions and their function?
Gap junctions are cytoplasmic channels that allow passage of small molecules (ions, sugars, amino acids) for communication between adjacent cells.
55
Cells have motility as the cytoskeleton interacts with motor proteins. What are some ways they move?
Cells can move by changing their position, bending their plasma membrane to form pseudopods, and cell parts can move along tracks (vesicles, organelles.)
56
How do motor proteins guide vesicles from the ER to the golgi?
Powered by ATP, motor proteins bind to receptors on vesicles and 'walk' along tracks of microtubules or microfilaments to get where they need to be.
57
What is the cytoskeleton made up of?
The cytoskeleton is made of three molecular structures: the microtubules, the actin filaments and the intermediate filaments.
58
What are microtubules and their function?
Microtubules are the largest of molecular structures. They have one active end that grows/shrinks while the other stays still. This is how flagella and cilia move.
59
How do flagella and cilia move?
They move using motor proteins activated with ATP.
60
Why are microtubules and actin filaments so dynamic while intermediate filaments more rigid?
Microtubules and actin filaments readily change shape by dismantling and reassembling themselves to allow movement of organelles in the cell - to do this, they have weaker bonds. Intermediate filaments are used primarily for the structural support of cells and their a-helix formation and stronger bonds allows them to tolerate stretching without breaking.
61
What are actin filaments and their function?
Actin filaments are the thinnest part of the cytoskeleton. They constantly change shape by subtracting actin subunits from one end and adding onto the other. They support cell shape and used in movement; phagocytosis, muscle contraction, cell crawling, and cytoplasmic streaming.
62
What are intermediate filaments and their function?
Intermediate filaments are only found in 'squishy' animals (vertebrates, molluscs, etc. not arthropods.) They are medium, structured and sessile - provide mechanical strength to cells and tissues.
63
What are microtubules made of?
They are made of alpha-beta tubulin dimers, stacked together to form a hollow tube.
64
What are actin filaments made of?
They are made up of 2 chains of actin proteins wound around each other; each actin protein chain is made of actin subunits.
65
What are intermediate filaments made of?
They are made of fibrous subunits coiled together, which are in turn made of wound keratin proteins.

BIOL 186 (17 decks)

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