Cells 2 Flashcards
Diffusion
the spreading of something more widely.
Osmosis
a process by which molecules of a solvent tend to pass through a semipermeable membrane from a less concentrated solution into a more concentrated one, thus equalizing the concentrations on each side of the membrane.
Passive Transport
movement of biochemicals and other atomic or molecular substances across cell membranes without need of energy input.
Active Transport
the movement of ions or molecules across a cell membrane into a region of higher concentration, assisted by enzymes and requiring energy.
Endocytosis
the taking in of matter by a living cell by invagination of its membrane to form a vacuole.
Exocytosis
a process by which the contents of a cell vacuole are released to the exterior through fusion of the vacuole membrane with the cell membrane.
Photosynthesis
the process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water. Photosynthesis in plants generally involves the green pigment chlorophyll and generates oxygen as a byproduct.
Cellular Respiration
The chemical process that generates most of the energy in the cell, supplying molecules needed to make the metabolic reactions (see metabolism) of an organism run. Note: The main carrier of energy in metabolism is the molecule ATP.
Fermentation
the chemical breakdown of a substance by bacteria, yeasts, or other microorganisms, typically involving effervescence and the giving off of heat.
Cell Cycle
the cycle of growth and asexual reproduction of a cell, consisting of interphase followed in actively dividing cells by prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase.
Chromosomes
a threadlike structure of nucleic acids and protein found in the nucleus of most living cells, carrying genetic information in the form of genes.
Homologous Chromosomes
Homologous chromosomes are chromosome pairs, one from each parent, that are similar in length, gene position, and centromere location. The position of the genes on each homologous chromosome is the same, however the genes may contain different alleles.
Mitosis
a type of cell division that results in two daughter cells each having the same number and kind of chromosomes as the parent nucleus, typical of ordinary tissue growth.
Cytokinesis
the cytoplasmic division of a cell at the end of mitosis or meiosis, bringing about the separation into two daughter cells.
