Cells Flashcards
Science is
knowledge based on experimentation
Can science answer all the questions?
No.
Scientific method
1) Observation and facts
2) Hypotheses and predictions
3) Testing
4) Evaluation and interpretation of results
5) Conclusions
What did Semmelweis notice about childbed fever?
He noticed that in division 1, which was next to the autopsies library, that when he asked workers to wash their hands with chlorine, the incidents of childbed fever declined.
Other theories about childbed fever that were disproved by Semmelweis
Male doctors - rougher
Miasma - bad smell
Birthing position - laying on their back
Unit of life is
the cell
inside the cell, life does what?
performs all the chemical reactions necessary to avoid decay into equilibrium
Where do cells get the material to make their parts?
From the environment.
How old is the Earth?
4.5 billion years old
How many eons are there, and what are they?
Four eons:
1) Hadean
2) Archaean
3) Proterozoic
4) Phanerozoic
Hadean
No life
Archean
3.8 billion years ago - from fossils and the presence of oxygen, we know there were prokaryotic cells - single celled organisms like Archaeans and Bacteria
Proterozoic
emergence of Eukaryotic cells - still single celled
Phanerozoic
Cambrian explosion - macro-fossils - multi-celled organisms
All cells have what in common?
1) cell membrane
2) DNA chromosomes
3) ribosomes for protein synthesis
4) Cytoplasm in the cell
5) Energy transformation pathways
6) 500 genes shared between all domains of life
Cell membrane functions
1) Controls movement of ions and molecules, maintaining chemical environment inside the cell.
2) encloses the cytoplasm
3) organize enzymes
4) Detect and allow responses to signals from the environment
5) Promotes recognition and adhesion between cells and the extracellular matrix.
Cytoplasm
Watery environment where cellular structures are organized and all chemical reactions take place
Energy transformation pathways
Metabolic pathways that allow cells to utilize energy from the environment to fuel metabolism
Differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes
1) Prokaryotes have no nucleus
2) Prokaryotes have no endomembrane system (ER, Golgi, lysosomes)
3) Prokaryotes have no mitochondria or chloroplasts
4) Prokaryotes have a peptidoglycan wall.
5) Eukaryotes have a cytoskeleton
Eukaryotes’ size in comparison to prokaryotes
Eukaryotes are on average 10 times larger than prokaryotes.
Purpose of enzymes
Act as catalysts - speed up reactions
Characteristic of cell membranes that is essential to life
they are semi-permeable.
Membranes are made of:
Phospholipid bilayer
Phospholipid structure
They are amphipathic. They have a head that is hydrophilic and tails that are hydrophobic.
Permeability of phospholipid bilayer
Small, non-polar molecules (oxygen) pass through rapidly
Small, polar molecules (H2O) pass through slowly
Large, non-polar/polar molecules (glucose, ions) cannot pass through
how do large molecules get into the cell?
Through transport (integral) proteins.
What substance is essential for the permeability of the membrane?
Cholesterol
Passive transport
Follows concentration gradient and does not require energy
Active transport
Does not follow concentration gradient - therefore requires energy
Head of phospholipid has what substance?
phosphate - negatively charged - thus soluble in water
Functions of transmembrane proteins
1) Transport
2) Signal transduction
3) Enzymatic activity
4) Intracellular joining
5) Cell Cell recognition
Signal Transduction
Cell communication
Proteins that do signal transduction are called
receptors
Prokaryote alternative to nucleus
nucleoid region
Black dots in image of prokaryote
Ribosomes
Towards center of prokaryote, there is:
DNA
Structure of eukaryotic nucleus
Membrane bound - also has nucleolus
RNA located where in eukaryotic cell?
Inside nucleolus
how do things enter and exit the nucleus?
Through pores
Function of nucleus
House DNA, site of transcription
Function of nucleolus
make ribosomes and store RNA
Bacterial cytoplasm composition
70% water, 30% proteins, nucleic acids, etc.
Nuclear lamina
network of protein fibers that give the nucleus its shape (else it will collapse)
Mitochondria
Site of ATP synthesis