Cells as the Basis of Life (Tillie) Flashcards
What are cells?
Cells are the structural unit of living things, known as the “building blocks” that make up organisms, and they are also functional units as organisms are made up of many cells, therefore when we refer to what they do we also refer to cells
What is Cell Theory?
Cell Theory is a unifying concept as it unifies all living things as they are the basic structural unit and functional unit of life.
Describe Cell Theory
includes the idea that all cells come from a previous cell that contain hereditary information, all living things are complex and have organised structures, cells take in energy from their surrounding environment and use it, cell’s have an internal composition that is chemically different from external environment, and cells respond to stimuli, reproduce themselves and grow.
Describe what the cell membrane is?
The cell membrane, also called plasma membrane, separates the cell from its surroundings and controls the exchange of materials, including nutrients and wast, between the cell and its environment
Describe the fluid mosaic model?
The model proposes that the cell membrane is a fluid mosaic as it is composed of a phospholipid bilayer with protein molecules embedded in and through the layer at various point.
Fluid: as phospholipids are constantly moving
Mosaic: proteins embedded in membrane
What are the differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?
- Size: prokaryotes are smaller in size compared to eukaryotes
- DNA: the DNA is circular in prokaryotes and linear in eukaryotes
- nucleus: there is no nucleus in prokaryotes and is a nucleus in eukaryotes
- internal organisation: little internal organisation in prokaryotes and high level internal organisation in eukaryotes
- location of chromosomes: DNA in prokaryotes is in cytoplasm, DNA in eukaryotes in nucleus
What is the structure and function of nucleus?
Structure: nucleus is composed of two membrane layers called the nuclear envelope and it contains nuclear pores lined with proteins
Function: controls the activity of the cell and stores genetic information (DNA)
What is the structure and function of the nucleolus
Structure: a circular region not bounded by membrane in the nucleus that is composed of DNA and proteins
Function: produces and assembles cell ribomosomes
What is the structure and function of mitochondria?
Structure: has an outer membrane and an inner membrane which is folded to form structures of cristae
Function: involved in the latter stages of aerobic respiration using O2 and glucose to release energy to be stored in ATP
What is the structure and function of chloroplast?
Structure: Only found in plants and are a type of plastid. It has 2 outer membranes and inside there is a system of flattened sacs called thylakoids which are arranged into stacks of grana (singular granum). Fluid called stroma surrounds the membrane out sacs
Function: photosynthetic pigment, chlorophyll, is stored in thylakoids to carry out photosynthesis
What is the structure and function of vacuole?
Structure: a fluid filled space bounded by a membrane. Most plants contain large central vacuole.
Function: maintaining balance of water and salt for the cell and is a place to store organic compounds such as proteins and sugars and inorganic compounds such as ions (potassium and chloride)
What is the structure and function of golgi body?
Structure: sticky of flattened sacs made of smooth membranes
Function: involved in the packing and secretion of proteins and carbohydrates manufactured by the cell
what is the structure and function of endoplasmic reticulum?
Structure: system of membranes that extends throughout the cytoplasm from the nuclear envelope to cell membrane. Forms intricate network of pathways
Function: involved in transport of materials
RER structure: attached ribosomes
Function: site of protein and membrane synthesis
SER: no attached ribosomes
Function: involved in metabolic processes such as lipid synthesis and carbohydrate metabolism
What is the structure and function of ribosomes?
Structure: made up of RNA and protein, and is enclosed by a membrane
Function: site of protein and membrane synthesis
What is the structure and function of lyosome
Structure: vesicle, membrane enclosed containing digestive enzymes
Function digests macromolecules
Describe what prokaryotic cells are
A single-cell organism that lacks a nucleus are other membrane bound organelles and belongs to domains of bacteria and archaea
Describe what eukaryotic cells are
An organism that possess a clearly defined nucleus and membrane bound organelles. They can range from single-cell organisms to complex multicellular organisms like animals and plants
What is the structure and function of the cytoskeleton?
Structure: network of fibres throughout cytoplasm, it is made up of three main components microfilaments, intermediate filaments and microtubules. The components are made up of protein moleules that can be assembled to form long filaments and hollow tubules.
Function: gives cell shape, involved in cell movement, holds organelles in place and provides cell strength
What is the structure of plant cells
Cell wall, cell membrane, nucleus, nucleolus, mitochondria, chloroplasts, vacuoles (large central), Golgi body, endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes, lysosomes and cytoskeleton
What is the structure of animal cells
Cell membrane, nucleus, nucleolus, mitochondria, vacuoles (small), Golgi body, endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes, cytoskeleton
What do cells require?
Cells require inputs of suitable forms of energy, including light energy or chemical energy in complex molecules
What are autotrophs?
Organisms that make the energy rich compounds they need from simple inorganic susbstance, and energy for synthesis reactions, commonly from sun, using physical energy
What are heterotrophs
Organisms that cannot make energy rich compounds their self, therefore they rely on the intake of nutrition from other sources of organic carbon, using chemical energy
What is photosynthesis and why is it important?
Photosynthesis is the process when light energy is used to synthesis complex organic compounds from simple organic substances. It is a fundamental chemical process that provides photsynthic autotrophs with food and also takes carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere by replacing it with oxygen
What is the equation for photosynthesis
6CO2 + 6H2O - light/chlorophyll –> C6H12O6 +6O2
what is the chemical equation for aerobic respiration
C6H12O6 +6O2 ——–> 6CO2 + 6H2O
What is the worded equation for aerobic respiration
Glucose + Oxygen —–> Carbon dioxide + water
What is the worded equation for photosynthesis
Carbon dioxide + water —–> Glucose + oxygen
What is anerobic respiration?
respiration that does not require oxygen to generate energy from glucose
Why is anerobic repsiration important in plants and yeast
to provide them energy when oxygen is unavailable
why is aerobic respiration important
as it converts oxygen and food (glucose) into energy that eukaryotes require to survive
what is the worded equation for fermentation in plants and yeast
glucose ——-> ethanol + carbon dioxide
What is chemical equation for fermentation in plants and yeast
C6H12O6 ———> 2C2H5OH + 2CO2
why is anerobic respiration important in animals
to produce energy for the cells when undergoing exercise, ensuring that blood is being delivered to cells under stress
What is the worded equation for fermentation in animals
glucose ——-> lactic acid
What is the chemical equation for fermentation in animals
C6H12O6 ——->2C3H6O3
How much energy is released through aerobic respiration
36 ATP yield per glucose
how is energy released in aerobic respiration
Through the breakdown of glucose in the presence of oxygen as the energy in the reactants is greater than the energy in the products.
how much energy is released in fermentation
2 ATP yield per glucose
how is energy released in anerobic respiration
through the breakdown of glucose molecule through glycolysis, in which a glucose molecule is broken down into two pyruvate molecules, releasing electrons in the process and producing two ATP molecules, the energy of the cells.
What happens to energy when new bonds are formed
The formation of chemical bonds releases energy
what happens to energy when chemical bonds break
When the chemical bonds that hold atoms together are needed to be broken energy is required
is energy required or released when chemical bonds are broken
Required
is energy required or released when new bonds are formed
Released