Cellular Biology and Biochemistry Flashcards

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1
Q

Why is water so friggin important?

A

It is the universal solvent (dissolves more substances than any other).

It high heat capacity (ensures temperature moderation and homeostasis)

cohesion (between two water) and adhesion (water and something)

Water has lower density as a solid and high density as a liquid

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2
Q

What are functional groups?

A

-are the reactive sites in a molecule
-give physical and chemical properties to a molecule
–> hydroxyl (OH) and carboxyl (COOH)

-found in alcohols, sugars, fatty acids, amino acids

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3
Q

What is a polymer? a monomer?

A

Polymer: a molecule composed of repeating units of smaller molecules (monomer)

Monomer: the smallest repeating unit of a monomer

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4
Q

Difference between dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis

A

DS: take out a water to bond

Hydrol. : put in a water to break

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5
Q

Function and monomer of carbohydrates

A

-energy source, structure, cell-to-cell identification and communication

-monomer = monosaccharide

-alpha and beta glucoses

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6
Q

What is a disaccharide? an ether bond?

A

Disaccharide: two monosaccharides joined by dehydration synthesis

ether bond: formed by water removed from two hydroxyl groups

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7
Q

Glucose + Glucose –> ?

A

Maltose + water

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8
Q

Glucose + Fructose –> ?

A

sucrose + water

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9
Q

Glucose + Fructose –> ?

A

sucrose + water

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10
Q

Glucose + galactose –>

A

Lactose + water

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11
Q

What are the different polysaccharides?

A

– Starch –
monomer: Alpha glucose
Found in plants
function: Glucose storage in plants

– Glycogen –
monomer: alpha glucose
Found in liver and muscle cells
function: glucose storage in animals

– Cellulose –
monomer: beta glucose
Found in plant cells walls
structural support for plant cells

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11
Q

what are the function of lipids and their monomers?

A

-used for long-term energy storage, cushioning, protection, vitamin absorption (triglycerides)
-used to make cell membranes (phospholipids)
-used to make hormones (steroids)
-used to make waterproof coating on plants and animals (waxes)

monomer: monoglyceride (glycerol and 3 fatty acids)

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12
Q

What is an ester bond?

A

-formed by water being removed from hydroxyl and carboxyl

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13
Q

what is an saturated and unsaturated fatty acid? (and their differences)

A

saturated: all single bonds between carbon atoms, solid at room temperatures (butter, cream, meat, cheese)

unsaturated: one or more double bonds between carbon atoms, liquid at room temperature (vegetable oils, fish, nuts, avocados)

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14
Q

what is a triglyceride?

A

monomer: glycerol and fatty acids

Where? plants and animals - used for long term energy storage

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15
Q

what is a phospholipid?

A

monomer: glycerol, 2 fatty acids, phosphate group

where? cell membrane

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16
Q

What is a steroid?

A

monomer: synthesized from cholesterol; composed of 4-C based rings

where? cholesterol: cell membranes, estrogen and testosterone/sex hormones

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17
Q

What is trans fat?

A
  • a hydrogenated fat/breaking double bonds of unsaturated fat
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18
Q

What are the functions and monomers of proteins?

A

Functions:
-structural components of cells (used for support, movement, and transport)
-enzymes (catalyze chemical reactions
-regulators of cell process (hormones, gene control)
-defense from disease (antibodies)

monomer: amino acids

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19
Q

what differs each amino acid from each other?

A

They differ by their R-group
–> are side chains that affect bonding

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20
Q

what are dipeptides, polypeptides, and a peptide bond?

A

dipeptide: 2 amino acids joined together

polypeptide: 3 or more amino acids joined together

peptide bond: formed by water removed from amino and carboxyl groups)

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21
Q

what are the different levels of protien structure?

A

primary structure: order of amino acids

secondary structure: alpha helix or beta-pleated sheets (keratin is alpha-helix, fibroin (in spider web silk) is a beta pleated sheet)

tertiary structure: bends and kinks in secondary structure due to interaction between R-groups

quaternary structure: 2 or more polypeptide chains join together to make a “globular” structure

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22
Q

what and how many essential amino acid are there?

A

-cannot be synthesized by the human body
–> must be present in our diet

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23
Q

What are the nucleic acids? and their monomer?

A

DNA = genetic material (instruction to make proteins)

RNA = involved in making proteins

ATP = energy for the cell

monomer: nucleotide (sugar, phosphate, and nitrogen base)

24
Q

Differences between DNA and RNA

A

DNA: double-stranded, ACGT, deoxyribose

RNA: single-stranded, ACGU, ribose

25
Q

Cell Wall

A

-not present in every cell (mainly in plant cells), chitin (in fungi), glycoprotein (in protists), etc.
-if present, contributes to cell shape, controlling turgor pressure, and adding strength to cell

26
Q

What is turgor pressure?

A

-in plant cells, water needs to be abundant, and there needs to be an adequate amount of water for the central vacuole
-when cell looses more water than is gained, cell (and plant) shrivel up.
-turgor pressure makes sure the cell stays turgid (inflated basically)

27
Q

cell membrane

A

functions: protects cell from outside environment; keeps cell contents together; and selectively allows materials to enter and exit the cell

28
Q

what is in the cell membrane?

A

phospholipid: hydrophobic tail, and hydrophilic head

proteins: “floats” around within the membrane or on its surface; functions include structural support, surface binding sites for molecules (like hormones); recognition sites for cell to cell communication and interaction, transport molecules across the membrane, and electrons within the membrane.

Glycocalyx: carb chains attached to proteins or lipids; involved in cell to cell recognition and communication, and cell to cell adhesion

Cholesterol: keeps the phospholipids stable and helps retain the membrane’s shape (maintains the fluidity of the cell membrane)

29
Q

Nucleus and nucleolus

A

nucleus: a region of the cell containing genetic information

Nucleolus: a dense area within the nucleus; contains RNA and proteins; the location for production of ribosomes

30
Q

Chromatin and chromosomes?

A

Chromatin: stringy material made of proteins and DNA that takes up the majority of the nucleus

chromosomes: condensed chromatin; just before the cell begins to divide the chromatin condenses into chromosomes

31
Q

Ribosomes

A

-microscopic spheres attached to the ER or free-floating in the cytoplasm
-protein factories

32
Q

Endoplasmic Reticulum

A
  • a twisting network of canals and sacs extending through the cytoplasm and connecting the cell membrane to the nuclear membrane

-Rough ER (has ribosomes attached) produces, modifies, and transports proteins

-smooth ER produces lipids (cholesterol and phospholipids) and steroid hormones

33
Q

Golgi apparatus

A

-sacs of membranous plate-like bags which produce vesicles (sacs)
-function to produce and store cellular secretions
-many proteins and lipids undergo final processing in the Golgi complex

34
Q

Lysosomes

A

-membrane bound sacs that are used for digestion of various structures within the cell
-acidic environment along with hydrolytic enzymes within lysosomes help to digest foreign cells, damaged organelles, and other macromolecules

35
Q

mitochondria

A

-site of aerobic cellular respiration –> process that converts sugar energy into ATP

36
Q

What are the different mitochondrial structures?

A

cristae: site of chemical reactions using embedded proteins

matrix: mitochondrion cytosol

mitochondrial DNA: self- replicating organelle, produces its own unique proteins

37
Q

Chloroplasts

A

found only in green plants, convert sunlight to chemical energy via photo-synthesis

38
Q

What are the chloroplast structures?

A

stroma: chloroplasts cytosol

lamella: membrane that attaches inner chloroplast structures

thylakoid disc: have a specialized membrane for photosynthesis

grana: stacks of thylakoid discs

chloroplast DNA: self-replicating organelle

39
Q

Cilia and Flagella

A

-both made of fine protein motions and used for locomotion

cilia: short, may be numerous on cell surface

flagella: long, usually few in number on cell surface

40
Q

cytoskeleton

A

-structure that gives the cell its shape and help organize the cell’s parts
-provide a basis for movement and cell division
-made of filamentous proteins

41
Q

Vacuoles

A

-a fluid-filled sac
-in protozoa, vacuoles perform functions such as storage, ingestion, digestion, excretion, and expulsion of excess water

–> in plants, the large central vacuoles help regulate water

42
Q

What is and what are the types of passive transport?

A

-is the movement of molecules through the cell membrane without cellular energy
–> the three types are diffusion, osmosis, and facilitated diffusion`

43
Q

Diffusion

A

-molecules are in constant motion
-diffusion is the process by which particles move naturally from an area of HIGH concentration to an area of LOW concentration until a dynamic equilibrium is reached (no net movement)
-moving with the concentration gradient
-small molecules diffuse through the phospholipids of the cell membrane

44
Q

Osmosis

A

diffusion of water through a semi-permeable membrane

45
Q

What are factors that can affect diffusion

A

concentration of particles ( higher conc, higher rate)

temp. of particles (higher temp, higher rate)

pressure (higher pressure, higher rate)

agitation (higher movement, higher rate)

46
Q

What are the three types of solutions:

A

Hypertonic solution, hypotonic, isotonic

47
Q

hypotonic solution

A

the solution surrounding the cell has a lower [solute] than the cell’s cytoplasm, water moves into the cells

48
Q

Isotonic solution

A

the [solute] is the same in the cell’s cytoplasm and in the solution surrounding the cell

49
Q

What is plasmolysis

A

when plant cells are placed in a salt solution, the cells shrink

50
Q

What is facilitated diffusion

A

-transport proteins aid molecules that are too large or hydrophilic to pass through the phospholipids
-protein channel is created, and transport occurs with the concentration gradient

51
Q

What is active transport?

A

-the movement of molecules through the cell membrane against the concentration gradient using transport proteins (low to high)

-requires the use of ATP
–> transport proteins are highly selective

52
Q

What is endocytosis and the different types of endocytosis

A

-transport of material into a cell by means of vesicles
-cell engulf material by folding a portion of its membrane around it
-energy is required

-the 3 types of endocytosis are phagocytosis, pinocytosis, and receptor-mediated endocytosis

53
Q

What is phagocytosis

A

cell eating; movement of large molecules and whole cells into the cell’s interior

54
Q

What is pinocytosis?

A

cell drinking; transport of liquids into vesicles inside cell

55
Q

What is receptor-mediated endocytosis?

A

molecules bind to receptors on the cell’s surface and are folded into vesicles within the cell

56
Q

What is exocytosis

A

transport of macromolecules (e.g hormones) out of a cell by means of vesicles made by the Golgi complex; energy is required

57
Q

What is a Hypertonic solution?

A

the solution surrounding the cell has a higher [solute] than the cell’s cytoplasm, water moves out of the cells