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MCAT Biological Sciences > Chapter 1: The Cell > Flashcards

Chapter 1: The Cell Flashcards

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MCAT flashcards
1
Q

What are the basic tenets of Cell Theory?

A
  • All living things are composed of cells
  • The cell is the basic functional unit of life
  • Cells arise only from pre-existing cells
  • Cells carry genetic information in the form of DNA, which is genetic material passed from parent to daughter cell
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2
Q

What is the total magnification of a microscope with an eyepiece (10x) and a 4x lense?

A

40x

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3
Q

What does the diaphragm of a microscope control?

A

It controls the amount of light passing through the specimen, which is important for image contrast

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4
Q

What does the coarse adjustment knob do?

A

It roughly focuses the image by moving the stage up and down

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5
Q

What does the fine adjustment knob do?

A

It finely focuses the image

Smaller range than the coarse adjustment knob

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6
Q

What is the major advantage of a phase contrast microscope over a compound light microscope?

A

You can visualize living organisms

takes advantage of differences in refractive indices

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7
Q

What is centrifugation?

A

A machine that spins at very rapid speeds in order to separate components based on their shape and density

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8
Q

What is the major difference between prokaryotes and eukaryotes?

A

Prokaryotes do not have nuclei, whereas eukaryotes do

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9
Q

What are the two most common shapes of bacteria?

A

Spherical “cocci”

Rod-shaped “bacilli”

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10
Q

Describe prokaryotic ribosomes and eukaryotic ribosomes

A

Prokaryotic ribosomes are smaller (subunits 30S and 50S)

Eukaryotic ribossomes are bigger (subunits 40 S and 60S)

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11
Q

What three proteins make up the eukaryotic cytoskeleton?

A

Actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules

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12
Q

Describe the cell membrane

A

Organized into a phospholipid bilayer that has hydrophobic tails facing inward and hydrophilic heads facing outward

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13
Q

What is the relationship between polarity of a molecule and its ability to cross the membrane?

A

The more nonpolar a molecule is, the easier it will be able to traverse the hydrophobic core of the cell membrane

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14
Q

Describe the nuclear envelope

A

A double membrane that maintains a nuclear environment separate and distinct from the cytoplasm

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15
Q

Where is ribosomal RNA (rRNA) synthesized?

A

in the nucleolus

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16
Q

What are the two types of ribosomes?

A

Free ribosomes and bound ribosomes (found in the endoplasmic reticulum)

17
Q

What is the difference between the smooth and rough ER?

A

The rough ER is lined with ribosomes, whereas the smooth ER has no ribosomes

18
Q

What are the functional differences between the smooth and rough ER?

A

The smooth ER works toward lipid synthesis and detoxification of drugs and poisons, wheras the rough ER is more directly involved in the productoin of protein products

19
Q

What does the Golgi apparatus do?

A

It receives materials from the smooth ER and then repackages them to send to the cell surface

20
Q

What do lysosomes do?

A

They take material brought in by endosomes and digest them using hydrolytic enzymes at a lowered pH (5)

They also play an important role in triggering autolysis (cellular suicide) by releasing their enzymes into the cell

21
Q

Describe the structure of the mitochondria

A

Contains two layers: inner and outer membrane

The inner membrane has many infoldings known as cristae

Inside the inner membrane is the mitochondrial matrix

They also contain their own genes that replicate independently from the nucleus

22
Q

What is the symbiotic theory of mitochondria?

A

Mitochondria are thought to have evolved from one prokaryotic organism ingesting another in a symbiotic relationship.

23
Q

What is unique about the inheritance of mitochondria?

A

They are only inherited maternally

A woman with a mitochondrial disease will pass the disease on to all of her children

24
Q

What are the two major types of microbodies found in the cell?

A

peroxisomes and glyoxysomes

25
Q

What are centrioles?

A

Specialized microtubules that play an important role in mitotic spindle formation

Animals have a pair of centrioles oriented at right angles to each other

26
Q

What are microfilaments made of?

A

Polymerized chains of actin

27
Q

What are microtubules made of?

A

Microtubules are polymers of tubulin proteins

28
Q

What is osmosis?

A

simple diffusion of water

Water will move from a region of lower solute concentration to one of a higher solute concentration

29
Q

What happens to a cell in a hypotonic solution?

A

The cell will swell because the concentration of solutes inside the cell is higher than the surrounding solution

30
Q

What happens to a cell in a hypertonic solution?

A

The cell will shirvel because the concentration of solutes inside the cell is lower than the surrounding solution

31
Q

In an isotonic solution, does water flow through the membrane?

A

Yes. The net movement of water is zero, but water is still flowing in and out at equal rates

32
Q

What is endocytosis?

A

The process whereby the cellular membrane invaginates and engulfs material into the cell

The material is sequestered from the cytosol in a vesicle

33
Q

What is Pinocytosis?

A

Endocytosis of fluids and small particles

34
Q

What is phagocytosis?

A

Ingestion of large molecules

35
Q

Do viruses fit the definition of living things?

A

No. They do not fit the cell theory and are therefore not technically living.

36
Q

What is a capsid?

A

The protein coat of a virus

37
Q

Can viruses replicate on their own?

A

No. They are obligate intracellular parasites that use their host cells for replication

38
Q

What are bacteriophages?

A

viruses that specifically target bacteria

MCAT Biological Sciences (3 decks)

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