Chapter 4; Vocab Questions Flashcards
A Tour of the Cell
Eukaryotic Cell
Organisms with cells that contain a nucleus and other organelles.
Prokaryotic Cell
A single-cell organism whose cell lacks a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles.
Cytosol
One of the liquids found inside cells.
Ribosome
Are macromolecule machines, found within all cells, that perform biological protein synthesis.
Organelle
Small, membrane-bound structure within a cell that performs a specific function, similar to how organs function in the body.
Plasma Membrane
The membrane found in all cells that separates the interior of the cell from outside environment.
Fimbriae
Are long, filamentous protein structures on the surface of bacterial cells that help bacteria bind to specific receptor structures and colonize the surface.
Flagellum
A hair-like appendage that protrudes from certain plant and animal sperm cells, from fungal spores, and form a wide range of microorganisms to provide mobility.
Nucleus
The central part of a cell, an atom, or group of people or things.
Endomembrane System
Separates the cell into different compartments, or organelles, such as the nucleus, the endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi apparatus and lysosomes.
Vesicle
A structure within or outside a cell, consisting of liquid or cytoplasm enclosed by a lipid bilayer.
Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum (SER)
A part of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that is made-up of regions that lack ribosomes.
Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (RER)
A network of tubules, sacs and cisternae that’s found in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells.
Golgi Apparatus
A cell organelle that helps process and package proteins and lipid molecules, essentially proteins designed to be exported from the cell.
Lysosome
Organelles in eukaryotic cells that contain digestive enzymes that break down biological polymers.
Vacuole
A membrane-bound organelle which is present in plant and fungal cells and some protist, animal and bacteria cells.
Mitochondrion
A membrane-bound organelle found in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells.
Chloroplast
A membrane-bound organelle that conducts photosynthesis mostly in plants and algal cells.
Cytoskeleton
A microscopic network of protein filaments and tubules in the cytoplasm of many living cells, giving them space and coherence.
Microtubules
Hollow tubes made of proteins alpha and beta tubulin.
Microfilaments
Thin protein filaments made of actin that are part of the cytoskeleton.
Intermediate Filaments
The structures that form a network around the nucleus and extend to the periphery of the cell.
Plasmodesmata
Are intracellular organelles found only in plant and algal cells.
Extracellular Matrix
A gel-like mixture of water, proteins and sugars that supports and regulates tissue and organs.
Tight Junctions
Where the membranes of two adjacent cells joined together to form a barrier.
Desmosomes
Cell junctions that connect adjacent cells in tissues exposed to mechanical forces.
Gap Junctions
Tiny tunnels that connect cells and let them share molecules and signals.
