Genes and Health Flashcards
Alveoli (singular alveolus)
Tiny air sacs in the lungs, where gas exchange takes place
Cilia (singular cilium)
Microscopic hair-like structures on the surface of a cell
Cystic fibrosis (CF)
Inherited disease which causes, among other symptoms,
the production of thick, sticky mucus in the lungs
Epithelial cells
Cells which make up epithelium; there are several different
types, depending on their position in the body and their function
Epithelium (plural epithelia)
Type of tissue found lining various tubes and other surfaces inside a living organism, often consisting of a single layer of similar epithelial cells
Fick’s law
Mathematical expression used to calculate rate of diffusion
Goblet cell
Cell that secretes mucus or other liquid
Mucus
Thick slimy fluid secreted into body tubes and cavities, for a variety of
purposes
Surface area to volume ratio
Ratio of an object’s surface area to Its volume, when both are measured in the same basic units (e.g. mm2 and mm3
respectively)
Active transport
Type of membrane transport which requires energy, and which can move substances against a concentration gradient
ATP (adenosine triphosphate)
Produced by cellular respiration, ATP provides the source of energy for all biological processes
Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)
A membrane protein involved in the facilitated diffusion of chloride
ions
Diffusion
Passive movement of molecules from a region of high concentration to a region of low concentration
Endocytosis
Entry of larger molecules and bacteria into some cells; cytoplasm surrounds the substance and takes it into the cell via a vesicle
Exocytosis
Secretion of substances from cells involving vesicles fusing with the cell membrane and releasing their contents outside the cell
Facilitated diffusion
Type of membrane transport which requires special proteins to assist the passage of water soluble ions and molecules
Fluid mosaic model
Describes the structure of cell membranes, in which the component phospholipids and proteins are able to move around relative to each other
Osmosis
Special type of diffusion, in which water passes through a partially permeable membrane to reduce differences in concentration on either side of the membrane
Protein
Class of biological compounds with a variety of functions in living organisms
Partially permeable membrane
Membrane which allows certain substances to pass through it, but is impermeable to other substances
Vesicle
Tiny fluid-filled sac inside a cell, involved in endocytosis and exocytosis
