Histology Flashcards
what is the Plasmalemma?
- separates the cytosol from the outer environment
- bimolecular layer of amphiphatic phospholipid molecules
- hydrophilic heads at the outer and inner surfaces and hydrophobic fatty acid chains facing in between
what does Amphiphatic mean?
contains both hydrophilic and hydrophobic parts
what is the membrane selectively permeable to?
allows water, oxygen and small hydrophobic molecules in easily, and is virtually impenetrable to ions
what proteins are inserted in the membrane?
integral proteins inserted by the cell
- transporter proteins, channel proteins, receptors, enzymes and cell attachment proteins.
what is the function of the cytoskeleton?
provides structural integrity to the cell
what are microfilaments?
- composed of actin protein
- actin molecules can assemble into filaments and then dissociate, therefore the filament is very dynamic (not permanent).
what are Intermediate filaments?
- composed of 6 main proteins
- different cells express different intermediate proteins, so can be used in pathology to identify tumour origins.
what are microtubules?
- hollow tubule composed of two alternating alpha and beta subunits of tubulin
- Originate from a centromere
- Include microtubule associated proteins (MAP)
- Act as the motor way of the cell
- Kinesin and dynein attach to the microtubule and associated with membranes of organelles and vesicles, dragging them along
- Both ATPases, kinesin moves towards the periphery, dynein moves towards the cell centre.
what is the nucleus?
- enclosed in a nuclear envelope, consisting of an inner and outer nuclear membrane, with nuclear pores providing continuity with the cytoplasm
- The perinuclear cistern is continuous with the cistern of the ER.
what is Euchromatin?
DNA that is more dispersed and is actively undergoing transcription.
what is Heterochromatin?
DNA that is highly condensed and not undergoing transcription
what is the RER?
studded with ribosomes. Vital role in protein synthesis. The more metabolically active a cell, the more ribosomes on the RER.
what is the SER?
continues the processing of proteins produced in RER. vital role in synthesising lipids
Steroid hormone synthesising cells have lots of SER
what is the golgi apparatus?
series of flattened, membrane bound cisternae. Transport vesicles arrive from the RER/SER
Golgi cisterns function in the modification and packaging of macromolecules that were synthesised in the ER
adds sugars, cleaves proteins and sorts macromolecules into vesicles.
what is the mitochondria?
powerhouse of the cell. Outer and inner membrane
The inner membrane is invaginated to form cristae, which increases surface area. Mitochondrial DNA comes from your mother
Cells with many mitochondria are metabolically active.