LABS 1&2 (diffusion, cell biology) Flashcards
3 basic parts of cells
- plasma membrane
- cytoplasm
- nucleus
plasma membrane
- the outer boundary of the cell
- a dynamic, fluid structure, and selectively permeable membrane
- composed of a phospholipid bilayer thats composed of nonpolar fatty acid tails that are hydrophobic and polar phosphate heads that are hydrophilic.
- integral proteins, peripheral proteins, cholesterol, glycoproteins, glycolipids, and microvilli
integral proteins
proteins in the phospholipid bilayer that span the width of the membrane (they go thorugh it from one side to the other)
peripheral proteins
proteins of the phospholipid bilayer that are located on only one face/side of the phospholipid bilayer.
cholesterol
a steroid that stabilizes the membrane’s structure in the face of changing temperatures.
glycolipids & glycoproteins
function in cell recognition
microvilli
when the body requires rapid absorption, the plasma membrane folds into projections called microvilli, which increase surface area.
cytoplasm
the material inside the cell. consists of 3 parts:
- cytosol
- cytoskeleton
- organelles
cytosol
- the fluid portion of the cytoplasm
- contains water, solutes, RNA enzymes, & other proteins
cytoskeleton
a collection of protein filaments including actin filaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules.
actin filaments
- small filaments
- mostly located along plasma membrane and in the core of microvilli.
- help maintain the shape of the cell and fxn in cell movement.
intermediate filaments
- medium filaments
- rope-like structures that help maintain shape of organelles and the nucleus
- give the cell mechanical strength
microtubules
- largest filaments
- hollow tubes that maintain shape of cell
- hold organelles in place
- move substances within cell
- fxn in cell division
- form core of motile extensions from the cell called cilia and flagella
cilia
small hair-like extensions that beat rhythmically together to propel substances past the cell.
flagella
- single tail-like extensions that propel the cell itself
- sperm are the only flagellated cells in the human body
organelles
- specialized cellular compartments that carry out a variety of functions
- 7 types: ribosomes, peroxisomes, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, golgi apparatus, lysosomes, centrioles
ribosomes
- small & granular
- composed of 2 subunits
- 1) some float freely in cytosol
- 2) some are bound to membrane of another organelle (RER) or nucleus
- not enclosed by a membrane
- sites of protein synthesis in the cell
- rib-osomes–> ribs–> protein–> makes protein
peroxisomes
- small, round, and vesicular
- contain enzymes that catalyze rxns to detoxify chemicals produced by cellular rxns, metabolize fatty acids, and synthesize certain phospholipids
*perox-isomes–> perox–ide–>chemical–>cleans up chemicals, and breaks down–fatty acids
mitochondria
- bean shaped
- produce most of cell’s ATP (energy)
- have double plasma membrane that encloses central space called the MATRIX
- matrix contains enzymes, mitochondrial DNA, and ribosomes.
endoplasmic reticulum
- series of membrane-enclosed sacs
- 2 types
1) rough (RER)–has ribosomes on its surface, modifies proteins made by ribosomes
2) smooth (SER)–no ribosomes. responsible for lipid synthesis and detoxification rxns.
*ribosomes make surface bumpy like muscles–muscles are changed by protein–the RER modifies protein
smooth ER like “smooth move”–detoxifies body
golgi apparatus
- stack of flattened vesicular sacs near RER
- receive vesicles from the RER and other places in the cell and process, modify, and sort the products
lysosomes
- vesicular
- filled with digestive enzymes that catalyze rxns that digest particles brought into cell, old and worn-out organelles, and even the cell itself.
*lysosome–>lysol–>breaks down/digests what needs to be cleaned up–>old cell bits
centrioles
- paired organelles composed mostly of microtubules located in the central area of cell called CENTROSOME
- organize microtubules
- important in facilitating assembly and disassembly of microtubules
Nucleus
- a cell’s biosynthetic center that directs synthesis of nearly all the body’s proteins, and some nucleic acids
- surrounded by a double membrane called the nuclear envelope which has holes called nuclear pores.
- contains chromatin–a ball-like mass of tightly coiled DNA and RNA (ribosomal RNA)
- the birthplace of ribosomes