Med 1001 Flashcards
What is an organelle and what are the types of organelles?
the internal components of a cell which carry out specific metabolic tasks. there’s membranous and non membranous
What are membranes within a cell usually made of and why is this material used?
phospholipids. they have a non polar tail and polar head so they are ampipathic, meaning they interact with both water and lipids.
How are membranes generally formed?
phospholipids in solution will self associate, forming a bilayer where hydrophobic tail comes faces inwards and polar head faces outwards
What is a vesicle?
A bubble which has a membrane formed from phospholipid bilayer, might have stuff in it
What is the difference when we say a cell is anuclear or multinucleate?
Anuclear means no nucleus, multinucleate means multiple nuclei
What is the function of the nucleus?
The nucleus stores our genes in the form of DNA within chromatin
Where are ribosomes produced?
In the nucleus, there are nucleoli comprised of masses of DNA, RNA and/or proteins
What is something that the nucleus shares with the mitochondria and describe it’s role in the nucleus’ operations
A double membrane
Regulates molecular traffic in and out of the nucleus (pores as well). For stuff to get out of the nucleus, there’s these nuclear pores which are dotted around the nucleus which are formed by rings of protein. The outer nuclear membrane ends up becoming the rough endoplasmic reticulum.
What is the purpose of ribosomes?
Production of proteins
Where can ribosomes be found?
Floating in the cytoplasm, on membranes (RER, nuclear membrane) or within other organelles (nucleus, mitochondria
How do ribosomes achieve their purpose
They ‘read’ coded genetic messages in the form of messenger RNA, and start building amino acids in a specific order to produce a protein. This is called translation. The proteins are then released in vesicles
What is the endoplasmic reticulum?
A system of channels covered by a membrane
What is the difference between rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum structurally?
Rough ER has ribosomes on it, while smooth doesn’t
What is the purpose of the rough endoplasmic reticulum?
Production of phospholipids and proteins for plasma membrane
Makes proteins via ribosomes
What is the function of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum?
Synthesis fats, lipids and steroid hormones
Begins to detoxify alcohol and other drugs
In muscular cells, acts as a store of calcium
What is the function of the Golgi apparatus?
The golgi apparatus modifies proteins by attaching sugar or sulfate groups on proteins, making it more water soluble.
What is endocytosis and what are the types of endocytosis?
When the cell takes stuff into it
Can be phagocytosis, when big stuff is taken in
Can be pinocytosis, when small stuff is taken in
What is exocytosis and what forms can it take?
Stuff is taken out of the cell
Constitutive (stuff is just taken out almost randomly)
Regulated (there’s a structure and system to releasing)
What is the cytoskeleton?
It’s a network of protein filaments which can grow and shrink to determine cell shape and size. It allows for exo and endocytosis
What are the components of the cytoskeleton?
Microfilaments (made of actin) (smallest): Contribute to cell shape and movement.
Intermediate filaments: Provide mechanical strength, they hold up the cell
Microtubules (made of tubulin) (biggest): Help with intracellular transport, determine position of organelles and play role in cell shape and cell division
How are vesicles transported around the cell?
motor proteins attach themselves to the protein filaments and the vesicle and move along the filaments when ATP attaches to it, dragging the vesicle with it
What is the function of a lysosome and peroxisome?
To protect the cell from foreign bodies and/or defective bodies
How do peroxisomes achieve their purpose?
- They use hydrogen peroxide to oxidize them, breaking them down
- They break down toxins such as alcohol and free radicals
- They also break down fatty acids into acetyl groups to be used in mitochondria
- They have a membrane to prevent hydrogen peroxide from getting out
How do lysosomes carry out their function?
Lysosomes are membrane bound and contain enzymes which are used to break down organelles, proteins, nucleic acids etc.
As enzymes are used, only work on specific things as specific reaction