Microbiology module Flashcards
1
Q
cell membrane
A
- the thin, outermost structure of human cells
- selectively permeable (it lets some substances in and out but blocks the passage of others)
- in bacterial cells, the cell membrane lies within the cell wall
2
Q
cell wall
A
- outermost layer of the cell that maintains its shape and protects it
- human cells do not have a cell wall, but bacterial cells do (either gram-positive or gram-negative)
- a specific antibiotic targets bacteria according to its cell-wall structure but does not damage human cells because they do not contain cell walls
3
Q
nucleus
A
- a round structure that is inside the cell
- the largest organelle
- controls the cell’s functions
- contains chromosomes (thread-like structures made of the person’s deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the compound that contains the body’s genetic information)
4
Q
nuclear membrane
A
- the structure that surrounds the nucleus
- contains pores that allow larger compounds to move in and out of the cell’s nucleus
5
Q
cytoplasm
A
- contains other organelles such as mitochondria (performs functions of the cell)
- components of cytoplasm are water, protein, ions, and nutrients
6
Q
ribosome
A
- an organelle that contributes to protein synthesis, which is the building of proteins from their basic components, the amino acids
- support the protein chains as ribonucleic acid (RNA) builds them
7
Q
endoplasmic reticulum
A
- provides networks of passageways for moving various substances within the cytoplasm
- where it has ribosomes on its surface area, it is the rough endoplasmic reticulum, otherwise it is the smooth endoplasmic reticulum
8
Q
mitochondrion
A
- an organelle that gives the cells energy
- cells may have one or more mitochondria depending on how much energy the particular cell ceeds to perform its specific functions
9
Q
lysosome
A
- function: digestion
10
Q
centriole
A
- cylindrical-shaped organelle that plays a role in cell division
- each pair in the cell makes sure chromosomes are equally divided to the cells that result from the reproduction process
11
Q
golgi apparatus
A
- synthesizes carbohydrates and sorts the proteins the ribosome is supporting
- has some storage functions prior to preparing some substances for removal from the cells
12
Q
peroxisome
A
- an organelle in the cytoplasm that contains enzymes (a chemical substance in animals and plants that causes or facilitates natural processes such as digestion)
13
Q
flagellum
A
- a tail-like appendage that allows the cell to move in a swimming-like motion
- sperm cells have flagella to help it move toward egg cells
14
Q
cilia
A
- hair-like projections that help move substances through various tracts and paths in the body
- some mucous membranes, such as those in the respiratory tracts, have cilia
15
Q
what are the different bacterial shapes?
A
- coccus (round
- spirillum (spiral-shaped)
- vibrio (shaped like a comma)
- bacillus (rod-shaped)
