Module 3: Cells Flashcards
What are the 3 principal parts of the cell?
- Plasma
- Cytoplasm
- Cytosol
- Organelles
- Nucleus
Who were:
- Robert Hooke
- Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
Robert Hooke: The first person to name cells in 1665.
Antonie van Leeuwenhoek: The first person to observe living and moving cells under a microscope.
Cell membrane
Membrane surrounding all animal cells. It is composed of a lipid bilayer interspersed with various molecules.
Also called a plasma membrane.
Amphipathic molecule
A molecule that contains both a hydrophilic and hydrophobic region.
Describe a phospholipid molecule
A single phospholipid molecule has a phosphate group on one end (the “head”) and two side-by-side chains of fatty acids that make up the lipid “tails.”
Interstitial fluid (IF)
Extracellular fluid not contained within blood vessels.
Peripheral protein
Integral protein
Channel protein
Carrier protein
Peripheral protein: protein in the mebrane of the cell that does not span the width of the lipid bilayer but is attached peripherally to membrane components.
Integral protein: protein in the membrane of the cell that spans the entire width of the lipid bilayer.
Channel protein: an integral protein that selectively allows particular molecules to pass in and out of the cell.
Carrier protein: an even more selective protein that often only allows one particular type of molecule to cross.
Receptor
Ligand
Receptor: a protein molecule that contains a binding site for another specific molecule.
Ligand: molecule that binds to and activates a receptor.
Glycoprotein
Protein that has one or more carbohydrates attached.
Glycocalyx
Coating of sugar molecules that surrounds the cell membrane.
Selective permeability
Feature of any barrier that allows certain substances to cross but not others.
Passive transport
Active transport
Passive transport: form of transport across cell membrane that does not require input of cellular energy.
Active transport: Form of transport across cell membrane that requires input of cellular energy.
-Uses energy from ATP.
Concentration gradient
Differences in the concentration of a substance between two regions.
Molecules will spread from where they are more concentrated to where they are less concentrated until they are evenly distributed in a space (moving down their concentration gradient).
Diffusion
Movement of a substance from an area of higher concentration to one of lower concentration.
Simple diffusion
Facilitated diffusion
Simple diffusion: a form of passive transport where molecules move across a cell membrane from the side where they are more concentrated to the side where they are less concentrated.
-Small polar molecules.
Facilitated diffusion: diffusion of a substance with the aid of a membrane protein.
- Large polar/ionic molecules.
- Charged atoms/molecules of any size.
Osmosis
Diffusion of water molecules down their concentration gradient across a selectively permeable membrane.
Isotonic
Describes a solution concentration that is the same as a reference concentration (example: concentration of water molecules is the same inside and outside the cell).
“Equal tension”
Hypertonic
Hypotonic
Hypertonic: A solution that has a higher concentration of solutes than another solution.
-Water molecules tend to diffuse into this, leaving the cell to shrivel.
Hypotonic: A solution that has a lower concentration of solutes than another solution.
-Water molecules tend to diffuse out of this, causing the cell to take on too much water and swell.
What are the 3 types of extracellular fluid?
- Interstitial
- Plasma
- Lymph
Transport processes are classified according to what 2 criteria?
- Active or passive
2. Vesicular
What is another mechanism besides diffusion to passively transport materials between compartments?
Filtration, which uses a hydrostatic pressure gradient that pushes the fluid from a higher pressure area to a lower pressure area.
What are 5 factors that influence diffusion?
- Steepness of the concentration gradient.
- Temperature.
- Size or mass of the diffusing substance.
- Surface area.
- Diffusion distance.
Sodium-potassium pump
Na+/K+ ATP-ase
Membrane-embedded protein pump that uses ATP to move Na+ (x3) out of a cell and K+ (x2) into a cell.
Electrical gradient
A difference in electrical charge across a space.
Symporters
Antiporters
Symporters: secondary active transporters that move two substances in the same direction.
-Example: sodium-glucose symporter.
Antiporters: secondary active transporters that move two substances in opposite directions.
-Example: sodium-hydrogen ion antiporter.
Endocytosis Exocytosis Phagocytosis Pinocytosis Receptor-mediated endocytosis
Endocytosis: import of material into a cell by formation of a membrane-bound vesicle.
Exocytosis: export of a material out of a cell by formation of a membrane-bound vesicle.
Phagocytosis: the endocytosis of large particles.
Pinocytosis: the endocytosis of fluid.
Receptor-mediated endocytosis: endocytosis of ligands attached to membrane-bound receptors.
-Regulates the endocytosis of specific substances.
Vesicle
Organelle
Nucleus
Vesicle: Membranous sac that contains materials within or outside of the cell.
Organelle: Membrane-enclosed specialized structures that perform specific functions within the cell.
Nucleus: A cell’s central organelle. The “control centre” of the cell that contains DNA.
Cytoplasm
Cytosol
Cytoplasm: Intracellular material between the membrane and nucleus, mainly consisting of cytosol.
Cytosol: Clear, semi-fluid medium of the cytoplasm. Made up of mostly water, plus proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and inorganic substances.
What are the 3 components of the endomembrane system?
- Endoplasmic reticulum (ER).
- Golgi apparatus.
- Vesicles.
Endoplasmic reticulum
Cellular organelle that consists of interconnected membrane-bound tubules, providing passages throughout the cell that function in transporting, synthesizing, and storing materials.
It can be rough (with ribosomes) or smooth (without ribosomes).
Ribosome
Cellular organelle that functions in protein synthesis. It is composed of two ribosomal RNA subunits that wrap around mRNA to start the process of translation, followed by protein synthesis.
Some are free, some are bound.
Golgi apparatus
Cellular organelle formed by a series of flattened membrane-bound sacs that functions in protein modification, tagging, packaging and transport.
It is the “post office” for products that come from the rough ER.
Lysosome
Membrane-bound organelle originating from the Golgi Apparatus. It contains enzymes that break down and digest unneeded cellular components, such as a damaged organelle.
A “wrecking crew.”
Autophagy
Autolysis
Autophagy: lysosomal breakdown of a cell’s own components (the process of a cell digesting its own structures).
Autolysis: Breakdown of cells by their own enzymatic action (a controlled self-destruction).