Unit 1 Flashcards
Endoplasmic Reticulum
The endoplasmic reticulum forms a network of membrane tubules, continuous with the nuclear membrane.
Golgi Apparatus
The Golgi apparatus is a series of flattened membrane discs.
Lysosomes
Lysosomes are membrane bound organelles, that contain a variety of hydrolases that digest proteins, lipids, nucleic acids and carbohydrates.
Vesicles
Vesicles transport materials between membrane compartments.
Proteins
Proteins are polymers of amino acid monomers.
Ligand
A ligand is a substance that can bind to a protein.
Kinase
Kinase adds a phosphate onto the target protein. It catalyses the transfer of a phosphate group to other proteins.
Phosphatase
Phosphatase encourages phosphates away from the protein. It catalyses the reverse reaction from kinase.
ATPases
ATPases hydrolyse ATP
Type 1 Diabetes
Failure to produce insulin
Type 2 diabetes
Loss of insulin receptor function
Resting Membrane Potential
Resting membrane potential is a state in which there is no net flow of ions ACROSS the membrane.
Action Potential
Action potential is a wave of electrical excitation along a neuron’s plasma membrane.
Retina
The retina is the area within the eye that detects light and contains 2 types of photoreceptor cells : rods and cones.
Cytoskeleton
The cytoskeleton gives mechanical support and shape to cells.
Microtubules
Hollow cylinders composed of the protein tubulin. They control the movement of membrane bound organelles and chromosomes. They form spindle fibres that are active during cell division.
Degenerative disease
Caused by an uncontrolled reduction in the rate of the cell cycle.
Tumour formation
Caused by an uncontrolled increase in the rate of the cell cycle.
Proto-oncogene
A proto-oncogene is a normal gene, usually involved in the control of cell growth or division, but can mutate to form a tumour promoting oncogene.
Prosthetic group
A prosthetic group is a non-protein unit, tightly bound to a protein and is necessary for the proteins function.
Facilitated Diffusion
Facilitated diffusion is the passive transport of substances across the membrane through specific transmembrane proteins.
Rods
Rods contain rhodopsin to detect low levels of light
Cones
Different forms of opsin combine with retinal to give DIFFERENT photoreceptor proteins, each with a maximal sensitivity to specific wavelength : R G B UV
External death signal
External death signal molecules bind to a surface receptor protein which triggers a protein cascade within the cytoplasm.