Unit 2 - Cells Flashcards
Function of nuclear pores
to allow mRNA and ribosomes to travel out of the nucleus and to allow enzymes to travel in
What is chromatin?
the material from which chromosomes are made
What is the nucleolus?
the site of ribosome production
Structures of mitochondria
cristae, matrix, inner and outer membrane
What is found in the chloroplast?
thylakoids (granum), stroma, lamellae, starch, DNA, ribosomes
Why do chloroplast contain small circular pieces of DNA and ribosomes?
to synthesise proteins needed in chloroplast replication and photosynthesis
What is the function of the Golgi apparatus?
modifies proteins and lipids before packaging them into Golgi vesicles, add carbohydrates to proteins (glycoproteins), produced enzymes, form lysosomes
What do the vesicles do?
transport the proteins and lipids to their required destination
What are the functions of the smooth ER?
synthesise, store and transport lipids and carbohydrates, drug detoxification
What are the functions of lysosomes?
hydrolyse materials, release digestive enzymes, digest worn out organelles, break down dead cells
What are cell walls made of (plant and fungi) ?
plant- cellulose
fungi- chitin
What is the membrane called in the vacuole?
tonoplast
What are the steps of cell fractionation?
homogenisation, filtration, ultracentrifugation
What type of solution is used in cell fractionation?
cold, isotonic, buffer solution
Why does the solution have to be cold?
to reduce enzyme activity so organelles don’t break down
Why is a buffer used?
so the pH doesn’t fluctuate as it could affect structure of organelles
Why is an isotonic solution used?
so the water potential is equal to prevent organelles from bursting/ shrinking
What does homogenisation do?
releases organelles (breaks cells open)
Why is the homogenate filtered?
to remove whole cells/ debris
What is ultracentrifugation?
fragments are separated by spinning at a high speed
What is a prokaryotic cell wall made of?
murein
What structures are presents in all prokaryotic cells?
cell wall, plasma membrane, ribosomes, cytoplasm, nucleoid region
What are the three stages of interphase?
G1, S, G2
What happens in G1?
the cell increases in size/mass and synthesises additional organelles
What happens in the S phase?
chromosomes are replicated with the assembly of new DNA
What are chromatids?
two copies of each chromosome
What is the centromere?
where the chromatids remain attached to each other