Cell Structure and Function

Osmosis

Diffusion of water across a membrane through the lipid bilayer

Hypertonic

Having greater concentration of solute inside than the solution outside. Cell shrinks.

Hypotonic

Having a lower concentration of solute inside than the solution outside. Cell Expands.

Isotonic

Having an equal solute concentration inside and outside the cell. Ideal (perfect) conditions. Cell remains normal.

Vacuole

Storage vesicle for water, food, wastes other substances. 1 large vacuole in plants, many small vacuoles in animals.

Nucleus

Controls all cell activities and protein production. Contains the DNA and nucleolus.

Cytoplasm/Cytosol

Cell liquid in which chemical reactions occur. Holds and cushions the organelles.

Mitochondria

Converts glucose into ATP (energy a cell can use) in the process of cellular respiration.

Cell/Plasma/Lipid Membrane

A double-layered lipid membrane that surrounds the cell. Regulates what enters and leaves the cell.

Cell Wall

Rigid external layer of a plant cell (cellulose), bacteria (glycoproteins), or fungi (chitin) that is outside the cell membrane.

Chloroplast

Converts light energy into glucose in the process of photosynthesis. Contains chlorophyll giving plants their green color.

Endoplasmic Reticulum

Passageways where compounds are manufactured, processed, and transported.

Golgi Apparatus/Body/Complex

Collects, modifies, and packages proteins and lipids made by the E.R.

Prokaryote

Unicellular. Lacks a nucleus and membrane bound organelles. Has ribosomes.

Eukaryote

Unicellular or multicellular. Contains a nucleus and membrane bound organelles. Has ribosomes.

Diffusion

The movement of particles from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration.

Equilibrium / Homeostasis

A state of balance in which there is little or no total change.

Lysosome

Contains digestive enzymes to breakdown food and wastes. Involved in apoptosis.

Nucleolus

Synthesizes ribosomes. Found in the nucleus.

Vesicle

Small package of nutrients, proteins, wastes, or water created by the golgi.

Cell

The basic unit of all living things. The smallest unit of life.

Organism

A complete living thing

Ribosome

Synthesizes proteins. Mostly found on the rough E.R. but can also be in the cytoplasm.

Tissue

A collection of similar cells that perform a specific job.

Unicellular

Made of a single cell

Light Microscope

Basic microscope that uses light and mirrors to magnify small objects.

Specialization

Cells that do only one special job.

Cell Division

Cell splitting into two new cells.

Multi-cellular

Made of more than one cell.

Nuclear membrane/envelope

Surrounds the nucleolus and DNA. Controls what enters and leaves the nucleus.

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum

Synthesizes lipids for use in the cell membrane and other parts of the cell.

Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum

Contains most of the cells ribosomes which synthesize proteins.

Synthesize

To make

Organelle

Little organs" that make up the cell working together for the survival and function of the cell.

Unicellular

Made of 1 cell.

Electron Microscope

Uses accelerated electrons to illuminate (light up) very small objects.

Anton von Leeuwenhoek

Inventor of the first microscopes. 1600's.

Robert Hooke

Gave cells their name (cells). 1600's.

Matthias Schleiden

Botatnist (studied plants) who said all plants are made of cells.. Worked on cell theory with Dr. Schwann. 1800's.

Theodore Schwann.

Physiologist (studied animal cells) who said all animals are made of cells. Worked on cell theory with Dr. Schleiden. 1800's.

Cell Theory

1. All living organisms are composed of one or more cells.
2. The cell is the basic unit of structure and organization in organisms.
3. Cells arise from pre-existing cells.

Cilia

Small hairs on a cells surface that wave back and forth allowing the cell to move.

Flagella

A whip-like structure on a cell that 'whips' back and forth allowing the cell to move (e.g. sperm cell).

Active Transport

Movement of particles from low to high concentration across the membrane that requires energy (ATP).

Passive Transport

Movement of particles from high to low concentration across the membrane (no energy needed).

Facilitated Diffusion

Passive transport through the membrane with the use of protein channels. Some channels are specific while others are not.

Centriole

Helps align chromosomes during cell division (animal cells only).

Microtubules/Microfilaments

Small, thin proteins that help support and give structure to a cell. A cells cytoskeleton.

Cyto-

Prefix meaning cell.

Phospholipid Membrane

Cell membrane composed of phospholipids, proteins (transport), cholesterol, and aquaporins..

Passive

No energy needed to allow material passage.

Hydrophilic

Attracted to water.

Hydrophobic

Repelled by water.

Modify

Change / Convert

Plant Cell

1 large vacuole.
Chloroplasts
Cell wall (cellulose)

Animal Cell

Many small vacuoles
Cell membrane only
Centrioles
Lysosomes

Phospholipid

Makes up the cell membrane. Composed of a phosphate 'head' (hydrophilic) and 2 fatty acid 'tails' (hydrophobic).

Semi-permeable

Allows some materials (not all) to pass through.

Selective permeability

The ability to decide which particles enter and leave a cell.

External / Exo-

Outside (e.g. exoskeleton of an insect)

Internal / Endo-

Inside (e.g. endoskeleton of humans)

Macro-

Large

Micro-

Small

Cholesterol

Stiff sterol lipid in the cell membrane that provides strength and rigidity.

Concentration

The amount of dissolved solute in a solvent. Usually expressed as a percent.

Solution

Solute + solvent

Solute

Particles dissolved in a liquid (solvent)

Solvent

A liquid particles (solute) are dissolved in

Permeability

How well a substance can pass through something.

Endocytosis

Taking things in from the surrounding environment by creating a vesicle.

Exocytosis

Getting rid of wastes into the surrounding environment by expelling a vesicle.

Osmotic solution

The solution outside a cell.

Photosynthesis

Conversion of light energy from the sun into chemical energy.

Chloroplast

organelle found in cells of plants and some other organisms that captures the energy from sunlight and converts it into chemical energy

Photosynthesis equation

6CO2 + 6H2O ------> C6H12O6 + 6O2

Thylakoid

A flattened membrane sac inside the chloroplast, used to convert light energy into chemical energy.

light-dependent reactions

reactions of photosynthesis that use energy from light to produce ATP and NADPH

Stroma

The fluid of the chloroplast surrounding the thylakoid membrane; involved in the synthesis of organic molecules from carbon dioxide and water.

granum (grana)

A stack of thylakoids in a chloroplast

Light Independent Reactions (Calvin Cycle)

set of reactions in photosynthesis that do not require light; energy from ATP and NADPH is used to build high-energy compounds such as sugar; also called the Calvin cycle

cellular respiration

Process that releases energy by breaking down glucose and other food molecules in the presence of oxygen

cellular respiration equation

C6H12O6+6O2---> 6CO2+6H2O+ATP

Mitochondria

An organelle found in large numbers in most cells, in which the biochemical processes of respiration and energy production occur.

Cristae

Infoldings of the inner membrane of a mitochondrion that houses the electon transport chain and the enzyme catalyzing the synthesis of ATP.

Matrix

the innermost compartment of the mitochondrion and the site of the Krebs cycle reactions

Glycolysis

the breakdown of glucose by enzymes, releasing energy and pyruvic acid.

Citric Acid Cycle (Krebs Cycle)

- 2 Pyruvates enter the mitochondrion
- releases 2 ATP, 6NADH, and 2 FADH2 for each glucose

Electron Transport Chain (ETC)

series of electron carrier proteins that shuttle high-energy electrons during ATP-generating reactions

ATP

(adenosine triphosphate) main energy source that cells use for most of their work

ADP

(Adenosine Diphosphate) The compound that remains when a phosphate group is removed from ATP, releasing energy

Fermentation

Process by which cells release energy in the absence of oxygen

lactic acid fermentation

the chemical breakdown of carbohydrates that produces lactic acid as the main end product

alcohol fermentation

Glycolysis followed by the reduction of pyruvate to ethyl alcohol, regenerating NAD+ and releasing carbon dioxide.