Cell Structure, Function, and Anatomy Practice Flashcards

This flashcard set covers the vocabulary and concepts from the lecture on cell structure, membrane transport, mitosis, and cell anatomy.

37.2 trillion

The approximate number of cells found in the human body.

Phospholipids

Major components of the cell membrane with polar head groups exposed to aqueous exterior environments and nonpolar tails sandwiched in the center.

Cholesterol

A cell membrane component with a hydrocarbon ring structure that integrates with phospholipid fatty acid tails and a hydroxyl group that aligns with polar head groups.

Permeable solutes

Small, nonpolar solutes such as oxygen ($O_2$), carbon dioxide ($CO_2$), and steroid hormones that can pass through the cell membrane.

Impermeable solutes

Large, polar solutes like carbohydrates, proteins, and charged ions that cannot cross the cell membrane freely.

Passive transport

A process that does not require energy, where permeable molecules diffuse into or out of the cell.

Facilitated diffusion

A type of passive transport that moves impermeable solutes across the membrane using transport proteins without requiring energy.

Channel protein

A type of transport protein that serves as a pore to permit the flow of solutes.

Carrier protein

A transport protein that binds solutes and chaperones them across the membrane.

Voltage-gated channel

A type of channel protein that opens or closes in response to electrical changes.

Ligand-gated channel

A channel protein that opens or closes in response to the binding of an extracellular or intracellular ligand.

Mechanosensitive channel

A type of channel protein that responds to mechanical stress or physical changes.

Active transport

A process that requires energy (typically as $ATP$) and a carrier protein to move molecules against their concentration gradient.

Sodium/Potassium Pump

A specific example of active transport that uses $ATP$ to move ions across the membrane.

Cell junctions

Functional connections between cells, including tight junctions, adherens junctions, desmosomes, gap junctions, and hemidesmosomes.

Extracellular matrix

The mix of chemicals, proteins, and other substances found outside of the cell.

Interphase

The phase where the cell is "doing its thing" until it is time for mitosis, containing $46$ chromosomes.

Prophase

The first step in mitosis where spindles form, the nuclear membrane goes away, and chromosomes condense.

Metaphase

The step in mitosis where chromosomes come to the middle and line up in a straight line.

Anaphase

The stage of mitosis where chromosomes are pulled to the sides of the cell by the spindles.

Telophase

The final step of mitosis where the nuclear membrane forms around two groups of chromosomes and the spindle goes away.

Cytokinesis

The stage after mitosis is complete, resulting in two identical cells each with $23$ chromosomes.

Apoptosis

Programmed cell death; its lack is a characteristic of cancer.

Cancer

A condition characterized by uncontrolled mitosis and a lack of apoptosis.

Cytosol

The intracellular fluid (ICF) which is $75-90\%$ water.

Cytoplasm

The combination of cytosol and organelles together.

Nucleus

An organelle common only to eukaryotic cells that houses genes controlling all cell structure and function.

Rosalind Franklin

A scientist who studied X-ray crystallography and produced images of DNA that were used by Watson and Crick to determine the molecule's structure.