Cell Structures and Oral Biofilms Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering cellular organelles, bacterial structures, biofilm formation, and dental physiology from the Cell Structures and Oral Biofilms lecture.

Plasma membrane

Selective barrier that enables cells to maintain integrity to function as a coordinated chemical system.

Nucleus

The store-house of genetic information in eukaryotic cells.

Rough ER

Endoplasmic reticulum region containing membrane bound ribosomes which allows for multiple peptide chains to be translated simultaneously from the same mRNA and translocated into the ER.

Smooth ER

Regions of endoplasmic reticulum that lack ribosomes, involved in lipid synthesis, transport vesicle budding, and Ca2+ storage.

Sarcoplasmic reticulum

Expanded smooth ER in muscle cells specialized for Ca2+ storage.

Golgi

Major site of carbohydrate synthesis, sorting and dispatching of products made in the ER.

Mitochondria

Organelle responsible for energy metabolism (oxidative phosphorylation and Krebs cycle) containing a distinct Mitochondrial DNA genome separate from nuclear DNA.

Lysosomes

Site of intracellular digestion of macromolecules containing hydrolytic enzymes known as acid hydrolases.

Fimbriae (or pili)

Bacterial cell surface structures responsible for attachment to surfaces.

Flagella

Bacterial cell surface structures responsible for motility.

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS)

Bacterial cell wall structures that activate inflammatory responses.

Capsule

Bacterial structure that may play a role in dental caries.

Peptidoglycan

Bacterial cell wall structure comprised of chains of alternating N-acetylmuramic acid (NAM) and N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) sugars crosslinked by oligopeptides.

Transpeptidase

The enzyme responsible for crosslinking peptidoglycan chains in bacterial cell walls, which is inhibited by the antibiotic ampicillin.

Biofilm

A cooperating community of microorganisms growing as an ecosystem within a matrix that is attached to a surface.

Salivary Pellicle

A conditioning film formed from proteins in saliva or GCF that provides adhesin receptors for initial colonizing bacteria.

Glucans

Homopolymers of glucose built from sucrose by cariogenic bacteria, including mutan (water insoluble) and dextran (water soluble).

Fructans

Homopolymers of fructose consisting of $\beta-1,2$ and $\beta-2,6$ linkages built from sucrose by oral bacteria.

Calculus

Calcified dental plaque (also termed tartar) formed when calcium and phosphate ions from saliva deposit in deeper layers of dental plaque.

Saccharolytic microbiota

Bacteria in dental biofilms that mainly ferment sugars to a final end product of lactic acid.

Asaccharolytic bacteria

Bacteria that derive energy from the deamination and reduction of amino acids, producing ammonia, short-chain fatty acids, and a neutral or slightly alkaline pH.

Gingival Crevicular Fluid (GCF)

Fluid secreted (1-2 ml/day) into the gingival sulcus that cleanses the sulcus, provides antimicrobial properties, antibody defense, and nutrition for subgingival bacteria.