Processes That Sustain Life (Bio 2201)

Biochemistry

The study of the activity and properties of molecules that are important in cells and other biological systems

carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), and nitrogen (N)

Essential elements that account for 96 percent of the human body.

water

This compound provides a medium for most chemical reactions,
transports dissolved substances throughout the system, and acts
as a reactant or product in many of life's chemical reactions.

macromolecule

A very large organic molecule composed of many smaller molecules

carbohydrate

biomolecule containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen; includes simple sugars and complex carbohydrates

Lipid

A diverse group of macromolecules with one property in common: they do not dissolve in water; includes phospholipids, steroids, fats and oils

protein

macromolecule that contains carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen; it has more roles in the cell than any other type of biological molecule and is needed by the body for growth and repair

cell theory

idea that all living things are composed of cells, cells are the basic units of structure and function in living things, and new cells are produced from existing cells

spontaneous generation

Hypothesis stating that life could arise from nonliving matter.

Aristotle

Greek philosopher who proposed spontaneous generation

Abiogenesis

spontaneous generation (development of life from lifeless matter)

Biogenesis

theory of life from life

Thomas Huxley

He renamed spontaneous generation to abiogenesis

Francesco Redi

This scientist disproved spontaneous generation by showing that maggots do not spontaneously arise from decaying meat.

Louis Pasteur

He showed that micro- organisms come from other micro- organisms in air and liquids and is credited with disproving abiogenesis and proving biogenesis through his experiment of heating broth in a goose-necked flask.

paradigm shift

a change in thinking that provides a whole new way of looking at the world.

John Needham

Heated broth in sealed flasks. When the broth became cloudy with microrganisms, he mistakenly concluded that they developed spontaneously from the broth

Lazzaro Spallanzani

showed that a sealed flask of meat broth sterilized by boiling failed to grow microbes

Urey and Miller

scientists that conducted an experiment with gases, water, electricity, and condenser in order to see how life formed on early earth; found amino acids

cell

smallest unit of life

Robert Hooke

first to observe "small chambers" in cork and call them cells.

Anton van Leeuwenhoek

He designed his own single-lens microscopes with better glass lenses. He observed tiny "animalcules" in standing water and after examining dental plaque, it is thought that he discovered of bacteria.

Matthias Schleiden

concluded that all plants are made of cells

Theodor Schwann

concluded that all animals are made of cells

Robert Brown

discovered the nucleus

Hugo von Mohl

He concluded that cells are made of protoplasm enveloped by a flexible membrane.

Rudolph Virchow

discovered that all cells come from pre-existing cells

Magnification

refers to the number of times larger the image you observe is compared with the actual object.

Resolution

refers to the ability of the microscope to show details at a given magnification.

Depth of Field

the visual range that is in focus from foreground to background

Compound light microscope

microscope that allows light to pass through a specimen and uses two lenses to form an image. Magnification range: 40× to 2000×

transmission electron microscope

An electron microscope used to study the internal structure of thin sections of cells. Magnification range: 700× to 1 000 000×

scanning electron microscope

a microscope that produces an enlarged, three-dimensional image of an object by using a beam of electrons rather than light. Magnification range: 1000× to 10 000×

atomic force microscope

A device for mapping surface atomic structure by measuring the force acting on metal-and-diamond probes that scan the surface of specimen; used to produce three-dimensional image in near-atomic detail. Magnification range: 1000× to 10 000 000×

compound light microscope image

transmission electron microscope image

scanning electron microscope image

atomic force microscope image

small SA:V ratio

cell is less efficient, and it is larger in size

large SA:V ratio

cell is more effcient, and it is smaller in size

Prokaryote

A unicellular organism that lacks a nucleus and membrane bound organelles; does have ribosomes.

Eukaryote

A cell that contains a nucleus and membrane bound organelles.

organelle

specialized structure that performs important cellular functions within a eukaryotic cell

Nucleus

organelle that contains the cell's chromosomes and thus controls the cell's activities

rod shaped bacteria

sperical shaped bacteria

Helical shaped bacteria

cell membrane

thin, flexible barrier around a cell; regulates what enters and leaves the cell

cell wall

A rigid layer of nonliving material that surrounds the cells of plants and some other organisms.

Cytoplasm

A jellylike fluid inside the cell in which the organelles are suspended

Cytosol

Fluid portion of cytoplasm

Nucleolus

Found inside the nucleus and produces ribosomes

Ribosome

site of protein synthesis

Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum

System of internal membranes within the cytoplasm. Membranes are rough due to the presence of ribosomes. functions in transport of substances such as proteins within the cytoplasm

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum

An endomembrane system where lipids are synthesized, calcium levels are regulated, and toxic substances are broken down.

Vesicle

A membrane bound sac that contains materials involved in transport of the cell.

Golgi apparatus

stack of membranes in the cell that modifies, sorts, and packages proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum

Vacuole

Cell organelle that stores materials such as water, salts, proteins, and carbohydrates

Lysosome

cell organelle filled with enzymes needed to break down certain materials in the cell

Mitochondria

Powerhouse of the cell, organelle that is the site of ATP (energy) production through cellular respiration

Chloroplast

An organelle found in plant and algae cells where photosynthesis occurs

ATP (adenosine triphosphate)

energy-carrying molecule that releases energy when it loses a phosphate.

Cytoskeleton

A network of fibers that holds the cell together, helps the cell to keep its shape, and aids in movement