AP Bio: Unit 2 Semester 1 FERP

Cell Structure

Subcellular components and organelles that contribute to the function of the cell.

Plasma Membrane

The cell membrane that maintains the internal environment of the cell.

Fluid Mosaic Model

Describes the structure of cell membranes as a mosaic of various proteins floating in or on the fluid lipid bilayer.

Selective Permeability

The ability of biological membranes to allow certain substances to pass through while blocking others.

Ribosome

A molecular machine that synthesizes proteins, representing a common ancestry of all known life.

Endoplasmic Reticulum (smooth and rough)

A network of membranes involved in protein and lipid synthesis; rough ER has ribosomes, smooth ER does not.

Golgi Apparatus

An organelle that modifies, sorts, and packages proteins and lipids for secretion or delivery to other organelles.

Mitochondria

Organelles that produce ATP through cellular respiration; known as the powerhouse of the cell.

Lysosome

An organelle that contains digestive enzymes to break down waste and cellular debris.

Chloroplast

An organelle in plant cells that conducts photosynthesis.

Surface Area-to-Volume Ratio

A crucial factor affecting the exchange of materials between a cell and its environment.

Passive Transport

The movement of molecules across a membrane without the use of energy.

Active Transport

The movement of molecules against their concentration gradient, requiring energy input.

Endocytosis

The process by which cells internalize substances by engulfing them in a vesicle.

Exocytosis

The process of expelling materials from the cell via vesicles.

Osmoregulation

The process of maintaining an optimal concentration of solutes and water in the organism's body.

Hypertonic Solution

A solution with a higher solute concentration compared to another, causing cells to lose water.

Hypotonic Solution

A solution with a lower solute concentration compared to another, causing cells to gain water.

Isotonic Solution

A solution with equal solute concentration compared to another, resulting in no net water movement.

Endosymbiotic Theory

The theory that explains the origin of eukaryotic cells from prokaryotic cells through a symbiotic relationship.

Compartmentalization

The division of organelles and internal structures within a eukaryotic cell to perform different functions efficiently.