Biological Macromolecules and Cell Membrane Structure

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to biological macromolecules, including carbohydrates and cell membrane structure.

Monosaccharide

A simple sugar, such as glucose or fructose, that serves as a monomer for carbohydrates.

Disaccharide

A carbohydrate made up of two monosaccharides, such as sucrose (glucose + fructose).

Polysaccharide

A carbohydrate composed of long chains of monosaccharides, such as starch, glycogen, and cellulose.

Glycosidic linkage

A type of bond formed between monosaccharides through a dehydration reaction.

ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)

The main energy molecule used by cells during cellular respiration.

Starch

A polysaccharide that serves as an energy storage molecule in plants.

Glycogen

A polysaccharide that serves as an energy storage molecule in animals, particularly stored in the liver and muscles.

Cellulose

A polysaccharide that provides structural support in plant cell walls.

Chitin

A polysaccharide that serves as an exoskeleton in insects and provides structure in fungal cell walls.

Cell membrane

A selectively permeable barrier that controls the entry and exit of substances in and out of the cell.

Phospholipid bilayer

The double-layered structure of the cell membrane, consisting of hydrophilic heads that face water and hydrophobic tails facing inward.

Integral proteins

Proteins that span the membrane and are involved in transport and signaling.

Peripheral proteins

Proteins located on the membrane's surface, serving structural roles and acting as enzymes.

Cholesterol

A lipid that maintains fluidity and stability of the cell membrane.

Glycoproteins and Glycolipids

Molecules involved in cell recognition and immune response, with carbohydrate chains attached.

Fluid Mosaic Model

A model describing the dynamic nature of the cell membrane, where lipids and proteins can move freely within the layer.

Saturated fatty acids

Fatty acids that have no double bonds; they pack tightly and result in less fluidity of the membrane.

Unsaturated fatty acids

Fatty acids that contain one or more double bonds, resulting in kinks that allow for more fluidity in the membrane.

Membrane fluidity

The flexibility or rigidity of the lipid bilayer, crucial for the function of embedded proteins.

Signal transduction

The process by which cells communicate and respond to external signals through their membranes.