Unit 2 - Cell Structure and Function

This set of flashcards covers vocabulary related to eukaryotic cells, including their structures, functions, and processes.

Lysosomes

Organelles that maintain an acidic pH to dispose of cellular waste.

Peroxisomes

Organelles that carry out oxidation reactions and produce hydrogen peroxide.

Endomembrane System

A group of membranes and organelles in eukaryotic cells that modify, package, and transport lipids and proteins.

Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)

An organelle responsible for the modification of proteins and synthesis of lipids, consisting of a network of membranous tubules and flattened sacs.

Rough ER

A type of endoplasmic reticulum that has ribosomes on its surface, makes proteins, and sends them to the Golgi apparatus.

Smooth ER

An endoplasmic reticulum that synthesizes carbohydrates, lipids, and steroid hormones, detoxifies medications and poisons, and stores calcium ions.

Golgi Apparatus

An organelle that stores, tags, packages, and distributes lipids and proteins.

Lysosome

An organelle containing digestive enzymes that acts as a recycling facility within the cell.

Mitochondria

Organelles that break down fuel molecules and capture energy during cellular respiration.

Chloroplasts

Organelles where photosynthesis occurs, building sugars that provide energy.

Plasma Membrane

A semi-permeable barrier that defines the borders of a cell and allows controlled interaction with its environment.

Phospholipid Bilayer

A double layer of phospholipids that form the structural basis of the plasma membrane.

Aquaporin

A channel protein specialized for the transport of water across cell membranes.

Passive Transport

Transport that does not require energy to move substances across a cell membrane.

Active Transport

Transport that requires energy to move substances against their concentration gradient.

Endocytosis

The process of taking substances into a cell by enclosing them in a vesicle made from the plasma membrane.

Exocytosis

The process of transporting materials out of a cell in membrane-bound vesicles.

Osmosis

The net movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration.

Tonicity

The ability of an extracellular solution to make water move into or out of a cell by osmosis.