Cells & Body Systems

Flashcards covering cell structures, organelles, single-celled organisms, modes of reproduction, and human body systems based on the lecture notes.

Plant Cell

The basic building block of all plants.

Animal Cell

The basic, structural unit of life, responsible for all life's processes.

Nucleus

The boss of the cell that contains chromosomes with DNA.

Cell membrane

Forms the outer boundary of the cell and allows only certain materials to move into or out of the cell.

Cell Wall

Provides structure to the plant cell.

Chloroplast

A tiny organelle found inside plant cells that is responsible for photosynthesis.

Cytoplasm

The fluid inside a cell but outside the cell's nucleus.

Mitochondria

Break down food and release energy to the cell; known as the ENERGY power-house of EVERY cell!

Organelle

A specialized part within a cell that performs a specific function.

Vacuole

Storage areas for the cell (food, water, waste).

Ribosome

A cell structure that makes proteins.

Endoplasmic Reticulum

The highway of the cell that makes proteins and lipids (fats).

Golgi body

A structure that stores, modifies, and packages proteins.

Cytoskeleton

The large network consisting of protein fibers and other molecules that gives shape and structure to cells.

Tissue

A group of cells that have similar structure and that function together as a unit.

Organ

A group of tissues in a living organism that have been adapted to perform a specific function.

Organ System

A group of organs that work together in the body to perform a complex function, such as pumping blood or processing and utilizing nutrients.

Organism

A living thing.

Homeostasis

The body's ability to maintain a stable internal environment despite changes in external conditions.

DNA

The molecule that carries the genetic instructions for most living organisms and many viruses.

Amoeba

A one-celled creature that is among the simplest of all living organisms.

Euglena

A unicellular organism with a complex internal structure that includes a contractile vacuole that can expel water and a red 'eyespot'.

Paramecium

A single-celled freshwater animal that has a characteristic slipper-like shape and is covered with cilia.

Volvox

A genus of green algae containing around 20 species of freshwater algae.

Flagellum

Microscopic hair-like structures involved in the locomotion of a cell.

Eye Spot

Light-sensitive photoreceptive organelles found in some protists.

Pseudopod

A temporary, foot-like projection of a cell's cytoplasm, used for movement and feeding.

Cilia

Tiny, hair-like projections on the surface of some cells that help move substances or the entire cell.

Eukaryotic Cell

Any cell or organism that possesses a clearly defined nucleus.

Unicellular

An organism that has only one single cell.

Asexual reproduction

The kind of reproduction in which it is not necessary to have two parents to produce offspring.

Binary fission

The process of one cell simply dividing into two.

Budding

An asexual reproduction method in which a new organism develops from a bud of an existing organism.

Mitosis

The process by which a single parent cell divides to make two new daughter cells.

Digestive System

A group of organs that work together to break down food into smaller parts, absorb nutrients, and eliminate waste.

Circulatory System

The system that circulates blood and lymph through the body, consisting of the heart, blood vessels, blood, lymph, and the lymphatic vessels and glands.

Nervous System

A complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to control and coordinate all bodily functions.

Endocrine System

A network of glands and organs that produce and release hormones, which act as chemical messengers to regulate various bodily functions.

Skeletal System

The body's internal framework, composed of bones, cartilage, and ligaments, that supports the body, allows for movement, protects organs, and produces blood cells.

Muscular System

An organ system that comprises all the muscles in the body, responsible for movement, posture, and other bodily functions.

Reproductive System

The organ system responsible for producing gametes (sperm or eggs) and carrying a fetus.

Urinary System

The body's system for filtering blood and removing waste in the form of urine, consisting of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra.

Integumentary System

The body's outer covering, consisting of the skin, hair, nails, and associated glands.