Anatomy Unit 2 Vocab

adenosine triphosphate

a nucleotide composed of an adenine base, a sugar, and three phosphate groups

electrolyte

a substance that dissolves in water into particles with positive and negative charges

enzymes

proteins that speed up specific biological reactions

glucose

the main form of sugar that circulates in the blood

glycogen

a polymer of glucose found in animals; stored form of glucose

active transport

a process that requires energy to move against a concentration gradient, from an area of lower concentration to one of higher concentration

cilia

hair-like projections that actively flex back and forth to move fluid or mucus across the outside of a cell

diffusion

the movement of material from a place where it is concentrated to a place where it is less concentrated

endocytosis

process in which a region of a cell membrane forms a pocket into the cell and then pinches off to form a membrane-bound sac, or vesicle, inside the cytoplasm

exocytosis

process in which a small, membrane-bound vesicle in the cytoplasm fuses with the cell’s membrane to export molecules that were inside the vesicle to the outside

glycolysis

the breakdown of a glucose molecule into two pyruvate molecules

microvilli

finger-like extensions that increase the surface area of a cell

passive transport

a method of transport that does not require any energy

endocrine gland

a gland that secretes its product into the interstitial space

exocrine gland

a gland that secretes its product to the outside world

histology

the study of tissues