Cell Biology and Transport Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering cell theory history, cell types, organelles, membrane structure, passive and active transport mechanisms, and specialized cells.

Jansen

Created the first compound microscope in 1590.

Hooke

Viewed a piece of cork under a microscope and named the structures he saw 'cells' in 1665.

Leiwenhoek

Invented a more powerful microscope and used it to observe living cells he called 'animalcules'.

Schlieden

Concluded that all plants were made of cells.

Schwann

Concluded that all animals were made of cells.

Virchow

Confirmed in 1855 that all cells come from preexisting cells.

Cell Theory

The core biological theory stating that: 1) All living things are composed of 1 or more cells, 2) The cell is the basic unit of life, and 3) All cells come from preexisting cells.

Prokaryotic Cells

Unicellular organisms, such as bacterial cells, that have no nucleus and no membrane-bound organelles, but contain DNA, a cell membrane, ribosomes, and cytoplasm.

Eukaryotic Cells

Unicellular or multicellular organisms, such as plant and animal cells, that contain a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

Mitochondrion

Organelle that provides energy to cells and serves as the location where ATP is synthesized during cellular respiration.

Ribosomes

Cellular components that link amino acids to make proteins.

Nucleus

Organelle that contains DNA and controls the cell's activities.

Chloroplast

Plant cell organelle that carries out photosynthesis to store energy.

Cell (plasma) membrane

Flexible layer that controls what can enter and exit the cell.

Rough ER

Endoplasmic reticulum studded with ribosomes to produce proteins.

Smooth ER

Endoplasmic reticulum that creates, stores, and transports lipids and carbohydrates.

Golgi body

Organelle that modifies proteins and lipids, preparing them to leave the cell.

Cell Wall

Structure found outside the cell membrane in plant cells that supports the cell and prevents it from bursting when water enters.

Permanent Vacuole

Large vacuole in plant cells containing cell sap that helps keep the cell turgid.

Phospholipid

Molecule composed of a hydrophilic phosphate head and two hydrophobic fatty acid tails, forming a bilayer that makes up the cell membrane.

Hydrophilic

Property of the phosphate head of a phospholipid, meaning it is attracted to water.

Hydrophobic

Property of the fatty acid tails of a phospholipid, meaning they repel water.

Selectively Permeable

Characteristic of the cell membrane that allows only certain materials to pass through.

Cholesterol

Molecule in the cell membrane that regulates fluidity while strengthening and stabilizing the cell membrane.

Glycolipids and Glycoproteins

Molecules acting as markers on cell surfaces, allowing white blood cells to recognize body cells as 'self'.

Fluid Mosaic Model

Model stating that phospholipids can move around like a fluid, and different proteins and molecules are embedded within the bilayer.

Passive Transport

Cellular transport that does not require energy, moving molecules from an area of high concentration to low concentration.

Simple Diffusion

Movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration directly across the membrane.

Facilitated Diffusion

Movement of molecules from high to low concentration through a transport protein.

Active Transport

Cellular transport requiring energy to move molecules from low to high concentration using transport proteins.

Osmosis

The diffusion of water across a membrane to an area with more solutes.

Hypertonic Solution

A solution where solute concentration is higher outside the cell than inside, causing water to leave the cell and the cell to shrink.

Hypotonic Solution

A solution where solute concentration is higher inside the cell than outside, causing water to enter the cell and the cell to swell.

Isotonic Solution

A solution where solute concentration is equal inside and outside the cell, resulting in no net loss or gain of water.

Sodium-Potassium Pump

An example of active transport that pumps sodium ions out of the cell and potassium ions into the cell against their concentration gradients.

Endocytosis

Process where the cell membrane takes in large molecules by folding in on itself to form new vesicles.

Exocytosis

Process where internal vesicles containing large molecules move to the cell surface and fuse with the membrane to release the molecules.

Phagocytosis

A type of endocytosis referred to as cell eating, involving the ingestion of solid particles.

Pinocytosis

A type of endocytosis referred to as cell drinking, involving the ingestion of liquid.

Muscle Cells

Specialized cells packed with mitochondria to produce energy for muscle contraction.

Neuron

Specialized cell that carries electrical impulses, containing dendrites to connect to other neurons and a long axon to carry the impulse.

Sperm Cell

Specialized cell whose function is to fertilize a female egg cell, featuring a tail for swimming, many mitochondria for energy, and an acrosome with digestive enzymes to penetrate the egg.

Phloem Cells

Plant cells that transport dissolved food around the plant.

Xylem Cells

Plant cells that transport water and mineral ions from the roots to the rest of the plant.

Root Hair Cell

Specialized plant cell that absorbs water and mineral ions, featuring a large surface area and a permanent vacuole that helps to speed up osmosis.