Comprehensive Briefing on Microbiology, Cell Biology, and Infectious Disease

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering key concepts related to microbiology, cell biology, and infectious disease based on the provided lecture notes.

Microbiology

The study of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa.

Cell Biology

The branch of biology that studies the structure, function, and behavior of cells.

Infectious Disease

A disease caused by the invasion of a host by pathogenic microorganisms.

Structure Dictates Function

The principle that the structure of a biological entity determines its function.

Germ Theory of Disease

The theory that microorganisms are the cause of many diseases.

Prokaryotic Cells

Cells that lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, such as bacteria and archaea.

Eukaryotic Cells

Cells that have a true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

Macromolecules

Large, complex molecules essential for life, including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Carbohydrates

Organic compounds, primarily sugars, that serve as fuel and structural components.

Lipids

Hydrophobic molecules, including fats, oils, and steroids, used for energy storage and cell membrane formation.

Proteins

Large biomolecules composed of amino acids, playing critical roles in structure, function, and regulation of the body's cells.

Nucleic Acids

Polymers made up of nucleotide monomers; DNA and RNA are examples that store and transmit genetic information.

Central Dogma

The process by which genetic information flows from DNA to RNA to protein.

Thermodynamics

The branch of physics concerned with heat and temperature and their relation to energy and work.

Enzymes

Biological catalysts that speed up biochemical reactions by lowering activation energy.

Antibiotics

Medicines that kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria.

Antibiotic Resistance

The ability of bacteria to resist the effects of an antibiotic.

Spontaneous Generation

The disproven hypothesis that living organisms can arise from nonliving matter.

Natural Selection

The process through which species adapt to their environment by inheriting favorable traits.

Cell Theory

The theory stating that all living things are composed of cells and that all cells arise from pre-existing cells.

Endosymbiotic Theory

The hypothesis that eukaryotic cells originated from prokaryotic cells engulfing one another.

Hydrogen Bonds

Weak attractions between polar molecules, important in maintaining the structure of DNA and proteins.

Covalent Bonds

Strong chemical bonds that involve the sharing of electron pairs between atoms.

Ionic Bonds

Chemical bonds formed between charged ions, with one atom donating an electron to another.

Monosaccharides

The simplest form of carbohydrates, consisting of single sugar molecules.

Polysaccharides

Carbohydrates that are made up of more than two monosaccharides.

Starch

A storage polysaccharide in plants, composed of glucose units.

Glycogen

The main storage form of glucose in animals.

Cellulose

A structural polysaccharide that forms the cell wall of plants.

Phospholipids

Lipids that make up cell membranes, consisting of a phosphate group and two fatty acid tails.

Steroids

Lipids characterized by a carbon skeleton consisting of four fused rings.

Amino Acids

The building blocks of proteins, consisting of an amino group, a carboxyl group, and a variable R group.

Peptide Bonds

Covalent bonds formed between amino acids to create proteins.

Protein Denaturation

The process in which proteins lose their natural structure due to external stress, rendering them nonfunctional.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid, the hereditary material of living organisms.

RNA

Ribonucleic acid, a nucleic acid that plays important roles in coding, decoding, regulation, and expression of genes.

Transcription

The process of copying a segment of DNA into RNA.

Translation

The process in which ribosomes synthesize proteins using mRNA as a template.

Coccus

A spherical-shaped bacterium.

Bacillus

A rod-shaped bacterium.

Gram-positive Bacteria

Bacteria with a thick peptidoglycan layer in their cell wall.

Gram-negative Bacteria

Bacteria with a thin peptidoglycan layer and an outer membrane containing lipopolysaccharide.

Nucleoid

The region in a prokaryotic cell where the DNA is concentrated.

Glycocalyx

The outer sugar coat of some bacterial cells that aids in protection and attachment.

Endospore

A dormant, tough, and non-reproductive structure produced by certain bacteria to survive extreme conditions.

Mitosis

A type of cell division that results in two identical daughter cells.

Meiosis

A type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, producing four unique gametes.

Cell Wall

A rigid layer that provides shape and protection to the cell.

Cell Membrane

A semipermeable membrane that surrounds the cell and regulates what enters and leaves.

Chloroplasts

Organelles in plant cells that conduct photosynthesis.

Mitochondria

The powerhouse of the cell, where cellular respiration occurs.

Cytoskeleton

A network of protein filaments that helps the cell maintain its shape and aids in movement.

Horizontal Gene Transfer

The transfer of genetic material between organisms in a manner other than traditional reproduction.

Conjugation

A process in which one bacterium transfers genetic material to another through direct contact.

Transformation

The process of genetic alteration by the uptake and incorporation of exogenous genetic material.

Transduction

The transfer of DNA from one bacterium to another via a bacteriophage.

Innate Immunity

The body's first line of defense against pathogens, involving nonspecific responses.

Adaptive Immunity

The body's targeted response to specific pathogens, characterized by memory and specificity.

Antigen

Any substance that triggers an immune response.

Antibody

A protein produced by B cells that binds to specific antigens to neutralize or mark them for destruction.

Phagocytosis

The process by which a cell engulfs a pathogen and digests it.

Inflammation

The body's localized response to injury or infection characterized by redness, heat, swelling, and pain.

Vaccine

A biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious disease.

Live Attenuated Vaccine

A vaccine that contains live viruses that have been weakened.

Inactivated Vaccine

A vaccine made from viruses or bacteria that have been killed.

Subunit Vaccine

A vaccine that contains only the antigens necessary to stimulate a response.

Herd Immunity

The immunity of a population that occurs when a high percentage of individuals are immune.

Fungi

A kingdom of usually multicellular, eukaryotic organisms that are heterotrophic.

Prions

Infectious agents composed solely of protein that cause neurodegenerative diseases.

Viroids

Small, circular RNA molecules that infect plants.

Bacteriophage

A virus that infects and replicates within bacteria.

Swan-Neck Flask Experiment

An experiment by Pasteur that demonstrated that microorganisms come from other microorganisms.

Koch's Postulates

A series of criteria for establishing a causal relationship between a microbe and a disease.

Pathogen-Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMPs)

Molecular signatures that are recognized by the immune system as foreign.

Pattern Recognition Receptors (PRRs)

Receptors on immune cells that detect pathogens.

Antigen-Presenting Cells (APCs)

Cells that process and present antigens to T cells.

Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC)

Molecules on cell surfaces that present antigens to T cells.

Dendritic Cells

APCs that are important for the activation of T cells.

Plasma Cells

B cells that have differentiated and produce large amounts of antibodies.

Humoral Response

The aspect of immunity that is mediated by antibodies secreted by B cells.

T Lymphocytes

White blood cells that play a central role in cell-mediated immunity.

Memory Cells

Long-lived B and T cells that can respond quickly if exposed to the same antigen again.

Cytotoxic T Cells

T cells that kill cancerous or infected cells.

Helper T Cells

T cells that help activate B cells and other T cells.

Adaptive Immune Response

The immune response that is specific and has memory.

PAMPs

Molecules present on pathogens that are recognized by the immune system.

Innate Defenses

Immediate, nonspecific defenses against pathogens.

Nonspecific Immune Response

General defense mechanisms that are not tailored to specific pathogens.

Lysosomal Enzymes

Enzymes that break down cellular waste and pathogens within lysosomes.

Antimicrobial Peptides

Short proteins that have the ability to kill bacteria and viruses.

Cytokines

Signaling molecules that mediate and regulate immunity and inflammation.

Infection

The invasion of a host by pathogens.

Virulence Factors

Molecules produced by pathogens that contribute to the pathogenicity of the organism.

Attenuation

The process of weakening a pathogen's virulence.

Live Vaccine

A vaccine containing live, attenuated pathogens.

Serology

The study of serum and other bodily fluids in the diagnosis of disease.

Culturing Microbes

The process of growing microorganisms in controlled conditions.

Microbial Growth Control

Methods used to inhibit or eliminate microbial growth.

Disinfectants

Chemical agents used to destroy pathogens on inanimate objects.

Antiseptics

Agents applied to living tissues to reduce the risk of infection.