Unit 3: Cystic Fibrosis Study Guide Osmoregulation and Cell Communication Quiz

What is osmosis?

The diffusion of water molecules across a semipermeable membrane from a region of lower solute concentration to higher concentration.

What is facilitated diffusion?

The process of passive transport of molecules across a biological membrane via specific transmembrane proteins.

What is an aquaporin?

A channel protein in cell membranes that facilitates the rapid transport of water molecules.

What is phagocytosis?

The process by which a cell engulfs large particles or cells, forming an internal compartment known as a phagosome.

What is hypertonic?

A solution that has a higher concentration of solutes compared to another solution, leading to the movement of water out of cells.

What is hypotonic?

A solution that has a lower concentration of solutes compared to another solution, causing water to move into cells.

What is isotonic?

A solution that has the same concentration of solutes as another solution, resulting in no net movement of water across cell membranes.

What is water potential?

The potential energy of water in a system compared to pure water, influencing the direction of water movement.

What is turgor pressure?

The pressure exerted by the fluid inside the central vacuole against the cell wall, helping maintain cell shape and rigidity.

What is plasmolysis?

The process in which cells lose water in a hypertonic solution, causing the cell membrane to pull away from the cell wall.

What is osmoregulation?

The process by which organisms regulate the water and solute concentrations in their bodies to maintain homeostasis.

What is a ligand?

A molecule that binds to a specific receptor to initiate a biological response.

What is reception in cell signaling?

The initial stage of cell signaling where a signaling molecule binds to a receptor on a target cell.

What is transduction in cell signaling?

The process by which a signal is converted into a cellular response, often involving a series of molecular events.

What is response in cell signaling?

The final stage of cell signaling where the target cell responds to the signal, leading to a specific action or change.

What is a phosphorylation cascade?

A series of enzymatic reactions in which one enzyme phosphorylates another, leading to a chain reaction that amplifies the signal.

What is a second messenger?

A small molecule that relays signals received at receptors on the cell surface to target molecules inside the cell.

What is cAMP?

Cyclic adenosine monophosphate, a second messenger involved in many biological processes, including signal transduction.

What is a kinase?

An enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of phosphate groups from high-energy donor molecules, such as ATP, to specific substrates.

What are hormones?

Chemical messengers produced by glands in the endocrine system that regulate physiological processes in the body.

What are plasmodesmata?

Microscopic channels that traverse the cell walls of plant cells, allowing for transport and communication between them.

What are gap junctions?

Specialized intercellular connections that allow for direct communication between adjacent cells through small channels.

What is negative feedback?

A regulatory mechanism in which a change in a physiological variable triggers a response that counteracts the initial change.

What is positive feedback?

A regulatory mechanism in which a change in a physiological variable triggers a response that enhances the initial change.

What is apoptosis?

The process of programmed cell death that occurs in multicellular organisms, playing a crucial role in development and homeostasis.

What is the independent variable?

The factor that is manipulated or changed in an experiment to observe its effect on the dependent variable.

What is the dependent variable?

The response variable that is measured in an experiment to determine the effect of the independent variable.

What is a control group?

A group in an experiment that does not receive the experimental treatment, serving as a baseline for comparison.

What is a positive control?

A group in an experiment that is exposed to a treatment known to produce a positive result, used for comparison.