FoM - Biology practice flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards based on the FoM Biology lecture notes covering fields of study, historical figures, cell metabolism, genetics, and human organ systems.

Anatomy

The scientific study that considers the structure of living things, including the structure of organs, organ systems, and the whole living organism.

Physiology

The scientific study of the life processes of organisms and the functions of individual organs.

Histology

The biological discipline dealing with the microscopic anatomy of animal and plant tissues.

Paleontology

The biological discipline dealing with fossils and extinct organisms.

Anthropology

The scientific study dealing with the study of humans.

Ethology

The biological discipline dealing with animal behaviour.

Aristotle (Aristoteles)

The founder of biology as a scientific discipline.

Historical Physicians

Representatives of historical biology such as Galenos, Avicena, and W. Harwey.

Cell Theory Founders

M. J. Schleiden, T. Schwann, and J. E. Purkyňe, who independently formulated the theory.

J. Jesenius

The individual who performed the first public autopsy in the Czech Republic.

J. Janský

The representative who contributed to the discovery of blood types.

I. P. Pavlov

The representative who made real progress in human physiology.

Ch. R. Darwin

The author of the theory of evolution.

J. G. Mendel

The founder of classical genetics who discovered basic laws of heredity by cross-pollinating peas.

J. B. Lamarck

A representative who contributed to forming the theory of evolution before Darwin.

Nobel Prize in Ethology (1973)

Received by K. Lorenz, N. Tinbergen, and K. Frisch.

Molecular Structure Winners (1962)

J. D. Watson, F. H. C. Crick, and M. H. F. Wilkins received the Nobel Prize for discovering the molecular structure of nucleic acid.

Open Systems

Living organisms that exchange substances, energy, and information with their environment.

Metabolism

The transformation (conversion) of substances and energy within an organism, including all catabolic and anabolic processes.

Anabolic Processes

Biochemical processes within the cell where energy is consumed and complex substances are formed from simple ones.

Catabolic Processes

Biochemical processes within the cell where energy is released and complex substances are cleaved into simple ones.

Exergonic Reaction

A reaction, such as respiration, during which energy is released.

Endergonic Reaction

A reaction, such as photosynthesis, during which energy is consumed.

Anaerobic Glycolysis

A process that takes place in the cytoplasm of all active cells.

Biological Oxidation

The stepwise cleavage of organic substances resulting in the release of energy.

Respiratory Quotient (RQ)

The ratio of produced $CO_2$ and consumed $O_2$ during the respiration process.

ATP (adenosine triphosphate)

The universal energy transfer molecule used by cells for life processes; it does not transfer energy between separate cells.

Homeostasis

The constancy (stability) of the inner environment of organisms.

Autotrophic Organisms

Organisms that produce organic substances from inorganic ones, taking in carbon as carbon dioxide.

Heterotrophic Organisms

Organisms that feed on organic substances, taking in carbon as an organic substance.

Biotic Factors

Environmental factors characterized by the influence of other organisms.

Population

Individuals of the same species living together at the same time and in the same location with the possibility of transfer of genetic information.

Prokaryotic Organisms

Single-celled organisms with a nucleus that lacks a nuclear membrane.

Viruses

Non-cellular nucleoprotein particles consisting of protein and either DNA or RNA; they lack their own metabolism and depend on a host cell for reproduction.

Chlorophyll

A photosynthetic dye containing the element $Mg$.

Haemoglobin

A blood component containing the element $Fe$.

Proteins

The most common organic molecules in cells, serving structural, mechanical, metabolic, immune, and regulative functions.

Glycogen

A polysaccharide used for energy storage in animal and fungi cells.

Starch

The form in which saccharides are stored as an energy source in plant organisms.

Chromatin

Cellular component consisting of proteins and nucleic acid.

Nucleic Acids

Molecules that provide coding, transfer, and translation of genetic information.

Mitochondria

Double-membrane structures considered the energetic centre of the cell because of ATP formation during respiration.

Calvin-Benson Cycle

The carbon fixation process that takes place in the stroma of chloroplasts.

Endoplasmic Reticulum

A membrane structure of interconnected vesicles; the rough ER is covered with ribosomes for protein synthesis.

Microfilaments and Microtubules

Components of the dynamic cell skeleton (cytoskeleton); filaments provide contraction while tubules are tube-like structures.

Diffusion

The equalizing of solvent and solution concentration along the concentration gradient; example include $O_2$ passing from alveoli to blood.

Pinocytosis

An active form of substance transport across the cytoplasmic membrane involving the absorption of liquids.

Osmosis

The process of water passing through a semipermeable membrane toward an area of higher concentration of dissolved substances.

Plasmolysis

A cell process that occurs in a hypertonic environment.

Mitosis Phases

Prophase (spiralization), Metaphase (equatorial plane), Anaphase (divergence to ends), and Telophase (karyokinesis ends).

Meiosis

The process of reduction of the chromosome number to half, which allows for genetic variability through random combination and crossing-over.

Crossing-over

The recombination of genes between homologous chromosomes occurring during the prophase of I. reductional division.

Complementary Bases

Nitrogenous base pairs: A-T and C-G in DNA synthesis; in RNA, uracil replaces thymine.

Central Dogma of Molecular Biology

The transfer of genetic information runs as: replication—transcription—translation.

Transcription

The process of synthesis of an RNA molecule according to a DNA matrix.

Translation

The process of protein synthesis according to mRNA matrices, translating nucleotide sequences into amino acid sequences.

Allele

A particular form of a gene.

Heterozygote

An individual with two different alleles for a certain trait.

Hardy-Weinberg Equation

The frequency of all genotypes in a panmictic population: $p^2 + 2pq + q^2 = 1$.

Heritability ($h^2$)

The proportion of observable differences in a trait due to genetic differences; if $h^2 = 1$, the trait depends only on genotype.

Epithelial Tissue

A basic tissue type with very little intercellular matrix, including absorptive, glandular, ciliated, and sensory types.

Muscle Tissue Types

Striated (skeletal), smooth, and cardiac muscle.

Skeletal System Components

Primary supporting tissues include connective tissue, cartilage, and bone.

Periosteum

A bone capsule composed of connective tissue that provides bone thickening and regeneration.

Neurocranium

The brain case formed by occipital, sphenoid, temporal, parietal, and frontal bones.

Adult Human Skeleton

Consists of approximately 206 bones.

Vertebral Column

Consists of 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 4-5 coccygeal vertebrae.

Knee Joint

Most complex joint, consisting of the femur, tibia, patella, and semilunar cartilage called the meniscus.

Skeletal Muscles

Approximately 600 muscles in the human body, containing myofilaments with proteins actin and myosin.

Diaphragm

A major inhaling muscle that separates the chest and abdominal cavity.

Human Teeth

An adult has 32 permanent teeth; primary (milk) teeth consist of 20 teeth and never include premolars.

Stomach Layers

Consists of mucosa, submucosa, and 3 layers of smooth muscle.

Bile

Produced by the liver and stored in the gall bladder, it emulsifies fats to help their digestion.

Small Intestine

Where the most intense absorption occurs; composed of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.

Vitamins

Essential nutrients; lack of C vitamin causes scurvy (scorbut), and lack of D vitamin causes rachitis.

Vital Capacity of Lungs

The maximum amount of air that can be expelled from the lungs after a maximum inhalation.

Blood Plasma

The liquid component of blood, consisting of 91–92% water.

Erythrocytes (Red Blood Cells)

Mammalian cells of discoid shape without a nucleus or organelles, containing hemoglobin for gas transfer; they live about 120 days.

B-lymphocytes

Leukocytes that provide antibody immunity.

Thymus

The central organ of the lymphatic system, serving for the maturation of T-lymphocytes.

Heart Chambers

Aorta originates from the left ventricle; pulmonary circulation starts in the right ventricle.

Nephron

The functional unit of the kidney; primary urine is connected to the renal corpuscle and glomerular filtration.

Medulla Oblongata

Brain part that contributes to the control of vital reflexes, heart activity, and vessel activity.

Insulin

A hormone produced in the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas that decreases blood sugar levels.

Spermatogenesis and Oogenesis

Men's spermatogenesis starts during puberty; women start producing egg cells during embryonic development.

Placenta

The organ attached to the uterus by chorionic villi that provides nutrition, respiration, and excretion for the foetus.