Anatomy and Physiology - Cell Structure and Membrane Transport

Vocabulary-based flashcards covering cell structure, organelles, plasma membrane components, and transport mechanisms from a Chapter 3 lecture transcript.

Anabolic reaction

A type of chemical reaction discussed in Chapter 2 that involves building up larger molecules from smaller units.

Catabolic reaction

A type of chemical reaction discussed in Chapter 2 that involves breaking down larger molecules into smaller units.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of a constant internal environment, which is facilitated by the cell's plasma membrane serving as a physical barrier.

Chapter 3 Summary Diagram

The specific textbook illustration that provides the minimal amount of information required for A and P regarding organelle structure, location, and function.

Mitosis

The reproductive process happening in all somatic cells that are replicating throughout the body.

Meiosis

A reproductive process occurring only in the testes and ovaries to produce gametes.

Gametes

The reproductive cells produced via meiosis, specifically sperm and oocytes.

PMAD

The acronym used to remember the four basic stages of mitosis: Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, and Telophase.

Prophase

The first stage of the mitosis acronym PMAD.

Metaphase

The second stage of the mitosis acronym PMAD.

Anaphase

The third stage of the mitosis acronym PMAD.

Telophase

The fourth stage of the mitosis acronym PMAD.

Mitosis Outcome

Produces two daughter cells that are exactly like the parent cells.

Meiosis Outcome

Produces four daughter cells containing half the number of chromosomes and half the genetic material of the parent.

Membranous Organelle

Cellular structures depicted in blue boxes in the lecture diagram that have a membranous component to their structure.

Nonmembranous Organelle

Cellular structures depicted in orange boxes in the lecture diagram that do not have a membrane.

Mitochondria

A double membrane organelle known as the powerhouse of the cell that produces majority of cellular energy.

Cristae

The folds of the inner mitochondrial membrane where chemical processes occur.

95%

The percentage of all ATP generated in a cell through the citric acid cycle and electron transport chain in the mitochondria.

Krebs Cycle

A chemical cycle happening within the mitochondria, also known as the Citric Acid Cycle.

Electron Transport Chain

A process occurring in the mitochondria that is fed into by the Krebs cycle to produce ATP.

Glycolysis

The anaerobic metabolism or breakdown of glucose that yields a couple of ATP molecules and takes place primarily outside the mitochondria.

ATP

The energy-rich molecule that serves as the currency for all biological transactions and processes in the body.

Golgi apparatus

The final packaging and storage structure of the cell meant for excretion or removal of components.

Lysosome

A membrane-bound structure created by the Golgi apparatus that may contain enzymes or secretory products like mucus.

Endoplasmic reticulum

A membranous organelle that comes in two types: rough and smooth.

Cytoplasm

All the materials inside the cell membrane and outside the nucleus.

Cytosol

The liquid portion of the cytoplasm, consisting primarily of water with dissolved components.

Solution

A liquid mixture made up of a larger component called a solvent and smaller components called solutes.

Solvent

The larger component of a solution, which in the human body is primarily water.

Solutes

The smaller, dissolved components in a solvent, such as nutrients, ions, proteins, and waste.

Intracellular

A term referring to everything located inside the cell.

Extracellular

A term referring to everything located outside of the cell.

Potassium ($K^+$)

An ion that has a high concentration inside the cytosol compared to the outside of the cell.

Sodium ($Na^+$)

An ion that has a high concentration in the extracellular space compared to the intracellular space.

Parentheses ( ) in Chemistry

Notation used to depict the concentration of a substance.

Plasma Membrane

The boundary surrounding the cell whose integrity is critical for the cell's survival.

Antibiotics

Chemicals that often target and disrupt the cell membrane of bacteria to cause their demise.

Semipermeable Membrane

A property of the cell membrane that allows some substances to pass while others cannot.

Receptor

A structure on the cell membrane that can detect a change in the environment.

Stimulus

A change in the environment, such as chemical, physical, or thermal changes, detected by receptors.

Ligand

A chemical substance, such as a hormone or ion, that binds to a receptor on the cell membrane.

Glycerol

A three-carbon chain that forms the backbone for lipids like monoglycerides and phospholipids.

Monoglyceride

A molecule consisting of a glycerol backbone and one lipid chain.

Diglyceride

A molecule consisting of a glycerol backbone and two lipid chains.

Triglyceride

A molecule consisting of a glycerol backbone and three lipid chains.

Phospholipid

A molecule with a phosphate-containing side chain (head) and two lipid side chains (tails).

Hydrophilic Head

The polar, phosphate-containing portion of a phospholipid that attracts water.

Hydrophobic Tail

The nonpolar, lipid portion of a phospholipid that repels water.

Amphipathic

A term for molecules, like phospholipids, that contain both polar and nonpolar components.

Aqueous environment

A watery environment, such as the intracellular cytosol or extracellular space.

Spherical Shape

One of the two forms phospholipids can acquire in water, where heads face the exterior and tails point to the center.

Lipid Bilayer

A double layer of phospholipids where heads point toward the watery environment and tails are buried deep within.

LDL

An abbreviation for low-density lipoprotein, a spherical structure formed by lipids.

HDL

An abbreviation for high-density lipoprotein, representing a spherical lipid transport structure.

Ionic substances

Charged substances that mix easily with water but are repelled by the hydrophobic core of the cell membrane.

Nonpolar substances

Substances that are lipid-rich and can pass through the cell membrane as if it were nonexistent.

Integral proteins

Proteins that are part of the cell membrane, often spanning from the inside to the outside.

Peripheral proteins

Proteins located on the inner or outer surface of the cell membrane rather than within it.

Anchoring proteins

Proteins that link the cell membrane to the cytoskeleton inside or to other cells/fibers outside.

Recognition proteins

Identifier proteins on the cell surface that help the immune system distinguish self cells from foreign cells.

ATPase

An enzyme within the cell membrane that facilitates the breakdown of ATP into ADP and energy.

Adenosine Diphosphate (ADP)

The molecule formed when one phosphate bond is broken off of ATP.

Inorganic Phosphate

The phosphate group released during the breakdown of ATP to harness energy.

Carrier Protein

A membrane protein that physically attaches to a substance and changes configuration to transport it across.

Channel Protein

A membrane protein that forms a specific passageway for substances to pass through.

Nongated Channels

Channels that are open all the time, also known as leaky channels.

Gated Channels

Channels that have the ability to open and close to regulate the flow of substances.

Ligand-gated Channels

Channels that open and close based on a chemical stimulus, such as a hormone or neurotransmitter.

Chemically gated Channels

Another name for ligand-gated channels.

Mechanically gated Channels

Channels that open and close in response to physical distortion, such as pressure or stretch.

Voltage-gated Channels

Channels that open and close based on changes in the electrical voltage difference across the membrane.

Electrically gated Channels

Another name for voltage-gated channels.

Membrane Potential

The voltage difference across the cell membrane caused by different ion concentrations.

Proteoglycans

Structures made of proteins and carbohydrates where the larger component is carbohydrates.

Glycoproteins

Structures made of proteins and carbohydrates where the larger component is protein.

Glycolipids

Molecules formed by the combination of carbohydrates and lipids in the cell membrane.

Glycocalyx

The sticky outer coat formed by proteoglycans, glycoproteins, and glycolipids on the cell surface.

Cell Adhesion

A function of the glycocalyx that allows cells to stick together or to other structures.

Membrane Transport

The diverse processes used to move substances across the cell membrane.

Active Transport

Transport processes that require the usage of ATP energy, either directly or indirectly.

Passive Transport

Transport processes that do not require energy expenditure from the cell.

Primary Active Transport

A process that uses ATP directly at the site of transport to move substances against their concentration gradient.

Sodium-Potassium Pump

A specific primary active transport carrier that moves sodium out and potassium into the cell.

3:2 Ratio

The specific ratio of the sodium-potassium pump: $3\,Na^+$ are pumped out for every $2\,K^+$ pumped in.

Against Concentration Gradient

The movement of substances from a zone of low concentration to a zone of high concentration.

Secondary Active Transport

A transport process that is indirectly dependent on the energy spent by primary active transport to move substances.

Simple Diffusion

A passive process where substances move through the membrane from high to low concentration without using energy.

Vesicular Transport

The movement of substances across the cell membrane using membrane-bound sacs called vesicles.

Vesicle

A membrane-bound structure formed to transport materials, requiring the creation or destruction of cell membrane.

Phagosome

A vesicle formed during phagocytosis that contains a large solid substance like a bacteria.

Phagolysosome

The structure formed when a phagosome combines with a lysosome to destroy its contents with enzymes.

Endocytosis

The vesicular transport process of moving substances into the cell.

Pinocytosis

A subcategory of endocytosis known as 'cell drinking,' involving the intake of small droplets or substances.

Phagocytosis

A subcategory of endocytosis known as 'cell eating,' involving the intake of large substances.

Exocytosis

The expulsion of substances from a vesicle to the extracellular space.

Transcytosis

The movement of a substance across a cell from one side to the other side via vesicles.

Co-transporter Protein

A protein that moves two substances simultaneously, such as sodium moving in with glucose.

Glucose

A molecule that enters the cell via secondary active transport in conjunction with sodium ions.

Specific Channels

Channels that are designated for only one specific substance, such as lead-specific or potassium-specific channels.