ALL BIO VOCAB

organelle

structure inside a cell that performs a certain function

nucleus

organelle that contains the DNA/chromosomes; sometimes referred to as the "command and control center" of a cell

cytoplasm

gel-like material made mostly of water that surrounds the organelles inside a cell

cell membrane

thin, flexible structure that provides protection and support to a cell and separates it from the outside environment; AKA plasma membrane

cell wall

additional layer found outside of the cell membrane in plants, fungi, bacteria, and some protists; offers additional support and protection

mitochondria

organelle that is the site of cellular respiration; sometimes referred to as the "powerhouse" of a cell as it makes ATP (energy)

chloroplast

organelle that contains the green pigment chlorophyll and is the site of photosynthesis; makes glucose (sugar)

vacuole

storage organelle for food, water, and wastes

ribosome

organelle that makes proteins; only organelle not bound by a membrane

differentiation

process that occurs during embryonic development in which stem cells take on different structures and functions and become the many different types of cells in the human body; also called specialization

stem cell

cell that has the potential to become any type of cell in the human body

aerobic respiration

A form of cellular respiration that requires oxygen in order to generate ATP

anaerobic respiration

A form of cellular respiration that occurs in the absence of oxygen and generates less ATP

autotroph

an organism that can make its own food; aka producer; one example is plants (by photosynthesis)

heterotroph

an organism that must get food from its environment; aka consumer; one example is animals

active immunity

A form of acquired immunity in which the body produces its own antibodies against a pathogen; long-term protection

adaptation

inherited characteristic that increases an organism's chance of survival

AIDS

(acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) a disease caused by HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) which attacks and kills T cells in the immune system

antibiotic

a drug used to fight and kill bacterial infections; Ex. penicillin

antiviral

new class of drugs used to treat viral infections; Ex. tamiflu

B cell

a type of white blood cell that makes antibodies

cilia

short, hair-like projections found in eukaryotes that are used for movement (protists) and that line the respiratory tracts of animals

eukaryote

a cell that has a nucleus and other membrane bound organelles

eyespot

an organelle that the protist euglena uses to detect light

flagella

long, whip-like tails used for movement

T cells

cells that develop in the thymus and destroy infected cells; there are two types: T helper and T killer

influenza

the flu virus, which caused a deadly epidemic in 1918 and kills thousands of Americans each year

passive immunity

short-term protection that occurs when a person gets antibodies from another source; the person does not make them

antibody

a Y-shaped protein that attaches to foreign molecules and signals their destruction by white blood cells

prokaryote

a bacterial cell; a cell that lacks a nucleus and membrane bound organelles

pseudopod

"false-feet" of cytoplasmic extensions made by amoeba (protists) that help them engulf food and move through water

vaccine

a weakened preparation of a virus/bacteria that is injected into the body to protect a person against a disease

virus

a nonliving particle that causes disease; contains a nucleic acid surrounded by a protein

cholera

A disease spread by bacteria in contaminated water that causes an infection in the intestine and results in severe vomiting and diarrhea; can be fatal

Pfiesteria

a group of protists that has caused large algal blooms and fish kills off the coast of NC

Dutch Elm Disease

a fungal disease of elm trees that is spread by beetles and has destroyed a large number of American elms in NC

Tuberculosis

a bacterial infection of the lungs

acid rain

precipitation that is the result of air pollution reacting with water molecules in the atmosphere leading to the destruction of forest and lake ecosystems

Bioaccumulation

the increase in concentration of pollutants in the tissues of organisms as you move up trophic levels in an ecosystem; aka biomagnification

carbon cycle

incorporation of carbon dioxide into living tissue by photosynthesis and its return to the atmosphere through respiration, the decay of dead organisms, and the burning of fossil fuels.

carrying capacity

Largest number of individuals of a population that a environment can support

competition

the struggle between organisms to survive in a habitat with limited resources

consumer

An organism that obtains energy by feeding on other organisms; aka "heterotroph"

decomposer

organism that breaks down and obtains energy from dead organic matter; an organism that carries out decomposition

deforestation

the destruction of forests

eutrophication

excessive nutrients in a lake or other body of water, frequently due to runoff from the land, which causes a dense growth of plants/algae and a death of animals from a lack of oxygen.

exponential growth

j-shaped, explosive pattern of population growth

stewardship

commitment to the responsible management of natural resources and sustainable actions to help preserve the environment

climate change

a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth's atmosphere generally attributed rising levels of carbon dioxide and pollution; formerly called global warming

greenhouse effect

normal warming effect caused when the sun's rays are trapped by gases in the Earth's atmosphere; without this, the Earth would be a ball of ice

habitat destruction

The loss of natural habitat for species that can lead to extinction

invasive species

plants and animals that are deliberately/accidentally introduced into an area whose populations explode because they have no known natural predators and out-compete native species for resources leading to their decline

mutualism

symbiotic relationship in which both organisms benefit; ex. good bacteria in the human gut

nitrogen cycle

transfer of nitrogen from the atmosphere to the soil, to living organisms, and back to the atmosphere

nitrogen fixation

process of converting nitrogen in the air, into a form that plants and animals can use (nitrates and nitrites)

parasitism

form of symbiosis in which one organism, the parasite, benefits and the other organism, the host, is harmed; ex. tick and a dog

pesticide resistance

the decreased susceptibility of insects over time to chemicals used to kill them

producer

an organism that can make its own food; aka "autotroph"

symbiosis

a close relationship between two species living together

waste lagoon

body of water used to dispose of animal wastes on farms; these become problematic when they flood into rivers/drinking water supplies

activation energy

the minimum amount of energy required to start a chemical reaction

amino acid

the building blocks of a protein

insulin

a protein hormone that lowers the amount of glucose in the blood to help maintain homeostasis

peptide bond

chemical bond between the amino acids of a protein

starch

polysaccharide that stores food in plants

steroid

cholesterol-based hormone; ex. testosterone

substrate

molecule that binds to the enzyme's active site

buffer

a weak acid or weak base that prevents sharp, sudden changes in pH; help keep pH constant in body tissues to help maintain homeostasis

carbohydrates

commonly called "sugars"; made of monomers called monosaccharides and often end in -ose

cellulose

polysaccharide that makes up the cell walls of plant cells

denaturation

process that occurs when an enzyme is exposed to extreme temperatures/pHs; changes the shape of an enzyme's active site so that it can no longer bind to substrate molecules

disaccharide

sugar made of two monosaccharides; ex. is sucrose which is made when glucose is linked to fructose

enzymes

proteins that speed up the rate of a chemical reaction; convert molecules called "substrates" into "products"; often end in -ase; called "biological catalysts"

glycogen

polysaccharide that stores excess sugar in the liver and muscles of animals

lipid

usually made of 3 fatty acids bound to a glycerol molecule; fats, waxes, and oils are examples; provide twice as many calories per gram than do carbs/proteins; used for long-term energy storage, insulation, cell membrane structure, and waterproofing

lock and key model

mechanism by which a substrate binds to an enzyme's active site; reflects how specific each enzyme's shape is

monomer

building block or subunit of a polymer; smallest molecules in each class of biomolecules

monosaccharide

the smallest, simple sugars; ex. is glucose

nucleic acids

made of monomers called nucleotides; examples are DNA and RNA

organic

carbon-based molecules that have bonds to hydrogen

pH

a measure of how acidic or basic a solution is; the range is 0-6 acid; 7 neutral; 8-14 base

polymer

the largest biological molecules made of monomers; also called macromolecules

polypeptide

a long, linear chain of many amino acids linked together by peptide bonds; a precursor to a protein that is not yet functional

polysaccharide

the largest carbohydrates; made up of many monosaccharides; examples include: starch, glycogen, chitin, and cellulose

protein

macromolecules made of amino acids

spore

a reproductive cell with a hard, protective coating; made by bacteria, fungi, and some plants like ferns

tropism

growth response of a plant to a stimulus

placenta

an organ in the uterus of a pregnant mammal, that nourishes the fetus through the umbilical cord

hibernation

a dormant state of lowered metabolism that is an adaptation for surviving winter

habituation

an organism's decreasing response to a stimulus with repeated exposure to it

contractile vacuole

specialized vacuole in paramecia that allow them to live in freshwater environments by constantly pumping water out

imprinting

the process by which certain animals form attachments during a critical period very early in life

estivation

a dormant state of lowered metabolism allowing organisms to survive long periods of high temperatures or drought

classical conditioning

learning by association; example is Pavlov's dog salivating at the sound of a bell

suckling

when a young mammal nurses from its mother

taxis

Movement toward or away from a stimulus.

territoriality

Behaviors that organisms display in order to defend a space; growling, barking, hairs on back standing up; actually reduces conflict between members of a species in an environment

trial and error learning

behavior in which an animal learns to perform a behavior over and over again until success is achieved; ex. learning to ride a bike

Animalia

organisms in this kingdom are multicellular heterotrophs without cell walls

Archaebacteria

kingdom that includes bacteria that live in extreme environments