Cell Transport, Homeostasis, Adaptations, and Feedback Mechanisms

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering cell receptors, transport concepts, adaptation types, homeostasis, and the components of feedback loops and mechanisms based on the provided notes.

Intracellular receptors

Receptors located within the cell that can interact with DNA and start the production of certain proteins.

Membrane receptors

Receptor molecules that cannot cross the cell membrane, which send messages to the inside of the cell to cause interior molecules to respond.

Passive Transport

The process that allows a cell to move material across the cell membrane without using energy.

Diffusion

The movement of materials (fluids or gas) from a region of high concentration to a region of low concentration.

Concentration

The amount of a substance in a solution.

Solute

The part of a solution that dissolves, such as sugar.

Solvent

The part of a solution that does the dissolving, such as water.

Solution

A mixture formed by combining a solute and a solvent.

Concentration gradient

A term used to describe areas of high and low concentration.

Dynamic equilibrium

The state reached when movement makes concentrations equal throughout, while molecules continue to move dynamically.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of a stable internal environment within a safe range, even when external environmental conditions change.

Structural adaptation

Physical features of an organism's body or appearance that help it survive, such as a polar bear's thick fur.

Functional adaptation

Adjustments to an organism's metabolism or internal body functions to respond to changing conditions, such as sweating to cool down.

Behavioural adaptation

Actions performed by an organism to respond to its environment, such as a lizard moving into the sun to warm up.

Feedback mechanisms

Processes by which the body detects a change and responds to it in order to keep the body stable.

Negative feedback

A type of feedback mechanism that reverses a change and brings the body back to normal conditions.

Positive feedback

A feedback mechanism that amplifies or makes a change stronger, causing responses to increase until an event completes, such as childbirth.

Feedback loops

A series of steps that occurs when the body responds to a change.

Stimulus

A change in the environment, such as elevated blood sugar or elevated body temperature.

Receptor

A structure or specialized cells that detect a change in the environment.

Relay

The component that carries the message from the receptor to the responding part of the body, operating through hormones or nerves.

Effector

The organ or structure, usually muscles or glands, that carries out the physical response.

Response

The action that occurs directly because of a stimulus, such as sweating to decrease body temperature.