Cell Biology and Reproduction

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering cell anatomy, the stages of mitosis, and specific physiological/pathological terms based on lecture materials.

Somatic cell

Any biological cell forming the shape of its organism, except for cells involved in sexual reproduction (called gem cells).

Diploid

Having pairs of chromosomes; humans have 23 pairs in each somatic cell.

Plasma membrane

The cell’s fortification that separates the interior of the cell from the outside environment.

Cytoplasm

The cell’s environment; the fluid part enclosed by the membrane that contains organelles.

Nucleus

The cell’s brain; contains most of the genetic material in the form of DNA.

Endoplasmic Reticulum

The cell’s pipe system; includes smooth ER for metabolic processes and rough ER with ribosomes for protein manufacturing.

Golgi apparatus

The cell’s delivery center; it tags vesicles and proteins to help them get carried to their correct destinations.

Centrosome

The cell’s anchor; organizes and produces the microtubules of the cell’s cytoskeleton.

Mitochondria

The cell’s powerplant; produces energy by breaking down carbohydrates and some lipids to form the molecule $ATP$.

Ribosome

The cell’s factories; translate RNA into proteins.

Lysosome

The cell’s stomach; vesicles filled with digestive proteins that can absorb and break down materials into recyclable pieces.

Peroxisome

The cell’s firemen; vesicles that defend the cell from free radicals and contain oxidative enzymes to produce hydrogen peroxide.

Cytoskeleton

The cell’s shapeshifter; modifies shape and ensures mechanical resistance to deformation.

Vacuole

The cell’s compartments; enclosed storage vessels filled with water containing inorganic and organic molecules.

Interphase

The portion of the cell cycle where the cell increases mass, duplicates chromosomes, and prepares for mitosis through the $G1$, $S$, and $G2$ phases.

Prophase

Stage where chromatin in the nucleus starts to condense, the nucleolus disappears, and centrioles move to opposite ends of the cell.

Prometaphase

Stage marked by the dissolution of the nuclear membrane, the creation of kinetochores at the centromeres, and the movement of chromosomes.

Metaphase

Stage where chromosomes are aligned by spindle fibers along the center of the cell nucleus.

Anaphase

Stage where paired chromosomes separate and move to opposite sides of the cell.

Telophase

Stage where chromatids arrive at opposite poles and new membranes form around the nuclei.

Mitosis

The process in which chromosomes in a cell nucleus are separated into two identical sets, often referred to as division of the nucleus.

Cytokinesis

The process that divides the cytoplasm, organelles, and cell membrane into two new cells.

Microfilaments

Cellular structures that have flexible fibrils of actin and usually occur in bundles.

Jap junctions

Structures that facilitate cardiac functioning by synchronizing contractions of heart muscle cells through ionic coupling.

Hypertrophy

A cell alteration that increases tissue mass by making each individual cell larger while keeping the same number of cells.

Laceration

An alteration in the skin layers involving jagged or irregular tearing of tissues.

Extra-cellular fluid

Fluid consisting of the liquid inside blood vessels, fluid between cells, lymph, and various secretions.

Carbonic acid

The type of acid that is excreted by the lung.

Acidosis

The state of having too much acid or too little base, regardless of pH.

Somatic cell

Any biological cell forming the shape of its organism, except for those cells involved in sexual reproduction (called gem cells).

Diploid

The state of having pairs of chromosomes; humans have $23$ pairs of chromosomes in each somatic cell.

Plasma membrane

The cell’s fortification that separates the interior of the cell from the outside environment.

Cytoplasm

The cell’s environment; the fluid part enclosed by the membrane that contains organelles.

Nucleus

The cell’s brain, which contains most of the genetic material in the form of DNA.

Endoplasmic Reticulum

The cell’s pipe system, consisting of metabolic processes (smooth ER) and protein manufacturing ribosomes (rough ER).

Golgi apparatus

The cell’s delivery center which tags vesicles and proteins to help them get carried to their correct destinations.

Centrosome

The cell’s anchor that organizes and produces the microtubules of the cell’s cytoskeleton.

Mitochondria

The cell’s powerplant that produces energy for the cell and breaks down carbohydrates and some Durations lipids to form molecule ATP.

Ribosome

The cell’s factories that translate RNA into proteins.

Lysosome

The cell’s stomach; vesicles filled with digestive proteins that break down substances into recyclable pieces using digestive enzymes.

Peroxisome

The cell’s firemen; vesicles containing oxidative enzymes that neutralize free radicals and produce hydrogen peroxide and other reactive oxygen species.

Cytoskeleton

The cell’s shapeshifter that modifies the cell’s shape and ensures mechanical resistance to deformation.

Vacuole

The cell’s compartments; enclosed storage vessels filled with water containing inorganic and organic molecules.

Interphase

The portion of the cell cycle where the cell increases mass (producing DNA, RNA, protein, and lipids), duplicates chromosomes, and prepares for mitosis ($G1, S, \text{ and } G2$ phases).

Prophase

The stage of mitosis where chromatin in the nucleus condenses, the nucleolus disappears, and centrioles move to opposite ends of the cell.

Prometaphase

The phase marked by the dissolution of the nuclear membrane, the creation of kinetochores, and the movement of chromosomes.

Metaphase

The stage where chromosomes are aligned by spindle fibers along the center of the cell nucleus for proper separation.

Anaphase

The stage where paired chromosomes separate and move to opposite sides of the cell.

Telophase

The final stage of mitosis where chromatids arrive at opposite poles and new membranes form around the nuclei.

Mitosis

The process in which chromosomes in a cell nucleus are separated into two identical sets, resulting in the division of the nucleus.

Cytokinesis

The process that often follows mitosis, dividing the cytoplasm, organelles, and cell membrane into two new cells.

Microfilaments

Cellular structures consisting of flexible fibrils of actin that usually occur in bundles.

Jap junctions

Structures that facilitate cardiac functioning by synchronizing contractions of heart muscle cells through ionic coupling.

Hypertrophy

A cell alteration that increases tissue mass by keeping the same number of cells but making each individual cell larger.

Laceration

An alteration in skin layers characterized by jagged or irregular tearing of tissues.

Extra-cellular fluid

Fluid consisting of the liquid inside blood vessels, fluid between cells, lymph, and various secretions.

Carbonic acid

The type of acid that is excreted by the lung.

Acidosis

The term for the state of having too much acid or too little base, regardless of pH.