Cell Biology Vocab

Amphipathic

having two different affinities, a polar end that’s attracted to water (hydrophilic) and a nonpolar end that’s repelled by it (hydrophobic)

Metabolism

a series of reactions that occur within cells of living organisms to sustain life

Response

the behavior that’s manifested by a living organism which is the result of an external or internal stimulus

Reproduction

production of an offspring

Homeostasis

any self-regulating process by which biological systems tend to maintain stability while adjusting to conditions that are optimal for survival

Emergent Properties

properties that become apparent and result from various interacting components within a system but are properties that don’t belong to the individual components themselves

Cell Differentiation

young, immature (unspecialized) cells take on individual characteristics and reach their mature (specialized) form and function

Euchromatin

area of the chromosome which is rich in genes that actively participate in the transcription process

Heterochromatin

area of the chromosome which is darkly stained with a DNA-specific stain and is in comparatively condensed form

Totipotent

These cells have TOTAL potential. They can become any cell in the body and even the extra-embryonic tissues (ex: placenta)

Pluripotent

These cells can become any cell in the body, but have lost the ability to become an extraembryonic tissue cell

Multipotent

These cells are committed to give rise to only one group of cells (ex: blood cells).

Unipotent

These cells are so specialized that they can only give rise to cells like themselves.

Stem Cells

Can divide again and again to produce copious quantities of new cells. Not fully differentiated. They can differentiate in different ways, to produce different cell types.

Symbiosis

relationship or interaction between two different organisms that share similar habitat

Endosymbiosis

two organisms living together with one inside the other

Ultrastructure

a cell’s fine structure as revealed at high magnification

Compartmentalization

the separation of the cell interior in distinct compartments with specific local conditions that allow the simultaneous occurrence of diverse metabolic reactions and processes

Nucleus

the structure in a cell that contains the chromosomes

Cisternae

a flattened membrane vesicle found in the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus. it’s an integral part of the packaging and modification processes of proteins occurring in the Golgi.

Vesicles

a small sac formed by a membrane and filled with liquid

Ribosomes

intercellular structure made of both RNA and protein, and it’s the site of protein synthesis in the cell

Mitochondrion

membrane bound cell organelle that generate most of the chemical energy needed to power the cell’s biochemical reactions

Chloroplast

plant cell organelles that convert light energy into relatively stable chemical energy via the photosynthesis process

Clathrin

building small vesicles for uptake (endocytosis) and export (exocytosis) of many molecules

Bilayer

thin polar membrane made of two layers of lipid molecules

Integral Protein

type of membrane protein that’s permanently attached to the biological membrane

Peripheral Protein

protein that’s found temporarily attached to the cell or mitochondrial membrane

Glycocalyx

surface layer that covers the cell membrane of many bacteria, epithelial cells or other cells

Cholesterol

a waxy, fat-like substance made in the liver, and found in blood and in all cells of the body

Osmosis

movement of water molecules from a solution with a high concentration of water molecules to a solution with a lower concentration of water molecules, through a cell’s partially permeable membrane

Aquaporins

channel proteins which facilitate the passive diffusion of water an small neutral molecules across biological membranes

Endocytosis

process by which cells take in substances from outside of the cell by engulfing them in a vesicle

Exocytosis

process for moving large molecules out of the cell to the cell exterior

Lytic Cycle

virus introduces its genome into a host cell and initiates replication by hijacking the host’s cellular machinery to make new copies of the virus

Lysogenic Cycle

viral reproductive cycle in which the genome of the phage is replicated without destroying the host

Cell Proliferation

an increase in the number of cells as a result of cell growth and cell division

Chromatin

mixture of DNA and proteins that form the chromosomes found in the cells of humans and other higher organisms

Supercoiling

over or undermining of a DNA strand (expression of the strain on the strand)

Centromere

the region of the chromosome to which the spindle fiber is attached during cell division (both mitosis/meiosis)

Sister Chromatids

identical copies formed by the DNA replication of a chromosome, with both copies joined together by a common centromere

Cell Plate

structure that forms when the cytoplasm of a plant cell divides

Cyclins

group of proteins that control the progression of the cell cycle by activating particular enzymes

Mutagens

chemical/physical agent capable of inducing changes in DNA called mutations