AICE Marine Science 6.1

organelle

A specialized cell structure that carries out a specific function within the cell

Cell

the smallest structural unit of an organism that is capable of independent functioning

cell wall

A rigid structure that surrounds the cell membrane and provides support to the cell; plant cell walls are made of cellulose

cytoplasm

all of the material, except for the nucleus that is found within a cell

Cell surface membrane

The membrane that controls what goes into and out of a cell

nucleus

A part of the cell that contains the genetic material

chloroplast

photosynthetic organelle; converts energy of sunlight to chemical energy stored in sugar molecules

mitochondrion

the organelle responsible for aerobic respiration

golgi body

cell organelle that modifies proteins

light microscopes

use light and lenses to enlarge an image of an object

electron microscopes

Electron microscopes are used to study detailed structures of a cell that cannot be easily seen or observed by light microscopy. They use electron beams and electromagnets.

Rough and Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum

a network of flattened sacs running through the cytoplasm or eukaryotic cells; molecules, particularly proteins, can be transported through the cell inside the sacs separate from the rest of the cytoplasm; ER is continuous with the outer membrane of the nuclear envelope

magnification

the process of enlarging something only in appearance, not in physical size

resolution (resolving power)

the smallest distance between two points that can be detected; it i a measure of the level of detail that can be seen

Wavelength

The distance between two corresponding parts of a wave

chromatin

Clusters of DNA, RNA, and proteins in the nucleus of a cell

Nucleoli

small circular areas inside the nucleus that produce RNA for ribosomes

Ribosomes

site of protein synthesis

cisternae

flattened membranes of the Golgi body and endoplasmic reticulum

vesicle

small structures that consist of fluid surrounded by a membrane; they are used for transporting substances around cells.

steroid horomones

steroid molecules that are used as horomones

oestrogen

The female steroid sex hormone responsible for sexual development.

testosterone

a steroid that is the primary male sex horomone

lysosomes

membrane enclosed organelles that contain digestive enzymes

cristae

folds of the inner mitochondrial membrane involved in aerobic respiration

matrix

the fluid filled space within the inner mitochondrial membrane; it contains enzymes and sugars involved with respiration

stroma

The fluid of the chloroplast surrounding the thylakoid membrane; where the light independent stage occurs

thylakoid membranes

membrane bound structures in the stroma of chloroplasts; stacks of thylakoids are called grana; they are where the light dependent stage of photosynthesis occurs

grana

areas in the stroma of chloroplasts where thylakoid membranes containing photosynthetic pigments are stacked on top of each other

Photosynthesis

the process of using light energy to synthesise glucose from carbon dioxide and water to produce chemical energy

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

the molecule that is used as hereditary material being passed onto subsequent generations; it contains the code for all genes of organisms.

cellulose

an important component of plant cell walls which is made from many straight chains of glucose molecules held together by hydrogen bonds

b-glucose

an isomer of the sugar, glucose; it is the monomer that cellulose is made up of

middle lamella

a layer of pectin on the outside of plant cells; it cements neighboring cells together

Large permanent vacuole

a membrane bound organelle that is present in all plant and fungal cells; it contains cell sap

tonoplast

the membrane found outside a large permanent vacuole in plant and fungal cells

cell sap

the fluid located inside a large permanent vacuole

fluid mosaic model

a model that explains the properties of cell membranes

glycerol

a simple molecule that is a constituent of triglycerides and phospholipids

nonpolar

molecules that do not have electric charge

hydrophobic

substances that will not mix/ dissolve in water

carrier proteins

membrane proteins that are involved in the transfer of substances from one side of the membrane to the other; they possess a specific binding site to which substances bind and change shape as the substance is moved across the membrane

channel protein

membrane proteins that are involved in the transfer of substances from one side of membranes to the other; contain a pore through which substances will pass through.