Cells and Tissues Review

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary and concepts related to cells and tissues, including structural organization, cell types, transport mechanisms, and muscle physiology.

Levels of Structural Organization

The hierarchy in biological organization: Chemical, Cellular, Tissue, Organ, Organ System, Organismal.

Cell Theory

The concept that a cell is the basic unit of life and organismal functions depend on the functions of individual cells.

Plasma membrane

The flexible outer boundary of a cell, controlling what enters or leaves.

Cytoplasm

The intracellular fluid that contains organelles within a cell.

Nucleus

The control center of a cell that houses DNA.

Epithelial Tissue

A sheet of cells that covers body surfaces and lines cavities, classified into covering/lining and glandular types.

Connective Tissue

Tissue that supports, binds, and protects other tissues and organs.

Muscle Tissue

Tissue responsible for contraction and movement, including skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle.

Nervous Tissue

Tissue that controls and communicates through electrical signals, consisting of neurons and glial cells.

Histology

The study of tissues.

Stratified Epithelium

Multiple layers of epithelial cells for protection; classified based on the shape of the apical layer.

Simple Squamous Epithelium

A single layer of flattened cells facilitating diffusion and filtration.

Neurons

Cells that transmit electrical signals in the nervous system.

Action Potential (AP)

A brief reversal of membrane potential that travels along neurons.

Synapse

The junction where a neuron communicates with another cell, typically via neurotransmitters.

Osmosis

The diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane.

Passive Transport

Movement of substances across cell membranes without the use of energy.

Active Transport

The process of moving substances across cell membranes using energy (ATP).

Homeostasis

The maintenance of a stable internal environment in organisms.

Excitation-Contraction Coupling

The physiological process of converting an electrical stimulus from a neuron into a mechanical response in muscle fibers.

Cross-Bridge Cycle

The cyclic process of myosin binding to actin, pulling, and detaching, which occurs during muscle contraction.