Discovery and Biology of Cells and Microorganisms

These flashcards cover the history of cell discovery, microscopy, cell structures, biological organization, and the beneficial roles of various microorganisms.

Lens

A curved piece of glass shaped like a lentil seed (thick in the middle and thin at the edges) used to make small objects look bigger.

Robert Hooke

The scientist who in 1665 used a microscope to observe thin slices of cork and coined the term "cell" to describe the honeycomb-like spaces he saw.

Micrographia

The famous book published by Robert Hooke in 1665 containing his microscopic observations.

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek

Known as the "Father of Microbiology," he was the first person to see and describe living bacteria and blood cells using superior lenses.

Safranin

A red stain used in studying plant cells to make the onion peel cells pink and easy to see under a microscope.

Glycerin

A substance added to a slide to prevent cells from drying out during microscopic observation.

Methylene blue

A blue stain added to human cheek cell samples to provide contrast for better visibility under a microscope.

Cell Membrane

The porous outer layer of a cell that separates it from others and allows useful materials to enter while letting waste leave.

Cytoplasm

A jelly-like space between the membrane and the nucleus containing nutrients like proteins and fats where most life processes occur.

Nucleus

The round control center in the middle of a cell that regulates all growth and activities.

Cell Wall

A tough outer layer found in plants, fungi, and bacteria that provides structural strength and rigidity.

Chloroplasts

Plant-specific structures containing chlorophyll that enable food production through photosynthesis.

Vacuole

A large space in plant cells used for storage and maintaining shape, which is very small or absent in animal cells.

Muscle Cells

Spindle-shaped cells that are thin and flexible, allowing them to contract and relax to move the body or push food through the digestive system.

Nerve Cells (Neurons)

Long and branched cells specialized for sending messages quickly across the body.

Ostrich Egg Yolk

The largest known single cell, which can measure up to $170\,mm$.

Tissue

A group of similar cells working together to perform a specific function.

Organ System

Several organs working together to perform complex functions, such as the digestive system.

Unicellular

An organism made of only one cell, such as an Amoeba.

Microorganisms (Microbes)

Tiny living beings invisible to the naked eye found in air, water, soil, and inside other organisms.

Spirulina

A type of microalgae considered a "superfood" that contributes to producing over half of the Earth's oxygen.

Nucleoid

The region in a bacterium that contains genetic material, used because bacteria do not have a normal nucleus.

Viruses

Tiny "acellular" entities that are not made of cells and can only multiply inside a living host cell.

Decomposition

The process where fungi and bacteria break down dead plants and animals into manure to make soil fertile.

Lactobacillus

The bacterium responsible for turning warm milk into curd by producing lactic acid.

Rhizobium

A bacterium that lives in the root nodules of legumes and helps plants grow by trapping nitrogen from the air.

Ananda Mohan Chakrabarty

The scientist who developed a specialized bacterium designed to break down oil spills in the ocean.