Lab 3: Cells, Diffusion/Osmosis, Tissues

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering cell structure and function, cell cycle phases, diffusion, osmosis, tonicity, and histology of epithelial tissue.

Cell

The smallest structural and functional unit of living organisms, enclosed by a plasma membrane and containing cytoplasm, cytosol, and organelles.

Animal Tissue Types

Major animal tissues including adipose tissue, nervous tissue, cartilage tissue, connective tissue, muscle tissue, epithelial tissue, bone tissue, and blood.

Cytosol

The fluid portion of cytoplasm that surrounds organelles.

Microvilli

Folds of the plasma membrane that increase the surface area of the cell to increase absorption or secretion.

Nucleolus

Assembly site for ribosomes located inside the nucleus.

Chromatin

Long thin strands within the nucleus, where each strand is composed of one DNA molecule and associated proteins.

Mitochondria

Organelles that make ATP via aerobic cellular respiration.

Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (RER)

Organelle that processes and transports proteins made at attached ribosomes, and synthesizes phospholipids.

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum (SER)

Organelle involved in fatty acid and steroid synthesis and the detoxification of toxic substances.

Golgi Complex

Organelle that receives and modifies proteins from RER, and sorts and transports them.

Secretory Vesicles

Vesicles that secrete substances outside the cell by exocytosis.

Lysosomes

Organelles containing enzymes that digest and recycle worn-out organelles and substances entering the cell, and can digest the cell itself.

Peroxisomes

Organelles that produce hydrogen peroxide and detoxify harmful substances.

Cytoskeleton

Three kinds of protein filaments that maintain cell shape and are involved in cell movement and movement of organelles.

Centrosomes (Centrioles)

Organelles that form the mitotic spindle and are needed to form cilia and flagella.

Cilia

Abundant, hair-like cell projections that move fluids and particles along the cell surface.

Flagella

A long cell projection whose whip-like motion moves sperm.

Interphase

Phase of the cell cycle during which normal cell work occurs, the cell is metabolically active and growing, and DNA replicates.

G1 Phase

Stage of interphase lasting $8\text{--}10\text{ hours}$ where the cell is metabolically active, duplicates organelles and cytosolic components, and begins centrosome replication.

S Phase

Stage of interphase lasting $8\text{ hours}$ during which DNA is replicated.

G2 Phase

Stage of interphase lasting $4\text{--}6\text{ hours}$ where cell growth continues, enzymes and other proteins are synthesized, and centrosome replication is completed.

Prophase

Mitotic stage where nucleolus and nuclear membrane disappear, chromatin condenses into chromosomes, centrioles move to opposite poles, and spindle fibers form.

Metaphase

Mitotic stage where chromosomes line up at the metaphasal plate and spindle fibers attach to centromeres of chromatids.

Anaphase

Mitotic stage where chromatids of chromosomes separate and move to opposite poles.

Telophase

Mitotic stage where the cell reverses prophase activities.

Cytokinesis

Cytoplasmic division into two genetically identical daughter cells.

Simple Diffusion

Net movement of particles from high concentration to low concentration (down the concentration gradient) occurring in solids, liquids, or gases.

Methylene Blue Dye Crystal

Substance with a molecular weight (MW) of $320$ used to observe diffusion through agar.

Potassium Permanganate Dye Crystal

Substance with a molecular weight (MW) of $158$ used to observe diffusion through agar.

Osmosis

Diffusion of a solvent across a selectively permeable membrane from a region of higher water concentration to lower water concentration.

Tonicity

A measure of the relative solute concentration between two solutions, indicating a solution's ability to change cell volume by changing water content.

Isotonic Solution

A solution that has the same solute concentration relative to another solution.

Hypertonic Solution

A solution that has more solute concentration relative to another solution.

Hypotonic Solution

A solution that has less solute concentration relative to another solution.

Hemolysis

The bursting or rupturing of a red blood cell when placed in a hypotonic solution.

Crenation

The shrinking or spiky appearance of a red blood cell when placed in a hypertonic solution.

Histology

The study of the microscopic anatomy (microanatomy) of cells and tissues of plants and animals.

Cellularity

A characteristic of epithelial tissue where most of the tissue consists of cells packed together in an orderly fashion with little extracellular matrix between them.

Avascular

Lacking blood vessels; epithelial tissue receives nutrients from the underlying vascular connective tissue.

Basement Membrane

A membrane structure that separates epithelial tissue from underlying connective tissue.

Squamous Cells

The thinnest epithelial cells, containing a flattened nucleus.

Cuboidal Cells

Cube-like epithelial cells containing a round nucleus in the center of the cell.

Columnar Cells

Tall epithelial cells containing an oval nucleus close to the base of the cell.

Transitional Cells

Epithelial cells that change shape; apical cells are cuboidal when relaxed and squamous when stretched.

Simple Epithelium

Epithelial tissue with only one cell layer that provides a selective barrier for diffusion, filtration, secretion, or absorption.

Stratified Epithelium

Thicker epithelial tissue with two or more cell layers that forms a protective barrier resistant to wear, tear, and entry of pathogens.

Pseudostratified Columnar Epithelium

Epithelium that is only one cell layer thick but gives the illusion of several layers because cells have different shapes and heights with nuclei at different levels.

Epithelial Tissue Classification

Classification scheme for epithelial tissue based on cell shapes (squamous, cuboidal, columnar) and arrangement into simple or stratified layers.