Chapter 7 Vocab

endocytosis

Cellular uptake of biological molecules and particulate matter via formation of vesicles from the plasma membrane.

tonicity

The ability of a solution surrounding a cell to cause that cell to gain or lose water.

passive transport

The diffusion of a substance across a biological membrane with no expenditure of energy.

exocytosis

The cellular secretion of biological molecules by the fusion of vesicles containing them with the plasma membrane.

hypertonic

Referring to a solution that, when surrounding a cell, will cause the cell to lose water.

electrogenic pump

An active transport protein that generates voltage across a membrane while pumping ions.

phagocytosis

A type of endocytosis in which large particulate substances or small organisms are taken up by a cell. It is carried out by some protists and by certain immune cells of animals (in mammals, mainly macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells).

osmoregulation

Regulation of solute concentrations and water balance by a cell or organism.

integral protein

A transmembrane protein with hydrophobic regions that extend into and often completely span the hydrophobic interior of the membrane and with hydrophilic regions in contact with the aqueous solution on one or both sides of the membrane (or lining the channel in the case of a channel protein).

flaccid

Limp. Lacking turgor (stiffness or firmness), as in a plant cell in surroundings where there is a tendency for water to leave the cell. (A walled cell becomes this if it has a higher water potential than its surroundings, resulting in the loss of water.)

osmosis

The diffusion of free water across a selectively permeable membrane.

plasmolysis

A phenomenon in walled cells in which the cytoplasm shrivels and the plasma membrane pulls away from the cell wall; occurs when the cell loses water to a hypertonic environment.

amphipathic

Having both a hydrophilic region and a hydrophobic region.

receptor-mediated endocytosis

The movement of specific molecules into a cell by the infolding of vesicles containing proteins with receptor sites specific to the molecules being taken in; enables a cell to acquire bulk quantities of specific substances.

diffusion

The random thermal motion of particles of liquids, gases, or solids. In the presence of a concentration or electrochemical gradient, results in the net movement of a substance from a region where it is more concentrated to a region where it is less concentrated.

sodium-potassium pump

A transport protein in the plasma membrane of animal cells that actively transports sodium out of the cell and potassium into the cell.

transmembrane protein

A type of integral protein that spans the entire membrane.

proton pump

An active transport protein in a cell membrane that uses ATP to transport hydrogen ions out of a cell against their concentration gradient, generating a membrane potential in the process.

active transport

The movement of a substance across a cell membrane against its concentration or electrochemical gradient, mediated by specific transport proteins and requiring an expenditure of energy.

aquaporin

A channel protein in a cellular membrane that specifically facilitates osmosis, the diffusion of free water across the membrane.

pinocytosis

A type of endocytosis in which the cell ingests extracellular fluid and its dissolved solutes.

peripheral protein

A protein loosely bound to the surface of a membrane or to part of an integral protein and not embedded in the lipid bilayer.

gated channel

A transmembrane protein channel that opens or closes in response to a particular stimulus.

concentration gradient

A region along which the density of a chemical substance increases or decreases.

glycolipid

A lipid with one or more covalently attached carbohydrates.

facilitated diffusion

The passage of molecules or ions down their electrochemical gradient across a biological membrane with the assistance of specific transmembrane transport proteins, requiring no energy expenditure.

hypotonic

Referring to a solution that, when surrounding a cell, will cause the cell to take up water.

isotonic

Referring to a solution that, when surrounding a cell, causes no net movement of water into or out of the cell.

transport protein

A transmembrane protein that helps a certain substance or class of closely related substances to cross the membrane.

selective permeability

A property of biological membranes that allows them to regulate the passage of substances across them.

membrane potential

The difference in electrical charge (voltage) across a cell's plasma membrane due to the differential distribution of ions; affects the activity of excitable cells and the transmembrane movement of all charged substances.

electrochemical gradient

The diffusion gradient of an ion, which is affected by both the concentration difference of an ion across a membrane (a chemical force) and the ion's tendency to move relative to the membrane potential (an electrical force).

fluid mosaic model

The currently accepted model of cell membrane structure, which envisions the membrane as a mosaic of protein molecules drifting laterally in a fluid bilayer of phospholipids.

glycoprotein

A protein with one or more covalently attached carbohydrates.

turgid

Swollen or distended, as in plant cells. (A walled cell becomes this if it has a lower water potential than its surroundings, resulting in entry of water.)

ion channel

A transmembrane protein channel that allows a specific ion to diffuse across the membrane down its concentration or electrochemical gradient.

cotransport

The coupling of the 'downhill' diffusion of one substance to the 'uphill' transport of another against its own concentration gradient.