Cell Biology, Reproduction, and Human Physiology Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards generated from lecture notes covering cell organelles, vascular tissues, plant/human reproduction, and human body systems.

Ribosomes

Cellular organelles responsible for making proteins.

Nucleus

The organelle that stores and protects the cell's genetic material (DNA).

Mitochondria

The organelle that produces most of the cell's chemical energy.

Cell wall

A structure that provides support, shape, and protection to plant cells.

Chloroplasts

Organelles in plant cells that convert sunlight into chemical energy.

Endoplasmic reticulum

An organelle involved in the synthesis, folding, and transport of proteins and lipids.

Xylem

Vascular plant tissue responsible for carrying water, nutrients, and minerals upward from the roots.

Phloem

Vascular plant tissue responsible for transporting food, sugar, and minerals throughout the plant.

Cell theory

The scientific principle stating that all living things are made of cells, cells are the basic unit of structure and function, and all cells arise from pre-existing cells.

Photosynthesis Word Equation

$$\text{Carbon dioxide} + \text{Water} \rightarrow \text{Glucose} + \text{Oxygen}$$

Stoma

A microscopic opening in plants that opens or closes to allow gases to pass into or out of the plant.

Guard cells

Specialized plant cells responsible for opening and closing the stomata.

Prokaryote

A cell whose DNA is not enclosed within a distinct nucleus.

Eukaryote

A cell that contains a distinct, membrane-bound nucleus holding its DNA.

Respiration

The cellular process of using glucose and oxygen to create energy, producing carbon dioxide as a waste product.

Asexual reproduction

Reproduction requiring only one parent that produces offspring genetically identical to the parent.

Sexual reproduction

Reproduction requiring two parents and the fusion of sex cells, producing offspring that are genetically different from the parents.

Zygote

The cell formed by the fusion of male and female sex cells during fertilisation.

Fertillisation

The process in which male and female sex cells fuse to form a zygote.

Binary Fission

A form of asexual reproduction where one parent cell divides into two identical cells.

Budding

A form of asexual reproduction where a new organism grows off the parent cell and splits off when ready.

Fragmentation

A form of asexual reproduction where the parent organism breaks into pieces, each capable of growing into a new organism.

Vegetative propagation

A form of fragmentation that occurs naturally or artificially in plants.

Parthenogenesis

A form of asexual reproduction in which an offspring develops directly from an unfertilised egg.

Pollen

The male sex cell of flowering plants, transferred via wind or insects.

Cross pollination

The transfer of pollen from one flower to a different flower of the same species.

Self pollination

The transfer of pollen to the female structure of the exact same flower.

Arteries

Thick-walled blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart.

Veins

Thin-walled blood vessels that carry blood back towards the heart.

Capillaries

Very small blood vessels where oxygen and nutrients are exchanged with cellular tissue.

Aorta

The main, large artery through which oxygenated blood is pumped from the left ventricle to the rest of the body.