Biology Week 4-6: Cellular Processes, Signaling, and Photosynthesis

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms and concepts from the provided lecture notes on cellular processes, signaling, metabolism, and photosynthesis.

Osmosis

The movement of water from high concentration to low concentration until equilibrium is reached.

Osmotic pressure

The pressure required to prevent the flow of water across a semipermeable membrane, important for cell function.

Isotonic solution

A solution with equal concentration of solutes and water, used for rehydration.

Facilitated diffusion

A process that requires a protein to help transfer solute across the cell membrane.

Active transport

The movement of molecules from low to high concentration against the concentration gradient, requiring energy.

Na+/K- ATPase Pump

A pump that helps maintain the electrochemical gradient in cells, consuming energy.

Ion channel

A membrane protein that allows ions to pass through the cell membrane.

Desmosomes

Membrane junctions that use cadherin proteins to connect adjacent cells.

Tight Junctions

Impermeable membrane barriers formed by proteins such as occludin and claudin.

Gap Junctions

Channels that allow for communication and the passage of ions between adjacent cells, important in cardiac muscle.

Extracellular Matrix (ECM)

A network that provides structural and biochemical support to surrounding cells.

Proteoglycans

Large molecules consisting of a core protein and glycosaminoglycan chains, providing resistance against compression.

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the help of chlorophyll.

Calvin Cycle

The reduction of carbon dioxide to carbohydrates during photosynthesis, requiring ATP and NADPH.

Photophosphorylation

The process of converting ADP to ATP using the energy of sunlight during photosynthesis.

C3 photosynthesis

The most common form of photosynthesis that uses the Calvin cycle to produce glucose.

C4 photosynthesis

A modified pathway that enables certain plants to fix CO2 more efficiently in hot, dry conditions.

CAM photosynthesis

A carbon-fixation pathway in which CO2 is absorbed at night and used for photosynthesis during the day.

Competitive inhibition

A form of enzyme inhibition where a substance competes with the substrate for the active site of the enzyme.

Feedback inhibition

A regulatory mechanism in which the end product of a metabolic pathway inhibits an enzyme involved in its synthesis.

ATP (Adenosine triphosphate)

A high-energy molecule that stores energy and supplies it when needed in metabolic processes.