Cell Structure And Function (Part 1)

Front 1

actin filament

Back 1

Component of the cytoskeleton; plays a role in the movement of the cell and its organelles; a protein filament in a sarcomere of a muscle, its movement shortens the sarcomere, yielding muscle contraction.

Front 2

archean

Back 2

Prokaryotic organisms that are members of the domain Archaea.

Front 3

bacillus

Back 3

A rod-shaped bacterium; also a genus of

bacteria, Bacillus.

Front 4

basal body

Back 4

A cytoplasmic structure that is located at the base of -- and may organize -- cilia or flagella.

Front 5

capsule

Back 5

A form of glycocalyx that consists of a gelatinous layer; found in blue-green algae and certain bacteria.

Front 6

cell

Back 6

The smallest unit of life that displays all the properties of life; composed of cytoplasm surrounded by plasma membrane.

Front 7

cell envelope

Back 7

In a prokaryotic cell, the portion composed of the plasma membrane, the cell wall, and the

glycocalyx.

Front 8

cell theory

Back 8

One of the major theories in biology, which states that all organisms are made up of cells; cells are capable of self-reproduction and only come from preexisting cells.

Front 9

cell wall

Back 9

Cellular structure that surrounds a plant, protistan, fungal, or bacteria cell and maintains the cells shape and rigidity; composed of polysaccharides.

Front 10

central vacuole

Back 10

In a plant cell, a large fluid filled sac that stores metabolites. During growth, it enlarges, forcing the primary cell wall to expand and the cell

surface-to-area-to-volume ratio to increase.

Front 11

centriole

Back 11

Cell structure, existing of pairs, that occurs in the centrosome and may help organize a mitotic spindle for chromosome movement during animal cell division.

Front 12

centrosome

Back 12

Central microtubule organizing center of cells. In animal cells, it contains two centrioles.

Front 13

chloroplast

Back 13

Membrane-bounded organelle on algae and plants with chlorophyll-containing membraneous thylakoids; where photosynthesis takes place.

Front 14

chromatin

Back 14

Network of DNA strands and associated proteins observed within a nucleus of a cell.

Front 15

chromoplast

Back 15

Plastid in land plants responsible for orange, yellow, and red color of plants, including the

autumn colors in leaves.

Front 16

chromosome

Back 16

The structure that transmits the genetic material from one generation to the next; composed of condensed chromatin; each species has a particular number of chromosomes that is passed in to the next generation.

Front 17

cilium

Back 17

Short, hairlike projections from the plasma membrane, occurring usually in larger numbers.

Front 18

coccus

Back 18

A spherical-shaped bacterium

Front 19

conjugation pili

Back 19

In a bacterium, elongated, hollow appendage used to transfer DNA to other cells.

Front 20

cristae

Back 20

Short, finger-like projections formed by the folding of the inner membrane of mitochondria.

Front 21

cyanobacteria

Back 21

Photosynthetic bacterium that contains chlorophyll and released oxygen; formerly called blu-green alga

Front 22

cytoplasm

Back 22

Region of a cell between the nucleus or the nuclei region of a bacterium, and the plasma membrane; contains the organelles of the cell.

Front 23

cytoskeleton

Back 23

Internal framework of the cell, consisting of microtubules, actin filaments, and intermediate filaments.

Front 24

endoplasmic reticulum (ER)

Back 24

System of membraneous saccule and channels in the cytoplasm, often with attached ribosomes.

Front 25

endosymbiotic theory

Back 25

Explanation of the evolution of eukaryotic

organelles by phagocytosis or prokaryotes.

Front 26

eukaryotic cell

Back 26

Type of cell that has a membrane-bound nucleus and membraneous organelles; found in organisms found within the domain Eukarya.

Front 27

fimbriae

Back 27

Small bristle-like fiber on the surface of a bacteria cell, which attaches bacteria to a surface; also fingerlike extension from the oviduct near the ovary.

Front 28

flagellum

Back 28

Long, slender extension used for locomotion by some bacteria, protozoans, and sperm.

Front 29

gene

Back 29

Unit of heredity existing as alleles on the chromosomes; in diploid organisms, typically two alleles are inherited -- one from each parent.

Front 30

glycocalyx

Back 30

Gel-like coating outside the cell wall of a bacterium. If compact, it's called a capsule; if diffuse, it's called a slime layer.

Front 31

Golgi apparatus

Back 31

Organelle consisting of sacs and vesicles that processes, packages, and distributes molecules about or from the cell.

Front 32

granum

Back 32

Stack of chlorophyll-containing thylakoids in a chloroplast.

Front 33

intermediate filament

Back 33

Rope-like assemblies of fibrous polypeptides in the cytoskeleton that provide support and strength to cells; so called because they are intermediate in size between actin filaments and microtubules.