Cell Biology Study Guide

Front 1

A Cell

Back 1

The smallest unit that can perform all life processes. They are covered by a membrane and have DNA and cytoplasm. They are important because all living things are made out of them!

Front 2

Robert Hooke

Back 2

He was the first person to describe cells in 1665, shortly after the invention of the microscope. He looked mostly at plants and fungi because their cells have cell walls that made them easy to see. Since he couldn't see their cells, he thought that animals weren't made of cells.

Front 3

Anton van Leeuwenhoek

Back 3

In 1673, he made his own microscope, looked at pond scum, and saw small organisms in the water. Today, we call these single-celled organisms protists.

Front 4

The Cell Theory

Back 4

1. All organisms are made of one or more cells

2. The cell is the basic unit of all living things

3. All cells come from existing cells

Front 5

Cell Membrane

Back 5

All cells are surrounded by _______. The ______ is a protective layer that covers the cell's surface and acts as a barrier between the inside of the cell and the cell's external environment. The _____ also controls fluid going into and out of the cell.

Front 6

Cytoplasm

Back 6

The fluid inside the cell

Front 7

Organelles

Back 7

The small bodies in a cell's cytoplasm that are specialized to perform a specific function.

Front 8

Nucleus

Back 8

The command center of a eukaryotic cell. It contains the cell's DNA (the source code of life) and plays a major role in processes like growth, metabolism, and reproduction.

Front 9

Prokaryote

Back 9

An organism that consists of a single cell that does not have a nucleus or membrane-bound organelles.

Front 10

Bacteria and Archaea

Back 10

The groups that prokaryotes are classified into.

Front 11

Bacteria

Back 11

The world's smallest cells and the most common type of prokaryotes. They live almost anywhere and have both DNA and a cell wall.

Front 12

Archaea

Back 12

Prokaryotes that have organelles that are similar to eukaryotes. They are able to live in extreme environments that other organisms could not, like deep-sea volcanic vents.

Front 13

Eukaryotes

Back 13

Organisms that are made up of cells that have a nucleus enclosed by a membrane. All living things that are not bacteria or archaea are made of one or more __________ cells.

Front 14

Cell wall

Back 14

A rigid structure that surrounds the cell membrane and provides support to the cell. They allow plants to stand upright.

Front 15

Cell membrane

Back 15

A protective barrier that encloses a cell. It contains proteins, lipids (fats and cholesterol), and phospholipids (lipids that contain phosphorous).

Front 16

Cytoskeleton

Back 16

A web of proteins in the cytoplasm that acts as both a muscle and a skeleton. It keeps the cell's membranes from collapsing, and also helps some cells move.

Front 17

Nucleus

Back 17

A large organelle in a eukaryotic cell that contains the cell's DNA, or genetic material. DNA contains the information on how to make a cell's proteins, and proteins control the chemical reactions in a cell. They also provide structural support for cells and tissues. But proteins are not made there. It is covered by two membranes. Materials cross this double membrane by passing through pores.

Front 18

Ribosomes

Back 18

Organelles that make proteins in the cells. They are the smallest of all organelles. All cells need protein to live, therefore all cells have them.

Front 19

Endoplasmic Reticulum

Back 19

A system of folded membranes that assists in the production, processing, and transport of proteins and in the production of lipids.

Front 20

Golgi complex

Back 20

The organelle that packages and distributes proteins and lipids.

Front 21

Vesicles

Back 21

Small bubbles that surround material that is to be moved into, out of, or around a cell.

Front 22

Mitochondria

Back 22

The double-membraned organelles in which sugar is broken down to produce energy.

Front 23

Chloroplasts

Back 23

Organelles in plant and algae cells in which photosynthesis takes place.

Front 24

Lysosomes

Back 24

Organelles that contain digestive enzymes and are responsible for digestion inside a cell. They destroy worn-out or damaged organelles, get rid of waste materials, and protect the cell from foreign invaders. They are found mainly in animal cells.

Front 25

Vacuoles

Back 25

Large vesicles that act like large lysosomes in plant and fungal cells. They also store water and other liquids in plant cells.

Front 26

Three advantages to being multicellular

Back 26

1. Larger Size

2. Longer Life

3. Specialization

Front 27

Tissue

Back 27

A group of cells that work together to perform a specific job.

Front 28

Organ

Back 28

A structure that is made of two or more tissues working together to perform a specific function. (Remember: they do not always have to be made of the same type of tissue.)

Front 29

Organ system

Back 29

A group of organs working together to perform a specific function.

Front 30

Organism

Back 30

Anything that can perform life processes by itself

Front 31

Structure

Back 31

The arrangement of parts in an organism. It includes the shape of a part and the material of which the part is made.

Front 32

Function

Back 32

The job the part does.