2) Structure and functions in living organisms (a,b,c,d) Flashcards
(51 cards)
Levels of organisation
organelles - cells - tissue - organ - system
Organelles
Subcellular compartments where specific processes take place within the cell
Animal cell structures
-nucleus
-cytoplasm
-mitochondria
-cell membrane
-ribosomes
Plant cell additional structures
-cell wall
-chloroplast
-vacuole
Nucleus function
-contains genetic material in chromosomes which controls how cells grow and work
-controls cell division
Cytoplasm function
-jelly-like substance where chemical reactions happen
-supports structures
-contains water and many solutes
Cell membrane function
-controls substances entering and leaving the cell
-holds the cell together
Cell wall function
-made of a tough substance called cellulose, which supports the cell
Chloroplasts function
-site of photosynthesis, providing food for plants
-chlorophyll pigments absorb light energy needed for the reaction to occur
Vacuole function
-contains a liquid called cell sap, which keeps the cell firm and turgid
-used for storage of certain material
Mitochondria function
-site of aerobic respiration, providing energy for the cell
-cells with high rates of metabolism (carrying out many different cell reactions) will have significantly higher numbers of mitochondria than cells with lower numbers of reactions taking place in them
Ribosomes function
-site of protein production in protein synthesis
Cell differentiation
-process which a cell changes to become specialised
-develops a structure and composition of subcellular structures which enables it to carry out a certain function
-most cells differentiate at an early stage of development
-animal cells lose their ability to differentiate
-plant cells retain the ability to fully differentiate throughout the life of a plant
Stem cells
Specific cells in various locations throughout the body of an animal retain the ability to differentiate throughout the life of the animal
-involved in replacing/ repairing cells
Pros of using stem cells in medicine
-great potential to treat diseases - diabetes, paralysis
-organs developed from patient’s own stem cells reduces risk of organ rejection
Carbohydrate chemical elements
Carbon, oxygen, hydrogen
Lipid chemical elements
Carbon, oxygen, hydrogen
Protein chemical elements
Carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen
-some contain small amounts of sulphur
Carbohydrate structure
-monosaccharide
-disaccharide
-polysaccharide
Carbohydrate structure - monosaccharide
-a simple sugar e.g. glucose, fructose
-Glucose molecules contain lots of energy which can be released in respiration by breaking the bonds between the carbon atoms
Carbohydrate structure - disaccharide
-made when two monosaccharides join together
-Maltose is formed from two glucose molecules
-Sucrose is formed from one glucose and one fructose molecule
Carbohydrate structure - polysaccharide
-formed when lots of monosaccharides join together
-Starch, glycogen or cellulose are all formed when lots of glucose molecules join together
-Polysaccharides are insoluble and therefore useful as storage molecules
Lipid structures
-Most fats in the body are made up of triglycerides
-basic unit: one glycerol molecule chemically bonded to three fatty acid chains
-The fatty acids vary in size and structure
-Lipids are divided into fats (solids at room temperature) and oils (liquids at room temperature)
Protein structure
-formed from long chains of amino acids
-There are 20 different amino acids
-When amino acids are joined together a protein is formed
-Amino acids can be arranged in any order, resulting in hundreds of thousands of different proteins
e.g. enzymes, hemoglobin, ligaments, keratin