Cell Basics

Question 1

What is the central dogma of molecular biology?

Answer 1

DNA undergoes transcription to become RNA and RNA undergoes transcription to become protein

Question 2

What is differentiation?

Answer 2

The process during development in which cells become specialized

Question 3

Why are red blood cells a terminal cell type?

Answer 3

They lack DNA, therefore are unable to divide and have limited repair capabilities

Question 4

What is the primary reason for which red blood cells have no cell nucleus or organelles?

Answer 4

This feature evolved to accommodate maximum hemoglobin carrying capacity

Question 5

What is enculeation?

Answer 5

The mechanism by which maturing red blood cells eject their nucleus

Question 6

What does the term abiogenesis refer to?

Answer 6

The chemical origin of life

Question 7

What was the Miller-Urey experiment?

Answer 7

A chemical experiment that stimulated the conditions thought to exist on the early earth and tested the chemical origin of life under those conditions

Question 8

What is the primordial soup hypothesis?

Answer 8

The conditions on the primitive earth favoured chemical reactions that synthesized more complex organic compounds from simpler organic precursors

Question 9

T or F: amino acids can be generated in conditions that mimic those of early earth.

Answer 9

True

Question 10

What are the three main things that are needed to make a cell?

Answer 10

• Information
• Chemistry
• Compartments

Question 11

How are cellular compartments usually defined?

Answer 11

By a single or double lipid membrane

Question 12

What are the two fundamental roles of cellular compartments?

Answer 12

• Establish physical boundaries that enable the cell to carry out different metabolic activities
• Generate a micro-environment to spatially and temporally regulate biological processes

Question 13

What term was coined by Robert Hooke?

Answer 13

“Cell”

Question 14

What theory was proposed by Jakob Schleiden and Theodor Schwann and later added to by Rudolf Virchow?

Answer 14

The cell theory

Question 15

What are the three tenants of the cell theory?

Answer 15

• All living organisms are composed of one or more cells
• The cell is the most basic unit of life
• All cells arise from pre-existing cells

Question 16

List 9 basic properties of cells

Answer 16

(S.C.C.C.R.E.A.M.S)
- Respond to STIMULI
- COMPLEX and organized
- CONTROLLED by a genetic program
- Carry out CHEMICAL reactions
- REPRODUCE/make copies of themselves
- Able to EVOLVE
- ASSIMILATE and utilize energy
- Engage in MECHANICAL ACTIVITIES
- Capable of SELF-REGULATION

Question 17

What is considered to be the most important distinction among groups of organisms?

Answer 17

The distinction between prokaryotes and eukaryotes

Question 18

What is the main difference between prokaryotes and eukaryotes?

Answer 18

Prokaryotes lack a defined nucleus

Question 19

Are archaea and bacteria classified as prokaryotes or eukaryotes?

Answer 19

Prokaryotes

Question 20

What type of cells are present in single-cell organisms?

Answer 20

Prokaryotes

Question 21

Where is genetic material found in prokaryotic cells?

Answer 21

In a nucleoid

Question 22

How do prokaryotes reproduce?

Answer 22

Asexually

Question 23

Are protozoa, fungi, plants, and animal cells classified as prokaryotes or eukaryotes?

Answer 23

Eukaryotes

Question 24

Are eukaryotic cells found in multicellular organisms, unicellular organisms, or both?

Answer 24

Both (often multicellular)

Question 25

Where is genetic material found in eukaryotic cells, and how is it arranged?

Answer 25

Found in a nuclear compartment and is arranged as chromosomes

Question 26

Are slime molds prokaryotic or eukaryotic?

Answer 26

Eukaryotic

Question 27

Under which kingdom are slime molds categorized?

Answer 27

Kingdom Protista

Question 28

T or F: Slime molds are multicellular organisms.

Answer 28

False. They are single-celled.

Question 29

How do slime molds reproduce?

Answer 29

They use spores to reproduce sexually

Question 30

Are slime molds uninucleated or multinucleated?

Answer 30

Multinucleated

Question 31

Which organelle controls the movement of molecules in and out of the cell?

Answer 31

The plasma membrane

Question 32

Which organelle generates ATP by oxidizing glucose and fatty acids?

Answer 32

The mitochondria

Question 33

Which organelle degrades material internalized by the cell, as well as worn-out cellular membranes and organelles?

Answer 33

Lysosomes

Question 34

Which component of the cell encloses the contents of the nucleus and is continuous with the rough ER?

Answer 34

The nuclear envelope

Question 35

What is the nuclear subcompartment where most of the cell's rRNA is synthesized?

Answer 35

The nucleolus

Question 36

Which organelle is filled with chromatin composed of DNA and proteins?

Answer 36

The nucleus

Question 37

Where are mRNA and tRNA synthesized?

Answer 37

The nucleus

Question 38

Which component of the cell contains enzymes that synthesize lipids and detoxify certain hydrophobic molecules?

Answer 38

The smooth endoplasmic reticulum

Question 39

Which component of the cell functions in the synthesis, processing and sorting of secreted proteins, lysosomal proteins, and certain membrane proteins?

Answer 39

The rough endoplasmic reticulum

Question 40

Which organelle processes and sorts secreted proteins, lysosomal proteins, and membrane proteins synthesized in the rough ER?

Answer 40

The Golgi complex

Question 41

What is the role of secretory vesicles?

Answer 41

Store secreted proteins and fuse with the plasma membrane to release their contents

Question 42

What do peroxisomes contain?

Answer 42

Contain enzymes that break down fatty acids into smaller molecules used for biosynthesis

Question 43

Which cell component contains fibres that form networks and bundles that support cellular membranes, help organize organelles, and participate in cell movement?

Answer 43

The cytoskeleton

Question 44

What is the primary role of microvilli?

Answer 44

Increase surface area for absorption of nutrients

Question 45

Are microvilli unique to plant or animal cells?

Answer 45

Unique to animal cells

Question 46

Are cell walls unique to plant or animal cells?

Answer 46

Plant

Question 47

What are cell walls primarily composed of?

Answer 47

Cellulose

Question 48

Are vacuoles unique to plant or animal cells?

Answer 48

Unique to plant cells

Question 49

Are chloroplasts unique to plant or animal cells?

Answer 49

Unique to plant cells

Question 50

Which organelle carries our photosynthesis?

Answer 50

Chloroplasts?

Question 51

What are plasmodesmata?

Answer 51

Tube-like cell junctions that span the cell wall and connect the cytoplasms of adjacent plant cells