Chapter 1 - The Basis of Life Flashcards
Cell Theory
Proposed after dev. of microscope in 17th century
- All living things are composed of cells
- The cell is the basic functional unit of life
- Cells arise only from pre-existing cells
- Cells carry genetic information in form of DNA
- DNA passed from parent to daughter cell
Studying the Cell:
Microscopy
(types)
Most basic tool used to study cells
- Compound light microscope
- Phase contrast microscopy
- Electron microscopy
Magnification
Increase in apparent size of an object
Resolution
Differentiation of two closely situated objects
Compound Light Microscope
- two lenses or lens sytems to magnify an object
- total magnification = mag of eyepiece x mag of objective
- observe non-living specimen
- requires contrast b/w cells and cell structures
- staining = cell death
Daiphragm
(compound light microscope)
controls amount of light passing through specimen
Coarse adjustment
Fine adjustment
(compound light micr)
roughly focuses image
sharply focuses image
Phase Contrast Microscopy
- light microscope
- study of living cells
- differences in refractive index produce contrast b/w cellular structures
Electron Microscopy
- beam of electrons
- x1000 higher mag than light microscopy
- non-living
- because tissues fixed, sectioned, stained with heavy metal solutions
Centrifugation
(Studying the Cell)
- separate cells or mixtures of cells w/o destroying
- components sediment at diff. levels in test tube based on relative densities
- (nuclie, ER, mitochondria more dense, on bottom)
Cell Biology
Organelles are specialized in function
nucleus, ribosomes, ER, golgi apparatus, vesicles, vacuoles, lysosomes, mitochondria, chloroplasts, centrioles
Cell Membrane
(Plasma membrane)
- encloses cell
- exhibits cell permeability
- regulates passage of materials into and out of cell
Fluid Mosaic Model
(cell membrane)
- cell membrane consists of phospholipid bilayer
- proteins embedded throughout
- lipids and proteins can move freely within membrane
- allows membrane to be:
- permeable to small nonpolar & polar molecules
- small charged proteins cross membrane through protein channels
- larger cross membrane with help of carrier proteins
carrier proteins
- involved in movement of ions, small molecules or macromolecules across bio membrane
- exist within membrane
- assist via facilitated diffusion or acrive transport
- recognizes only one substance or small group of substances
Nucleus
- controls activities of cell, including cell division
- surrounded by nuclear membrane
- contains DNA
- contains nucleolus
DNA
- made up of structural proteins - histones; form chromosomes
nucleolus
- dense structure in nucleus
- synthesize ribosomes
- site of RNA (rRNA) synthesis
Ribosome
- sites of protein production, synthesized by nucleolus
- free ribosomes in cytoplasm
- bound ribosomes line outer membrane of ER
Endoplasmic Reticulum
- network of membrane-enclosed spaces
- transport of materials throughout cell
- esp. those to be secreted by cell
Golgi Apparatus
- Receives vesicles and contents from smooth ER
- Modifies them (glycosylation)
- repackages into vesicles
- distributes to cell surface via exocytosis
Mitochondria
- aerobic respiration
- supply energy
- bounded by outer, inner phospholipid bilayer
Cytoplasm
- Metabolic activity
- transport within via cyclosis
Cyclosis
streaming movement within cell
Vacuole
(& Vesicles)
- membrane-bound sacs
- transport and storage of materials that are ingested, secreted, processed, or digested by cell
- vacuoles larger than vesicles; more likely in plant than animal