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Cell biology > Chapter 2: An Introduction to cell diversity > Flashcards

Chapter 2: An Introduction to cell diversity Flashcards

1
Q

In mammals, what is the function of epithelial cells? (4)

A

Protection
Barrier
Absorption
Secretion

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2
Q

In mammals, what is the function of endocrine cells?

A

Hormone production for communication and signalling

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3
Q

In mammals, what are the functions of muscle cells?

A

Movement (peristalsis)
Contraction

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4
Q

In mammals, what is the function of nerve cells?

A

Fast and accurate communication

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5
Q

In mammals, what is the function of support cells (connective tissue cells)?

A

Support
Organisation of tissue structure

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6
Q

In mammals, what is the function of germ cells?

A

Reproduction

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7
Q

In mammals what is the function of immune system cells?

A

Defence

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8
Q

In mammals, what is the function of adipocytes?

A

Energy
Storage
Protection

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9
Q

Who devised the first compound telescope?

A

Robert Hooke

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10
Q

How many micrometres in a metre?

A

1 000 000 or 10^6

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11
Q

What is the typical size of animal and plant cells?

A

Animal: 10–50 µm in diameter

Plant: 50–100 µm in diameter

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11
Q

What is the typical size of animal and plant cells?

A

Animal: 10–50 µm in diameter

Plant: 50–100 µm in diameter

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12
Q

What is endosymbiotic theory?

A

The theory that eukaryotic organelles like mitochondria and chloroplasts came to exist through prokaryotes that were ingested by other cells and survived, becoming symbiotic with one another and eventually becoming a singular organism.

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13
Q

What are the three lenses found on a conventional light microscope?

A
  • condenser
  • objective
  • eyepiece
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14
Q

Describe how a light microscope works.

A

A light beam is passed through a condenser lens which focuses the light onto the specimen before passing through the objective lens which magnifies the image and passes it to the eyepiece lens which magnifies the image further, finally focusing the image onto the eye or digital detector.

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15
Q

Describe how a light microscope works.

A

A light beam is passed through a condenser lens which focuses the light onto the specimen before passing through the objective lens which magnifies the image and passes it to the eyepiece lens which magnifies the image further, finally focusing the image onto the eye or digital detector.

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16
Q

What does ‘resolution’ mean?

A

Resolution is the smallest distance between two objects that can be detected / the distance apart at which 2 objects can still be distinguished as separate

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17
Q

Why can light microscopy not excel past 200 nm resolution?

A

The resolution is dictated by the wavelength of the visible light being used, which cannot detect anything smaller than itself as it will not interact.

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18
Q

What is the ultrastructure of a cell?

A

The fine structures of a cell that can only be seen using an electron microscope.
Includes the details of intracellular structures.

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19
Q

What is histochemistry?

A

The use of chemical stains to identify cells and some of their components when using microscopy.

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20
Q

What is the term for the study of tissue sections in microscopy?

A

Histology

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21
Q

How would you prepare a biopsy for study using light microscopy?

A
  1. Freezing or embedment in supporting material
  2. Sectioning (5 - 50µm thick)
  3. Histochemistry / staining
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22
Q

Describe the process of gram staining of a bacterial sample.

A
  1. Dye smear of bacteria with ‘crystal violet’ dye
  2. Usage of a mordant, like a dilute iodine solution, to trap the dye within the cells
  3. Treat with an organic solvent that dissolves the purple stain
  4. Gram-positive bacteria will be able to hold onto the dye and show up purple
  5. Counterstain with red dye that is taken up by gram-negative bacteria
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23
Q

Name two chemicals that can be used to view subcellular components, what components they stain, and how they do this.

A

Haematoxylin binds to negatively charged molecules and stains the nuclei.

Eosin binds to positively charged molecules and stains the cytosol.

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24
What are the steps of immunolabelling?
In a prepared sample: 1. Addition of primary antibody that binds to specific relevant molecules 2. Addition of secondary antibodies that binds to primary antigens and are labelled with a chemical or enzyme that can be detected 3. Study to localise the secondary antibodies label / expected reaction and therefore localisation of specific molecules
25
What are confocal microscopes able to capture?
Fluorescent labelling (in immunolabelling), different levels of the sample therefore forming a detailed analysis and a digital 3D reconstruction.
26
What do cells within a cell culture need to grow and live?
Suitable liquid + growth medium Suitable surface
27
What is a problem with using a tissue sample for a cell culture and how can this be overcome?
Due to there being no cell supply nutrients received by the cell would completely depend on diffusion, meaning cells central in the sample may not receive suitable nutrients to survive. The use of enzymes and gentle mechanical agitation can be used to break down extracellular adhesive molecules to separate cells, then able to be held in suspension instead with diffusion now being enough.
28
What are the advantages of being able to grow specific cell types in cell cultures?
- You can study the effects of exogenous agents - You can avoid the complexity of animal studies and avoids uncertainty of secondary effects - Reduces animal testing
29
Growing cells in a liquid medium or surface of nutrient agar plates is suitable for which types of organisms?
Single-celled organisms and independent cells
30
What are primary cells?
Cells derived from a fresh tissue sample.
31
Why would video and time-lapses of cell cultures be used in microscopy?
To study the movement and interactions of cells and organisms.
32
What are two types of membrane-protruding structures found in some prokaryotic organisms and what is their function?
- Flagella | Used for movement through liquid -Pili | Adhesion -Sex pili | Transmission of genetic material during conjugation
33
What is the typical size of prokaryotes?
1 - 3 µm in diameter 3 - 100 µm in length
34
Are prokaryotes most commonly unicellular or multicellular?
Unicellular
35
Name some common bacterial shapes and give an species example for each.
- Coccus | Streptococcus pneumoniae - Rod-shaped | Escherichia coli - Corkscrew/spiral | Spirillum volutans - Crescent | Caulobacter crescentus
36
Do prokaryotes or eukaryotes show the most diversity?
Eukaryotes
37
Are protists normally unicellular or multicellular?
Unicellular
38
What leads to the formation of specialist structural diversities in organisms?
Selective pressures
39
What process is used by many protists to engulf food particles?
Endocytosis
40
In protists, what is the flow of cytoplasm into pseudopodia thought to be facilitated by?
The flexible cell surface and cytoskeleton
41
What adaptations may protists have to overcome the difficulty of intracell transport and communication when being so large?
- Flattened, lobed shapes (increases surface area to volume ratio) -Large nuclei -More than one nuclei
42
What are the advantages, when talking of protists, of a colonial life?
- Less risk of predation by filter feeders in aquatic environments - More effective feeding and movement
43
What is the name of the filamentous structure that most fungi form?
Hyphae
44
Define mycelium
The group of hyphae which forms a body of a fungus
45
What is the main component of the rigid cell walls of hyphae?
Chitin (a polysaccharide)
46
What are the types of hyphae?
- coenocytic (non separate) - separate with one nucleus per compartment - separate with many nuclei per compartment
47
Are fungi unicellular or multicellular?
Usually classified as multicellular but neither truly provide a precise description of the fungi situation
48
Fungi are heterotrophic absorbers. What does this mean?
They absorb pre-existing organic molecules from their environment as an energy source
49
Why can fungi not engulf particles, and what do they do to take them in instead?
- Rigid cell walls does not allow particles to be engulfed - Fungi hyphae secrete enzymes that break down large insoluble organic molecules which then release soluble products able to be absorbed through the cell wall
50
What is coevolution?
The evolution of two species that share a relationship in which they put selective pressures upon each other, affecting each others evolution.
51
In a fungi, what is the term for the partitions between hyphae?
Septa (s: septum)
52
What three systems do plants have? What are the functions of each system?
- Vascular system | Transport of water and nutrients - Root system | Anchoring and absorption - Shoot system (most plants) | Photosynthesis
53
What domain do plants belong to?
Eukarya
54
In plant cells, what is the cell wall mainly composed of?
Cellulose
55
What is the scientific name for flowering plants?
Angiosperms
56
What are the three tissue types in flowering plants?
-Ground tissue -Vascular tissue -Dermal tissue
57
What is the function of ground tissue in angiosperms?
Packing support and energy storage
58
Name two cells found in the ground tissue of angiosperms and their functions
Parenchyma cells | Structure Palisade cells | Photosynthesis
59
What is the function of vascular tissue in angiosperms?
Transportation of water and nutrients
60
Name two types of cells found in the vascular tissue of angiosperms.
Xylem Phloem
61
What do the xylem and phloem do in plants?
Xylem | Transports water and dissolved ions from the roots to the rest of the plant Phloem | Transports photosynthetic materials around the plant
62
What is the function of dermal tissue in angiosperms?
-Protection -Regulates uptake of water, nutrients, and gases
63
Name a cell type found in the dermal tissue of angiosperms
Epidermal cells (including guard cells)
64
What is a layer of epidermal cells called?
The epidermis
65
What coats the epidermis in plant shoots?
Cutin, forming a waxy layer named 'The Cuticle'
66
What are stomata and what is their function? What cell is involved in their function?
Pores on the underside of leaves that can open and close. Facilitate gas exchange and water loss. Guard cells (type of epidermal cells) change shape in response to stimuli to open and close the pores.
67
What are plasmodesmata? What do they do?
Channels in plant cell walls connect the cytoplasm of adjacent cells. Lined by a plasma membrane with a strand of cytoplasm in the middle. Allow small molecules to pass from adjacent cells. Vital to cell-to-cell transport and signalling.
68
Name 6 major tissue types in mammals
-Epithelial -Muscular -Nerve -Connective -Blood and lymph -Reproductive
69
What does it mean if a tissue is compound?
It is compound if it is composed of multiple tissue types
70
What are the 4 functions of epithelial cells?
-Protection -Barrier -Absorption -Secretion
71
What is the function of endocrine cells?
Widespread communication
72
What is the function of muscle cells?
Movement and contraction
73
What is the function of nerve cells?
Fast and specific communication
74
What is the function of connective tissue cells?
Support and organisation of tissue structure
75
What is the function of adipocytes?
-Energy storage -Protection
76
What is the function of blood cells?
Transportation of oxygen
77
What is the function of immune system cells?
Defence
78
What is the function of germ cells?
Reproduction
79
What specialist feature do muscle cells have to make them suitable for their function?
They contain contractile proteins that allow them to contract and relax
80
What is the main driver of differences between cell types?
The differences in protein expression allowing different structures and therefore functions

Cell biology (9 decks)

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