Test 3 Flashcards
(141 cards)
In multicellular organisms, one of many types of secreted chemicals that are formed in specialized cells, travel in body fluids, and act on specific target cells in other parts of the organism, changing the target cells’ functioning.
Hormone
A series of steps linking a mechanical, chemical, or electrical stimulus to a specific cellular response.
Signal transduction pathway
A molecule that binds specifically to another molecule, usually a larger one.
Ligand
An enzyme that transfers phosphate groups from ATP to a protein, thus phosphorylating the protein.
Protein kinase
A series of chemical reactions during cell signaling mediated by enzymes (kinases), in which each kinase in turn phosphorylates and activates another, ultimately leading to phosphorylation of many proteins.
Phosphorylation cascade
An enzyme that removes phosphate groups from (dephosphorylates) proteins, often functioning to reverse the effect of a protein kinase.
Protein phosphatase
Cyclic adenosine monophosphate, a ring-shaped molecule made from ATP that is a common intracellular signaling molecule (second messenger) in eukaryotic cells.
Cyclic amp (cAMP)
An enzyme that converts ATP to cyclic AMP in response to an extracellular signal.
Adenylyl Cyclase
A second messenger that functions as an intermediate between certain signaling molecules and a subsequent second messenger, Ca2+, by causing a rise in cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration.
Inositol triphosphate
A second messenger produced by the cleavage of the phospholipid PIP 2 in the plasma membrane.
Diacylglycerol
A type of large relay protein to which several other relay proteins are simultaneously attached, increasing the efficiency of signal transduction.
Scaffolding protein
A type of programmed cell death, which is brought about by activation of enzymes that break down many chemical components in the cell.
Apoptosis
The genetic material of an organism or virus; the complete complement of an organism’s or virus’s genes along with its noncoding nucleic acid sequences.
Genome
A cellular structure consisting of one DNA molecule and associated protein molecules.
Chromosome
The complex of DNA and proteins that makes up eukaryotic chromosomes.
Chromatin
Any cell in a multicellular organism except a sperm or egg or their precursors.
Somatic cell
A haploid reproductive cell, such as an egg or sperm, that is formed by meiosis or is the descendant of cells formed by meiosis.
Gamete
Two copies of a duplicated chromosome attached to each other by proteins at the centromere and, sometimes, along the arms.
Sister chromatids
In a duplicated chromosome, the region on each sister chromatid where it is most closely attached to its sister chromatid by proteins that bind to the centromeric DNA.
Centromere
A process of nuclear division in eukaryotic cells conventionally divided into five stages: prophase, prometaphase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase
Mitosis
The division of the cytoplasm to form two separate daughter cells immediately after mitosis, meiosis I, or meiosis II.
Cytokinesis
The phase of the cell cycle that includes mitosis and cytokinesis.
Mitotic phase (M phase)
The period in the cell cycle when the cell is not dividing.
Interphase
The first gap, or growth phase, of the cell cycle, consisting of the portion of interphase before DNA synthesis begins.
G1 phase