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Higher Human Biology > Useful Definitions > Flashcards

Useful Definitions Flashcards

1
Q

What is the definition of acetylcholine?

A

A chemical neurotransmitter found in many different locations.

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2
Q

What is the definition of activation energy?

A

The energy needed to break chemical bonds in the reactant chemicals.

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3
Q

What is the definition of active immunity?

A

The immunity which results from the production of antibodies by the immune system in response to the presence of an antigen.

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4
Q

What is the definition of active site?

A

Area of the enzyme which binds to the substrate.

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5
Q

What is the definition of an adjuvant?

A

A substance which enhances the body’s immune response to an antigen.

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6
Q

What is the definition of adrenal glands?

A

Endocrine glands which secrete several important hormones including adrenaline.

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7
Q

What is the definition of affinity?

A

The force by which atoms are held together in chemical compounds.

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8
Q

What is the definition of an agonistic drug?

A

Chemical which enhances the action of another chemical, such as a neurotransmitter.

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9
Q

What is the definition of an allergy?

A

A hypersensitive B lymphocyte response to an antigen that is normally harmless.

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10
Q

What is the definition of amplification?

A

Creating many copies of a DNA fragment.

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11
Q

What is the definition of an antagonistic drug?

A

Chemical which inhibits the action of another chemical, such as a neurotransmitter.

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12
Q

What is the definition of an antibody?

A

A protein produced by the body’s immune system when it detects harmful substances, called antigens.

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13
Q

What is the definition of an anticodon?

A

Triplet of based in tRNA that codes for a specific amino acid, and is complementary to a specific codon in mRNA.

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14
Q

What is the definition of an antigen?

A

A molecule protein which provokes an immune response from the host body.

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15
Q

What is the definition of antigenic variation?

A

The mechanism by which a pathogen alters it’s surface proteins in order to evade a host immune response.

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16
Q

What is the definition of antiparallel?

A

Parallel, but running in opposite directions.

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17
Q

What is the definition of apoptosis?

A

A process of programmed cell death.

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18
Q

What is the definition of association area?

A

Part of the brain dedicated to a particular function?

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19
Q

What is the definition of an atheroma?

A

Build up of fatty substances on the walls of arteries.

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20
Q

What is the definition of ATP?

A

Adenosine triphosphate. High-energy molecule produced during cellular respiration.

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21
Q

What is the definition of atrioventricular node?

A

A cluster of cells located in the wall of the right atrium, near the base, which passes the incoming stimulus from the sinoatrial node to the walls of the ventricles.

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22
Q

What is the definition of the atrioventricular valves?

A

Structures preventing the backflow of blood from the ventricles into the atria.

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23
Q

What is the definition of an autoimmune disease?

A

The body’s immune system attacks and destroys healthy body tissue by mistakenly failing to recognise self-antigens.

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24
Q

What is the definition of autonomic nervous system?

A

Nervous system associated with unconscious control of internal body functions.

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25
Q

What is the definition of autosome?

A

Chromosome other than a sex chromosome.

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26
Q

What is the definition of axon?

A

Fibre in a neuron which carries nerve impulses away from the cell body.

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27
Q

What is the definition of bioinformatics?

A

Check in textbook

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28
Q

What is the definition of catabolism?

A

Complex molecules are broken down into smaller subunits with the release of energy.

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29
Q

What is the definition of cell body?

A

Structure of a neuron wher the nucleus is located.

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30
Q

What is the definition of cellular differentiation?

A

The process where a cell changes from one cell type to another. Most commonly this is a less specialised type becoming a more specialised type, such as during cell growth.

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31
Q

What is the definition of central core?

A

Consists of the cerebellum and medulla regulating the basic processes of life.

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32
Q

What is the definition of central lumen?

A

Pace within the blood vessels through which the blood flows/travels.

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33
Q

What is the definition of cerebral cortex?

A

Outer layer of the brain.

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34
Q

What is the definition of chunking?

A

Organising distinct bits of information into a single whole, making them easier to recall.

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35
Q

What is the definition of the citric acid cycle?

A

Cyclical series of reactions operating under aerobic conditions in the mitochondrial matrix.

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36
Q

What is the definition of a competitive inhibitor?

A

Substance which binds reversibly to the active site of an enzyme, this reducing the quantity of active sites available

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37
Q

What is the definition of continuous fertility?

A

Ability of a male to produce viable sperm at a constant level during his reproductive life.

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38
Q

What is the definition of contraception?

A

Any method I’d-sedan to prevent fertilisation of an ovum by a sperm or the successful implantation of a zygote.

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39
Q

What is the definition of corpus collosum ?

A

Band of nerve tissue connecting the right and left hemisphere of the cerebrum.

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40
Q

What is the definition of corpus luteum?

A

Structure formed from follicle capable of secreting progesterone.

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41
Q

What is the definition of cyclical?

A

Ability of a female to produce viable ova within a limited few days each month.

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42
Q

What is the definition of dehydrogenase enzyme?

A

Enzyme which catalysed the removal of hydrogen from a substrate.

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43
Q

What is the definition of deletion?

A

A base removed from the sequence.

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44
Q

What is the definition of dendrite?

A

Fibre in a neuron which carries nerve impulses towards cell body.

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45
Q

What is the definition of desensitisation?

A

A decreased response to a drug due to the formation of fewer and less sensitive neurotransmitter receptors.

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46
Q

What is the definition of diastole?

A

Phase of the cardiac cycle when the heart muscle relaxes.

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47
Q

What is the definition of differentiate?

A

When a cell becomes a specific, more specialised type of cell through gene expression.

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48
Q

What is the definition of a convergent neural pathway?

A

Coming together of two or more neurons acting on one single neuron.

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49
Q

What is the definition of divergent neural pathway?

A

One single neuron generates an impulse which generates an impulse on two or more subsequent neurons.

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50
Q

What is the definition of DNA polymerase?

A

Enzyme which adds complementary nucleotides to the deoxyribose (3’) end of a DNA strand.

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51
Q

What is the definition of dopamine?

A

Inhibitory neurotransmitter produced in the brain which blocks synaptic transmission and is strongly linked to reward mechanisms in the brain.

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52
Q

What is the definition of duplication?

A

Genes are copied and are both are then inserted back into the chromosome.

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53
Q

What is the definition of elaboration?

A

Any strategy for adding detail to a memory item to make it more likely to be stored.

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54
Q

What is the definition of embolus ?

A

Mobile blood clot

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55
Q

What is the definition of embryonic stem cells?

A

Stem cells removed from an embryo.

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56
Q

What is the definition of endometrium?

A

Lining of the uterus.

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57
Q

What is the definition of endorphin?

A

Morphine like chemical produced by the brain which plays an important role in pain reduction.

58
Q

What is the definition of endothelium?

A

Layer of cells which lines the inside of a blood vessel

59
Q

What is the definition of energy investment stage?

A

Where 2 ATP are inserted into the glycolysis stage.

60
Q

What is the definition of energy pay-off stage?

A

Where 4 ATP are produced during glycolysis.

61
Q

What is the definition of epithelial cells?

A

Line the cavities and surfaces of blood vessels and organs throughout the body.

62
Q

What is the definition of excitatory synapse?

A

Junction which promotes the continuance of a nerve impulse.

63
Q

What is the definition of exon?

A

Coding sequence of DNA which make up mature transcript of RNA.

64
Q

What is the definition of extracellular?

A

Outside the cell.

65
Q

What is the definition of fast twitch?

A

Muscle fibres which contract quicker, but easily fatigue.

66
Q

What is the definition of fatigue?

A

A feeling of tiredness due to accumulation of lactate.

67
Q

What is the definition of feedback inhibition?

A

A mechanism used by a cell in which an enzyme that catalysts the conversion of a substance into a product becomes inhibited when that product accumulates.

68
Q

What is the definition of dermentation?

A

Respiration in the absence of oxygen.

69
Q

What is the definition of fibrin?

A

Protein formed by the action of thrombin on fibrinogen.

70
Q

What is the definition of FSH?

A

Hormone secreted by the pituitary gland stimulating the growth of the follicles in the ovary in females. Promotes sperm production in males.

71
Q

What is the definition of follicular phase?

A

Stage in the menstrual cycle when the follicles develop and their secretions start.

72
Q

What is the definition of frameshift?

A

Insertion or deletion of nucleotides which results in every subsequent codon to the right of the mutation in the base sequence being different and results in the synthesis of a different protein.

73
Q

What is the definition of a gamete?

A

A sex cell, either sperm or ova, which possesses only half the diploid number of chromosomes/ haploid.

74
Q

What is the definition of a germ line cell?

A

A cell which can give rise to a gamete.

75
Q

What is the definition of glial cells?

A

Found in the nervous system which support neurons as well as producing myelin sheath.

76
Q

What is the definition of herd immunity threshold?

A

The number of people who need to be immunised in order to achieve herd immunity.

77
Q

What is the definition of histamine?

A

Secreted by mast cells - causes vasodilation and increased permeability of blood vessels.

78
Q

What is the definition of hypertension?

A

Blood pressure above normal for a particular age group and health status.

79
Q

What is the definition of hypothalamus?

A

Region of brain associated with regulating body temperature and sleep patterns.

80
Q

What is the definition of immunodeficiency?

A

A state in which the immune system ability to fight infectious disease is compromised or entirely absent.

81
Q

What is the definition of induced fit?

A

Describes the change in shape of the active site when a specific substrate fits.

82
Q

What is the definition of the inflammatory response?

A

The complex biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli such as pathogens, damaged cells or irritants.

83
Q

What is the definition of inhibitory response?

A

Junction which inhibits the continuance of a nerve impulse.

84
Q

What is the definition of insertion?

A

An additional base inserted into the sequence.

85
Q

What is the definition of interstitial cells?

A

Cells found between seminiferous tubules which produces the male hormone testosterone.

86
Q

What is the definition of ligase?

A

Enzyme which joins fragments of DNA together on the lagging strand.

87
Q

What is the definition of literal phase?

A

Stage in the menstrual cycle when the corpus luteum forms in the ovary and secretes progesterone promoting endometrial development.

88
Q

What is the definition of lute I sing hormone?

A

In females triggers ovulation and the development of the corpus luteum.

89
Q

What is the definition of lymphocyte?

A

Type of white blood cell. They attack bacteria in the blood.

90
Q

What is the definition of mast cells?

A

A cell which releases histamine during the inflammatory and allergic response.

91
Q

What is the definition of the matrix?

A

The inner part of the mitochondria.

92
Q

What is the definition of meiosis?

A

Cell division which produces gametes

93
Q

What is the definition of metabolism?

A

The thousands of biochemical reactions that occur within a living cell.

94
Q

What is the definition of missense?

A

Substitution of nucleotide which results in a changed codon.

95
Q

What is the definition of mitosis?

A

A process where a single cell divides into two identical diploid daughter cells.

96
Q

What is the definition of multi potent cells?

A

Cells that can develop into more than one cell type, but are more limited than pluripotent cells.

97
Q

What is the definition of a mutation?

A

A change in the genetic composition of a cell.

98
Q

What is the definition of NAD?

A

Carrier molecule which accepts hydrogen ions.

99
Q

What is the definition of non-competitive inhibitor?

A

Substance which bind irreversibly to an area other than the active site of an enzyme (allosteric site), causing a change in the shape of the active site so that the normalsubstrate no longer fits.

100
Q

What is the definition of nonsense?

A

Substitution of nucleotide which results in a codon being changed to a stop codon.

101
Q

What is the definition of parasympathetic nervous system?

A

Branch of autonomic nervous system which slows down processes in the body.

102
Q

What is the definition of peptide bonds?

A

Chemical bonds which join amino acids together to form a polypeptide.

103
Q

What is the definition of the peripheral nervous system?

A

All of the nervous system with the exception of the central nervous system.

104
Q

What is the definition of peripheral vascular disease?

A

Damaged blood vessels distant from the heart.

105
Q

What is the definition of permeability?

A

Ability of cells to allow substances to pass in and out.

106
Q

What is the definition of personalised medicene?

A

Treatment which is based upon an individual’s own genome.

107
Q

What is the definition of a phagocyte?

A

A type of cell capable of engulfing and absorbing bacteria and another small particles.

108
Q

What is the definition of phagocytosis?

A

The ingestion of bacteria by phagocyte.

109
Q

What is the definition of phosphorylation?

A

Addition of a phosphate group to a molecule.

110
Q

What is the definition of pituitary gland?

A

Hormone secreting gland, located in the base of the brain, which produces hormones that control many functions of other endocrine glands.

111
Q

What is the definition of plasma?

A

Straw-coloured liquid part of blood in which cells are suspended.

112
Q

What is the definition of pluripotent cells?

A

Cells that can develop into all cell types in the body.

113
Q

What is the definition of polypeptide?

A

A chain of many amino acids.

114
Q

What is the definition of a primer?

A

Short single strand of DNA bases required for replication to begin.

115
Q

What is the definition of prostate gland?

A

Gland which surrounds the neck of the bladder in males and which secretes fluid components of semen. (Seminal fluid).

116
Q

What is the definition of prothrombin?

A

Plasma protein made in the liver.

117
Q

What is the definition of a pulmonary embolism?

A

Blockage of the pulmonary artery due to part of a thrombus breaking free.

118
Q

What is the definition of rehearsal?

A

A way of retaining information in the short-term memory.

119
Q

What is the definition of a reverberating pathway?

A

Chain of neurons along which an impulse travels and is maintained by impulses generated by a neuron ahead.

120
Q

What is the definition of retrieval?

A

Process of recalling information from the long term memory.

121
Q

What is the definition of RNA ploymerase?

A

Enzyme which unwinds and unzips DNA during transcription. Also adds free nucleotides to a single strand of DNA to form a single strand of DNA.

122
Q

What is the definition of semi lunar valves?

A

Structures preventing the backflow of blood from the aorta or pulmonary artery into the ventricles.

123
Q

What is the definition of sinoatrial node?

A

Pacemaker of the heart consisting of a cluster of cells located in the wall of the right atrium which controls the rate of heartbeat.

124
Q

What is the definition of somatic cells?

A

Any cell within an animal which is not a gamete/sex cell.

125
Q

What is the definition of somatic nervous system?

A

Nervous system associated with voluntary and reflex actions.

126
Q

What is the definition of specific immune response?

A

Specialised immunity for particular pathogens.

127
Q

What is the definition of splice-site?

A

Substitution of nucleotide at a splice site.

128
Q

What is the definition of statins?

A

Drug prescribed to help reduce high blood cholesterol levels.

129
Q

What is the definition of a start codon?

A

First triplet which codes for the start of a polypeptide chain formation.

130
Q

What is the definition of stem cells?

A

Unspecialised somatic cells in animals that can divide to make copies of themselves and/or differentiate into specialised cells.

131
Q

What is the definition of substitution?

A

A base replaced by another, with no other bases/amino acids changing after mutation.

132
Q

What is the definition of sympathetic nervous system?

A

Branch of autonomic nervous system which speeds up processes in the body.

133
Q

What is the definition of synapse?

A

A junction between two nerve cells, consisting of a minute gap across which impulses pass by diffusion of a neurotransmitter.

134
Q

What is the definition of systole?

A

Phase of the cardiac cycle when the heart muscle contracts.

135
Q

What is the definition of thrombin?

A

Enzyme which converts fibrinogen into fibrin to form a clot.

136
Q

What is the definition of thrombus?

A

Blood clot

137
Q

What is the definition of tissue fluid?

A

Liquid formed when plasma is filtered through the capillary walls containing no cellular components or proteins.

138
Q

What is the definition of transcription?

A

Making a primary transcript of mRNA using a DNA sequence. Takes place in the nucleus of a cell.

139
Q

What is the definition of translation?

A

Production of a polypeptide chain informed by an mRNA sequence. Takes place in a ribosome.

140
Q

What is the definition of translocation?

A

Genes from one chromosome are added onto another.

141
Q

What is the definition of vasoconstriction?

A

Narrowing of the arteries as a result of the contraction of the smooth muscles found in the walls, increasing blood flow.

142
Q

What is the definition of vasodilation?

A

Widening of the arteries as a result of the contraction of smooth muscles found in the walls, reducing blood flow.

Higher Human Biology (25 decks)

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