Week 1 Flashcards
What are stem cells and the different types?
- Stem Cells: have unique to differentiate into other cell types
- Pluripotent (embryonic stem cell): can differentiate into any cell line
- Multipotent: can differentiate into limited cell lines (ex: bone marrow)
What are terminally differentiated cells?
- Terminally Differentiated: adult cell that enters into non-dividing state (ex: skeletal cells, neurons)
- Specialized stem cells can be present for repair mechanisms
List the steps of the interphase, their main functions and how it is regulated.
- Interphase
- Gap1 Phase: growth phase where cells can enter into G0 (no division)
- S Phase: replication
- Gap2 Phase: growth phase
- Checkpoints are regulated by [Cdk]
List the steps of the mitosis, their main functions and how it is regulated.
- Mitosis
- Prophase: duplicated centrosomes; mitotic spindles form (microtubules)
- Metaphase: nuclear envelope breakdown; chromosomes align
- Anaphase: chromatids separate
- Telophase: nuclear envelope reforms
- Cytokinesis: cells divide using actin mechanism
- Checkpoints are regulated by [Cdk]
What is cell signaling and how does the process work?
- Change in external environment → Change in receptor binding → Secondary messengers → amplify response → adapts gene expression
What are the types of intracellular signaling and how do they work?
- Intercellular Signaling
- Contact-dependent: membrane-bound receptor interaction
- Paracrine: mediator molecule secreted to local environment
- Synaptic: neurotransmitters (think ACh!)
- Endocrine: hormones through bloodstream
What are the differences between Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic cells?
- Eukaryotic has membrane-bound organelles for specialized functions, nucleus, and mitochondria while prokaryotic utilizes cytosol for all functions. Both have PMs.
What is the function of cytoskeleton and what are the types?
- Provides cell stability and movement
- Types
- Actin
- Intermediate filaments
- Microtubules
What are the three phases of polymerization for cytoskeleton?
What is dynamic instability?
How do kinesin and dynein play a role?
Name a disease associated with cytoskeleton.
- 3 phases of polymerization
- Nucleation: assembly of monomers
- Elongation: rapid growth at (+) end
- Steady-state: equal rate of polymerization and de-polymerization
- Dynamic instability: rapid de-polymerization to cause separation of mitotic spindle.
- Polymerization and de-polymerization occurs at (+) end and nucleation occurs at (-) end
- Kinesin moves things to (+) end {cell surface is +}
- Dynesin walks things back to (-) end {centrosome is -}
- Disease: Hereditary Spherocytosis
Describe the function and properties of the cell membrane.
- Expands with budding and fusion events
- Impermeable to most ions and water molecules
- Contains pumps and channels which allow movement of ions, molecules, and proteins
- Glycoproteins on ECM interact with EC environment
Describe the properties and function of the nucleus. Name a disease associated with the nucleus.
- Description: made up of nuclear envelope and nuclear pores
- Function: storage of DNA
- Disease: Hutchinson Gilford Progeria
Describe the properties and function of ribosomes.
What is the SRP’s role in ribosome function?
- Description: cytosol and ER-bound organelles
- Function: protein synthesis
- SRP: signal recognition particle targets synthesized protein to ER
Describe the properties and function of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER).
- Description: network of tubules that acts as the outer bilayer of the nuclear envelope
- Function: processes proteins and lipid biosynthesis
- Ca++ storage and detoxification
Describe the properties and function of the golgi apparatus. Name diseases often associated with the golgi.
- Description: structure is dependent on microtubules with bi-directional transport from cis to trans-face
- Function: supplies membrane and is site of glycosylation
- Disease: congenital diseases associated with glycosylation such as seizures
Describe the properties and function of the lysosome. Name a disease associated with the lysosome.
- Description: contains hydrolytic enzymes
- Function: utilizes endocytosis (foreign macromolecules), macropinocytosis (fluid near PM), autophagy (cell components), and phagocytosis (foreign large particles/microorganisms)
- Disease: Lysosomal Storage Disease
Describe the properties and function of the mitochondria. Name two types of diseases associated with the mitochondria.
- Description: contains inner and outer membrane layers with own DNA
- Function: generates ATP
- Diseases
- Lufts
- Age-Related Degenerative Diseases (Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s)
Describe the properties and function of the peroxisome. Name a disease associated with the peroxisome.
- Description: single membrane with dense matrix
- Function: oxidative reactions with hydrogen peroxide and FAs
- Disease: Zellweger Syndrome Spectrum
Describe the properties and function of the cilia/flagella. Name a disease associated with the cilia/flagella.
- Description: structural arrangement (9+2) of microtubules that extend from basal body
- Function: lines tracts to move mucus and cause movement (sperm)
- Disease: Dyskinesia (Kartagener’s Syndrome)
What is the general mechanism of direct transport between membrane enclosed organelles?
How are compartments in the cell diverse?
- Vesicles bud from marked specific sites contain cargo proteins that are delivered to another membrane compartment by fusion.
- Compartment diversity
- Some require cytoskeletal elements to maintain shape
- Small vesicles – diffusion, large vesicles – cytoskeleton tract
What are the types of trafficking pathways?
- Types of trafficking pathways
- Biosynthetic: secretory pathway from ER to golgi to PM
- Endocytosis: PM to early/late endosomes to lysosomes
- Retrieval: backflow of selected components is maintained
Where do clathrin coats, COP I coats, and COP II coats transport to and from?
Clathrin
- Transport: PM to early endosomes and Golgi to lysosomes
COP I
- Transport: Golgi to PM and Golgi to ER
COP II:
- Transport: From ER to Golgi
What is the structure of clathrin coats?
made of triskelion (3 light, 3 heavy chains) that self assembles to a hexagonal structure
What is the assembly process of clathrin coats?
- Arf-GEF recruits Arf-ADP → Arf-ATP → inserts into membrane → fatty acid tail exposure → clathrin recruitment → dynamin pinches off vesicle using accessory proteins and PIP2
- Phorsphorylation of PIPs to PIP2s are also involved in recruitment
What is the disassembly process of clathrin coats?
- Heat shock protein (Hsp70) is an ATPase stimulated by Auxilin → ATP hydrolyzes into ADP → Hsp70 uses energy from ATP hydrolysis to peel off coat
- PIP2s are dephosphorylated to PIPs weakening coat-membrane interactions




