Biology

• Cells are the basic structural and functional units of life.
• Active Transport


  The movement of substances across membranes usually against concentration gradients, requiring energy from ATP
• Amphipathic


  A molecule's property of being both hydrophobic and hydrophilic
• Antiporter


  An active transport protein that transports two molecules in opposite directions
• Binary Fission


  A reproductive method where all internal structures are copied and split equally into two identical daughter cells
• Carcinogen


  Cancer-causing mutagens
• Cyclin


  A protein that is involved in control of the cell cycle
• Cytokinesis


  Post-mitosis, a contractile ring of protein contracts to pull the plasma membrane inward, splitting the cell into two genetically identical daugther cells
• Differentiation


  The growth and development of cells into specialized cell types
• Diffusion


  The net passive movement of particles from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration, requiring no energy
• Emergent Properties


  The collective properties that develop in a group of cells that each individual cell cannot carry out
• Endocytosis


  Invagination of the plasma membrane around substances to form a vesicle that transports substances into the cell
• Endosymbiosis


  The absorbance of a smaller cell by a larger cell with a vesicle so that the smaller cell now performs functions for the larger cell
• Eukaryote


  A multicellular organism with complex cell structure and compartmentalization
• Exocytosis


  Release of substances into the extra-cellular matrix through fusion of vesicles with the plasma membrane
• Faciliated Diffusion


  The passive movement of particles from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration via specific channel proteins
• Hydrophilic


  Attracted to water (water-loving)
• Hydrophobic


  Repelled to water (water-fearing)
• Hypertonic


  A solution with a higher solute concentration than another solution
• Hypotonic


  A solution with a lower solute concentration than another solution
• Integral Protein


  A protein embedded in the plasma membrane
• Interphase


  The cell's active period wherein it grows, lives, and prepares for mitosis
• Isotonic


  A solution with the same solute concentration as another solution
• Light Microscopy


  Microscopy that uses light to view objects and has a low resolution
• Metastasis


  A process where primary tumor cells detach and travel to another body site via the bloodstream
• Mitosis


  The division of the nucleus into two genetically identical daughter nuclei
• Mitotic Index


  The ratio of the number of cells undergoing mitosis to the total number of visible cells
• Mutagen


  A substance capable of causing a mutation
• Mutation


  A random change to the base sequence of a gene
• Oncogene


  Genes involved in regulation of the cell cycle
• Oncogenesis


  The formation of tumors due to mutations in oncogenes
• Osmosis


  The movement of water from a region of low solute concentration to a region of high solute concentration, across a partially permeable cell membrane
• Peripheral Protein


  A protein on the surface of the plasma membrane
• Pluripotent


  An ability of a cell to develop into many specialized cell types
• Primary Tumor


  An often benign tumor contained to the site of mutation
• Prokaryote


  A unicellular organism with simple cell structure and no compartmentalization
• Resolution


  The ability of a microscope to distinguish two objects
• Scanning Electron Microscopy


  Microscopy that uses an electron beam to view the surface of an object
• Secondary Tumor


  A tumor that has travelled away from the original tumor site via metastasis
• Simple Diffusion


  The passive movement of particles from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration across a semi-permeable membrane