CELLS: The basic unit of life

bacteria

(microbiology) single-celled or noncellular spherical or spiral or rod-shaped organisms lacking chlorophyll that reproduce by fission

eukaryotic

A cell characterized by the presence of a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles. Eukaryotes can be unicellular (protists) or multicellular (fungi, plants and animals).

endoplasmic reticulum

A cell structure that forms a maze of passageways in which proteins and other materials are carried from one part of the cell to another.

chitin

A chemical that provides both toughness and flexibility

lipids

A group of organic compounds composed mostly of carbon and hydrogen including a proportionately smaller amount of oxygen; are insoluble in water, serve as a source of stored energy, and are a component of cell membranes.

phospholipid

A molecule that is a constituent of the inner bilayer of biological membranes, having a polar, hydrophilic head and a nonpolar, hydrophobic tail.

lysosomes

A small, round cell structure containing chemicals that break down large food particles into smaller ones.

vacuole

A water-filled sac inside a cell that acts as a storage area.

Animalcules

Animalcule ("little animal", from Latin animal + the diminutive suffix -culum) is an older term for a microscopic animal or protozoan. Some better-known animalcules include: Actinophrys, and other heliozoa, called sun animalcules. Amoeba, called Proteus animalcule.

amino acid

Building blocks of proteins

mitochondrion

Cell organelle that converts the chemical energy stored in food into compounds that are more convenient for the cell to use

Cellulose

Cellulose is an organic compound with the formula n, a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to many thousands of β linked D-glucose units.

Chloroplast

Chloroplasts are the food producers of the cell. The organelles are only found in plant cells and some protists such as algae. Animal cells do not have chloroplasts. Chloroplasts work to convert light energy of the Sun into sugars that can be used by cells.

cytoplasm

Cytoplasm is a thick solution that fills each cell and is enclosed by the cell membrane. It is mainly composed of water, salts, and proteins. In eukaryotic cells, the cytoplasm includes all of the material inside the cell and outside of the nucleus.

nucleus

In a eukaryotic cell a membrane bound organelle hat contains the cels DNA and that has a role in processes such as growth metabolism and reproduction

cell

In biology the smallest unit that can perform all life processes cells are covered by a membrane and have DNA and cytoplasm

Cell Theory

In biology, cell theory is a scientific theory which describes the properties of cells. These cells are the basic unit of structure in all organisms and also the basic unit of reproduction.

hydrophobic

Insoluble in water.

Multicellular

Multicellular organisms are organisms that consist of more than one cell, in contrast to unicellular organisms

archea

Simple, non-nucleated organisms that produce methane are in the domain?

Cytoskeleton

The cytoskeleton is a structure that helps cells maintain their shape and internal organization, and it also provides mechanical support that enables cells to carry out essential functions like division and movement.

hydrophilic

Water loving

cell membrane

a phosphoric layer that covers a cells surface acts as a barrier between the inside of a cell's enviroment

cell wall

a rigid structure that surrounds the cell membrane and provides support to the cell

Endoplasmic Reticulum

a system of membranes that is found in a cells cytoplasm and that assists in the production processing and transport of proteins and in the production of lipids.

Eukaryote

an organism made up of cells that have a nucleus enclosed by a membrane eukaryote include animals plants and fungi but not archaebacteria or eubacteria

prokaryote

an organism that consists of a single cell that does not have a nucleus

Ribosomes

cell organelle composed of RNA and protein the site of protein synthesis

Golgi Complex

cell organelle that helps make and package materials to be transported out of the cell

Chlorophyll

chlorophyll is found inside the inner membrane of chloroplast

unicellular

having or consisting of one cell.

Mitochondria

in eukaryotic cells the cell organelle that is surrounded by two membranes and that is the site of cellular rerspiration

organelle

one of the small bodies in a cell's cytoplasm that are specialized to perform a specific function

extremophiles

organisms that live in extreme environments, like methanogens, halophiles, and thermophiles. Make up the domain Archaea

surface area to volume ratio

surface area volume

Photosynthesis

the process by which plants algae and some bacteria use sunlight carbon dioxide and water to make food