| Term | Definition |
|---|
| absorption | the transport of dissolved substances into cells |
| digestion | the breakdown of absorbed substances |
| respiration | the breakdown of food molecules with a release of energy |
| excretion | the removal of soluble waste materials |
| egestion | the removal of nonsoluble waste materials |
| secretion | the release of biosynthesized substances |
| homeostasis | maintaining the status quo |
| reproduction | producing more cells |
| cytology | the study of cells |
| cell wall | a rigid structure on the outside of certain cells, usually plant and bacteria cells |
| middle lamella | the thin film between the cell walls of adjacent plant cells |
| plasma membrane | the semipermeable membrane between the cell contents and either the cell wall or the cell's surroundings |
| cytoplasm | a jellylike fluid inside the cell in which the organelles are suspended |
| ion | substances in which at least one atom has an imbalance of protons and electrons |
| cytoplasmic streaming | the motion of cytoplasm in a cell that results in a coordinated movement of the cell's contents |
| mitochondria | the organelles in which nutrients are converted to energy |
| lysosome | the organelle in animal cells responsible for hydrolosis reactions that break down fats |
| ribosomes | non membrane bounded organelles responsible for protein synthesis |
| endoplasmic reticulum | an organelle composed of an extensive network of folded membranes that performs several tasks within a cell |
| rough ER | ER that is dotted with ribosomes |
| smooth ER | ER that has no ribosomes |
| golgi bodies | the organelles where proteins and lipids are stored and then modified to suit the needs of the cell |
| leucoplasts | organelles that store starches or oils |
| chromoplasts | organelles that contain pigments used in photosynthesis |
| central vacuole | a large vacuole that rests at the center of most plant cells and is filled with a solution that contains a high concentration of solutes |
| waste vacuoles | vacuoles that contain the waste products of digestion |
| phagocytosis | the process by which a cell engulfs foreign substances or other cells |
| phagocytic vacuole | a vacuole that holds the matter which a cell engulfs |
| pinocytic vesicle | vesicle formed at the plasma membrane to allow the absorption of large molecules |
| secretion vesicle | vesicle that holds secretion products so that they can be transported to the plasma membrane and released |
| microtubules | spiral strands of protein molecules that form a tubelike substance |
| nuclear membrane | a highly porous membrane that separates the nucleus from the cytoplasm |
| chromatin | clusters of DNA, RNA and proteins in the nucleus of a cell |
| cytoskeleton | a network of fibers that holds the cell together, helps the cell to keep its shape, and aids in movement |
| microfilaments | fine, threadlike proteins found in the cell's cytoskeleton |
| intermediate filaments | threadlike proteins in the cell's cytoskeleton that are roughly twice as thick as microfilaments |
| phospholipid | a lipid in which one of the fatty acid molecules has been replaced by a module that contains a phosphate group |
| passive transport | movement of molecules through the plasma membrane according to the dictates of osmosis or diffusion |
| active transport | movement of molecules through the plasma membrane aided by a process that requires energy |
| isotonic solution | a solution in which the concentration of solutes is essentially equal to that of the cell which resides in the solution |
| hypertonic solution | a solution in which the concentration of solutes is greater than that of the cell that resides in the solution |
| plasmolysis | collapse of a walled cell's cytoplasm due to a lack of water |
| cytolysis | the rupturing of a cell due to excess internal pressure |
| hypotonic solution | a solution in which the concentration of solutes is less than that of the cell that resides in the solution |
| activation energy | energy necessary to get a chemical reaction going |
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