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Anatomy & Physiology: Cell Structure and Membrane Transport

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  • What are the three main parts of a human cell?

    The plasma membrane (outer boundary), cytoplasm (intracellular fluid with organelles), and nucleus (controls cellular activities).

  • What is the cell theory?

    1. Cells are the smallest units of life.
    2. All living organisms are composed of one or more cells.
    3. New cells come only from pre-existing cells by cell division.

  • What is the plasma membrane composed of?

    A phospholipid bilayer with embedded proteins and cholesterol, forming a fluid mosaic structure with a carbohydrate-rich glycocalyx on the surface.

  • What is the function of the glycocalyx on the plasma membrane?

    It provides identity molecules that help immune cells recognize self from foreign cells and aids in cell-to-cell recognition.

  • Describe the phospholipid bilayer structure.

    Phospholipids have a polar hydrophilic head facing water and nonpolar hydrophobic tails that face inward, forming a bilayer that acts as a barrier to water-soluble substances.

  • What are integral and peripheral membrane proteins?

    Integral proteins are embedded and often span the membrane; peripheral proteins attach loosely and may act as enzymes or motor proteins.

  • List six functions of membrane proteins.

    1. Transport
    2. Receptors
    3. Attachment to cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix
    4. Enzymatic activity
    5. Cell-to-cell joining
    6. Cell-cell recognition

  • What are the three types of cell junctions?

    Tight junctions prevent passage between cells.
    Gap junctions allow molecule passage.
    Desmosomes anchor cells and reduce tension.

  • What is passive transport across the plasma membrane?

    Movement of substances across the membrane without energy input, including diffusion, facilitated diffusion, osmosis, and filtration.

  • What is simple diffusion?

    Passive movement of small, non-charged substances like oxygen and carbon dioxide directly through the phospholipid bilayer down their concentration gradient.

  • What is facilitated diffusion?

    Passive transport of molecules through membrane proteins, either carrier-mediated or channel-mediated, for substances like glucose and ions.

  • Define osmosis.

    Diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane from an area of low solute concentration to high solute concentration until equilibrium.

  • What is tonicity and its types?

    Tonicity is a solution's ability to change cell shape by altering water volume.
    Isotonic: no net water movement.
    Hypertonic: cell shrinks.
    Hypotonic: cell swells.

  • What is active transport?

    Movement of substances across the membrane requiring energy (ATP) to move molecules against their concentration gradient.

  • Describe the sodium-potassium pump function.

    It pumps Na+ out of and K+ into the cell, maintaining membrane potential and ion gradients essential for cell function.

  • What is vesicular transport?

    Transport of large particles or macromolecules in vesicles via endocytosis (into cell) or exocytosis (out of cell), requiring ATP.

  • What is the resting membrane potential?

    The voltage across the plasma membrane, typically -50 to -100 mV, with the inside of the cell negative relative to outside, maintained by ion gradients and active transport.

  • What are the three major elements of the cytoplasm?

    Cytosol: fluid medium.
    Organelles: specialized structures.
    Inclusions: chemical substances that may or may not be present.

  • What are the main functions of mitochondria?

    Produce ATP, contain their own DNA and ribosomes, can self-replicate, and increase in number by fission to meet energy demands.

  • What are the two types of endoplasmic reticulum and their functions?

    Rough ER: synthesizes proteins and membranes.
    Smooth ER: metabolizes lipids, detoxifies drugs, stores calcium, and breaks down glycogen.

  • What is the function of the Golgi apparatus?

    Modifies, concentrates, and packages proteins and lipids made by the rough ER for export or use in the cell.

  • What are lysosomes and their functions?

    Membranous organelles with digestive enzymes that break down ingested particles, worn-out organelles, and perform metabolic functions like glycogen breakdown.

  • What are centrioles and their role?

    Structures made of microtubule triplets that organize the mitotic spindle during cell division and form the bases of cilia and flagella.

  • What is the difference between cilia and microvilli?

    Cilia: move substances across cell surfaces.
    Microvilli: increase surface area for absorption, found on intestinal and kidney cells.