Biology Terminology Glossary

Biology Terminology

• This document is an English/Spanish glossary of biology terms.
• Mike Hayes is identified as one of the Biology Course Curriculum Writers.
• Gladys Hill, Ted Scott, Peter Spence, and Gayle J. Stout are also credited.
• Sally Fox is listed as the editor.
• Hugo Castillo and Jan Montanye-Castillo are credited for translation.
• The National PASS Center developed the glossary with support from the Illinois Migrant Program and other state/local migrant education programs.
• The document is copyrighted in 2012 by the National PASS Center; reproduction is prohibited without permission.
• The Portable Assisted Study Sequence (PASS) program is noted as a proven method for high school students to earn academic credits.
• PASS courses are designed for migrant secondary school students and incorporate accessible content/instruction.
• The National PASS Center (NPC) coordinates the PASS program, aligning courses with state/national standards and maintaining a website with PASS materials (www.migrant.net/pass).

Abiogenesis - Cytochrome c

• Abiogenesis refers to the belief that life can arise from non-living matter.
• Absolute age dating determines the age of material by examining the amount of radioactive atoms.
• Absorption involves substances passing into or out of a cell through the cell membrane.
• Acetylcholine is a common neurotransmitter that transmits nerve impulses across a synapse.
• Adenine is a purine nucleobase in DNA and RNA; in DNA, it binds to thymine.
• Aerobic means occurring in the presence of oxygen or requiring oxygen to live.
• Allantois is a membranous sac in reptile, bird, and mammal embryos for exchanging oxygen, carbon dioxide, and metabolic wastes.
• An allele is one member of a pair or series of genes occupying a specific position on a chromosome.
• Alveoli are tiny, thin-walled sacs in the lungs where oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange takes place.
• Amnion is a fluid-filled sac that surrounds and protects an embryo.
• Amino acids are organic compounds containing an amino group and a carboxylic acid group
• Anaerobic means occurring in the absence of oxygen or not requiring oxygen to live.
• Analogous structures have similar functions but different origins, such as a bird's wing versus a butterfly's wing.
• Anaphase is the stage of mitosis/meiosis when chromosomes move to opposite ends of the nuclear spindle.
• Anther is the pollen-bearing part of the stamen in a flower.
• Antibodies are Y-shaped proteins used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects.
• An antigen is a substance that stimulates an immune response, especially the production of antibodies.
• Aquaculture involves the cultivation of marine or freshwater fish/shellfish under controlled conditions.
• Arachnids are arthropods with four pairs of segmented legs and a two-region body.
• An Arteriole is a small diameter blood vessel that extends and branches out from an artery and leads to capillaries
• Arthropods are invertebrates with a chitinous exoskeleton and jointed appendages.
• Asexual reproduction requires only one parent; offspring are genetically identical.
• Assimilation refers to changing digested substances into living matter.
• Asymmetry refers to having no balance of symmetry, irregular in shape or outline.
• ATP (adenosine triphosphate) stores and transports chemical energy for metabolism within cells.
• An atom, is the smallest unit of an element, consisting of a dense nucleus surrounded by electrons.
• Atrium is a thin-walled receiving chamber for blood coming into the heart, also called auricle.
• Auricle(s) thin walled, elastic, receiving chamber(s) for blood coming into the heart, also known as the atrium (plural: atria)
• The Autonomic Nervous System is the peripheral system portion controlling involuntary bodily functions.
• An Autotroph can synthesize its own food from inorganic substances, using light or chemical energy.
• Auxins substances regulating plant growth.
• A Bar graph, shows comparisons between several trials or relative amounts.
• Behavior is how something functions
• Binary fission is asexual reproduction by dividing into two equal parts.
• Binomial nomenclature is the two-word naming system in Latin for biological organisms.
• Bioaccumulation occurs when an organism absorbs a toxic substance faster than it can be eliminated.
• Biochemistry is the chemistry of all living things.
• Biodegradable capable of being decomposed by biological agents, particularly bacteria
• Bioelements are the eighteen chemical elements directly linked to living organisms.
• Biogenesis states that living organisms develop only from other living organisms.
• Biological magnification refers to the toxin concentration increase moving up the food chain.
• Biomass represents the weight of living matter within an environmental system.
• A biome is an ecological community characterized by flora and climate.
• Biosynthesis is the making of live organisms' organic compounds.
• Biosystematics uses genetic, biochemical, and observational data to evaluate the organisms/populations links.
• Bipedal (having two feet)
• Birth canal: the route a foetus takes to arrive in a normal birth, beginning in the uterus and finishing in the vagina.
• Blastula an embryonic form produced by cleavage of a fertilized ovum and consisting of a spherical layer of cells/cavities.
• Bronchioles the first airway branches, smaller than one millimeter in diameter.
• Brownian movement the movement of particles with a misture and the extent light is scattered
• Budding asexual reproduction where a parent organism divides into unequal parts.
• Bulb modified underground stem with nutrients stored for the shoot.
• Calyx flower sepals group.
• Cambium tissue layers in plants making new tissue layers.
• Capillaries minute blood vessels to arteriols and venules.
• Carbohydrate organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen; used as energy.
• Carnivore mammals that are predatory.
• Carrying capacity maximum number of individuals for ahabitat area
• Cartilage an elastic connectiva that provides the body with structure.
• Catalyst increases speed reaction.
• Cells basic unit for structural body parts.
• The Central Nervous System, the part of the brain that controls all physical activity.
• Centriole cellular organ for organisation of cell division.
• Centromere constricted chromosome region, connecting during mitosis
• Cerebellum Area of the rear brain to keep balance
• Cerebrospinal fluid clear production in ventricles of brain to protect cavaties and spine.
• The cerebrum is the area of the brain for voluntary, mental control
• Cervix the lower, narrow portion of the uterus where it joins with the top end of the vagina
• Chitin component in hard parts of insects, with certain cells, walls, algae and fungi being transparent.
• Chlorofluoro carbon man-made chemical using for friges.
• Chloroplasts conduct photsynthesis in eukaryotic and plants.
• Chordate animals belonging to the phylum Chordata
• Chorion outer membarane of birds aves.
• Chromatid DNA during one of the phases of a chromeosome.
• Chromosome a thread DNA in the nucleaus of eukaryotic cells.
• Chyme is the partially digested food leaving the stomach.
• Cilium (singular cilia) are minute hairlike process extending from the surface to an organism
• A Circle graph, compares parts of one body of data
• Circulation movement of water and oxygen materials in an organism
• Cladogram a map branching from one source to present individual species
• Class a level in the taxonomic hierarchy of classification between phylum and order
• Classification method used of orginizing life

Cleavage thru Cytocomre c

• Cleavage the series of mitotic cell divisions by which a single fertilized egg cell becomes a many-celled blastula

• Climax Community final stage

• Clone an exact copy

• Codon genetic code

• Colloid a system in which finely divided particle are dispersed within a medium

• Commensualism one organisms benefits with non effect to other benefits from other

• Community one organisms benefit with non effect to other

• Comparative anatomy comparative of organisms/animals

• Comparative behavior - compare mating and organisms actions

• Comparative biochemsitry study differences between organisms and compoistion

• Comparative embryology before birth

• Competition organisms have competion when live in area

• Competitive exdclusion

• Compund combinations of different

• Copmpoudn combinations of different kinds of atoms

• Condclusion- answer to science

• Codnesation- proses gas turns

• Consumor organisms

• Corm a short

• corllora pertials of the flower - group

• Cortex part of organ

• Carnium portin skleaton over

• Crossoverse genetic

• Custacean prednaily aquatic -

• Cutting use part of leaf

• Cyanaterai filde with

• Cycle is the prosess of the

• Cycli relationship whe n

• Cyclosi flow of ptpotism

• Cytocomre c protein that

• Cytology branch of biology

• Cytoblasm within cell membrane