Biology Week 1: Plasma Membrane & Transport

A membrane made up of lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins that regulates fluidity and provides structural support to a cell.

A critical component of the plasma membrane that helps maintain fluidity and structure.

The ability of molecules to pass through the plasma membrane, influenced by size, charge, and concentration gradients.

Carbohydrate chains are found only on the outer surface of the plasma membrane.

The presence of double bonds in fatty acids maintains membrane fluidity, and cholesterol also impacts fluidity.

Molecules with uneven distribution of charge, leading to a positive and negative end.

Movement of molecules from high to low concentration.

Solution with higher solute concentration and lower water concentration.

Proteins embedded in the cell membrane that help transport molecules.

Proteins that help connect adjacent cells.

Proteins that help the body identify pathogens and react to them.

Proteins that receive molecules from outside the cell.

Saturated hydrocarbon tails make membrane less fluid.

Movement of large molecules or groups of molecules across the cell membrane using vesicles.

A type of bulk transport that uses membrane-bound sacs called vesicles to move substances across the cell membrane.

Process by which cells release substances outside the cell using vesicles that fuse with the plasma membrane.

Process by which cells take in substances from the external environment by forming vesicles that engulf the material.

A specific type of endocytosis where cells use receptors to bind and engulf specific molecules.

A type of endocytosis where cells engulf large particles, such as bacteria or debris.

A continuous process where cells release molecules outside the cell through vesicles.

The formation of a new vesicle from a membrane.

A phospholipid has a phosphate head group and two fatty acid tails. The head is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the tails are hydrophobic (water-fearing).

Unsaturated fatty acids have double bonds, creating kinks in the tails. These kinks introduce flexibility and increase membrane fluidity.

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. They consist of a central carbon atom attached to an amino group, a carboxyl group, a hydrogen atom, and a variable R group.

R groups determine an amino acid's properties. They can be non-polar, polar, charged, or aromatic. This diversity allows for a wide range of protein structures and functions.

Steroids like cholesterol play vital roles in maintaining cell structure, regulating processes, and reducing inflammation.

Photosynthesis is the primary process that generates glucose, a vital sugar for cells in plants and ultimately the entire ecosystem.

Cells break down glucose (sugar) through oxidation to release energy for cellular processes.

Simple sugars, like glucose and fructose, are the building blocks of carbohydrates.

Disaccharides are formed when two monosaccharides bond together. Common examples include sucrose, maltose, and lactose.

Polysaccharides are large, complex carbohydrates made of hundreds to thousands of monosaccharide units. Examples include starch, glycogen, cellulose, and chitin.

Starch is a polysaccharide primarily used by plants to store energy. It is broken down into glucose when needed.

Glycogen is a polysaccharide used by animals for energy storage. It is broken down into glucose when energy is needed.

Cellulose is a very strong polysaccharide that provides structural support for plant cell walls.

Lipids are divided into three main categories: fats and oils, steroids, and waxes.

Lipids are water-insoluble organic compounds, meaning they don't dissolve in water.

A saturated fatty acid has no double bonds in its hydrocarbon chain, giving it a straight conformation.

An unsaturated fatty acid has one or more double bonds in its hydrocarbon chain, causing it to bend.

Trans fats are produced through hydrogenation, a process that adds hydrogen to unsaturated fatty acids.

Chylomicrons are particles that transport triglycerides and cholesterol from the intestines to the liver and adipose tissue.

Enterocytes are cells found in the lining of the intestines.

Liposys is the breakdown of triglycerides, and beta oxidation is a process that breaks fatty acids down into energy.