Cytoskeleton: Structure and Function in Cells

The structure and function of cells are supported by a network of protein cables called the ______ which give shape and support to the cell.

Cytoskeletal proteins come in three main types: Microfilaments are made of the protein ______.

Microtubules are made of the protein ______.

Cells of bacteria, fungi, algae, and higher plants are surrounded by rigid ______, which are an integral part of the cell.

Although not encased in cell walls, animal cells in tissues are closely associated with an extracellular matrix composed of ______ and polysaccharides.

Researchers at ETH Zurich recently identified a previously unknown compartment in mammalian cells named the ______.

The nucleus houses and protects the cell’s DNA, which contains all of the instructions necessary for the cell to function. The DNA is like a set of blueprints for the cell, so you can think of the nucleus as the ______ where the blueprints are kept.

Nuclear Envelope – a highly regulated membrane barrier that separates the nucleus from the cytoplasm in eukaryotic cells. It contains a large number of different proteins that have been implicated in chromatin organization and gene ______.

Nucleolus – the largest nuclear organelle and is the primary site of ribosome subunit biogenesis in eukaryotic cells. It is assembled around arrays of ribosomal DNA genes, forming specific chromosomal features known as nucleolar organizing regions (NORs) which are the sites of ribosomal DNA ______.

Nuclear Pore – a protein-lined channel in the nuclear envelope that regulates the transportation of molecules between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Nuclear Lamina – a structure near the inner nuclear membrane and the peripheral chromatin. It is composed of lamins, which are also present in the nuclear interior, and ______-associated proteins.

Nucleoplasm – a type of protoplasm that is composed of thick fluid and constitutes chromatin fibers made up of DNA and usually found in the nucleus of the eukaryotic cells. This fluid contains primarily water, dissolved ions, and a complex mixture of ______.

Home office: The nucleus The nucleus houses and protects the cell’s DNA, which contains all of the instructions necessary for the cell to function. The DNA is like a set of blueprints for the cell, so you can think of the ______ as the office where the blueprints are kept.

The essence of being extremophilic: the role of the unique archaeal membrane lipids. The archaeal cytoplasmic membrane contains unique ______ lipids that cannot easily be degraded, are temperature- and mechanically resistant, and are highly salt tolerant.

Moreover, thermophilic and extreme acidophilic Archaea possess membrane-spanning tetraether lipids that form a rigid monolayer membrane which is nearly impermeable to ions and protons. VENUE A happenin’ place: The ______

LIBRARY Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Chromosome Structure The library: DNA-containing region. In eukaryotic cells, the DNA is separated from the cytoplasm by membranes inside the cell, forming a structure called the ______.

The fluid-filled interior of the cell is called the ______. Many of the chemical reactions that make up the metabolism of the cell happen including important reactions that build proteins.

In general, eukaryotic cells contain a lot more genetic material than ______ cells.

Most mammalian cells have a single ovoid or spherically shaped ______ with a diameter of 5 to 20 μm, making it the largest cellular organelle.