Gillian D'Acierno

Sunday, September 19, 2010

• Gap junction a type of cell junction that facilitates cell communication, made up of
clusters of protein structures extending from one side to the other of the cell’s plasma
membrane. When these structures tine up in adjacent cells, the channel formed allows
small molecules and electrical signals to pass through.
• Golgi Complex The organelle in the cytosol that receives proteins via transport
vesicles from the rough endoplasmic reticulum, processes them by adding or
trimming side groups, and sorts and sends them to the correct destinations. The golgi
complex thus acts as a processing and distribution center for protein products of the
cell.
• Intermediate filament The protein filaments of the cytoskeleton that are
intermediate in size. The positions of the nucleus and organelles are stabilized by
intermediate filaments.
• Lysosome Membrane-bound organelle in an animal cell that breaks down and then
exports, stores, or recycles the resulting materials back into the cytosol.
• Messenger RNA a type of RNA that encodes, and then carries to the ribosomes from
the cell’s nucleus, information used in the synthesis of proteins. This information is
encoded initially in DNA and is encoded onto mRNA in the process of transcription.
• Microfilament The smallest-sized component of the cytoskeleton, composed of the
protein actin. Actin is a support structure of cells, helps a cell grow rapidly at one end
to move or capture prey, and (along with the protein myosin) enables muscles to
contract.
• Micrograph A picture taken with a microscope
• Micrometer A millionth of a meter.
• Microtubule The largest-sized component of the cytoskeleton. Microtubules help
determine the shape of the cell, act as monorails along which transport vesicles travel,
form the mitotic spindle, and form cilia and flagella for propulsion.
• Mitochondia membrane-bound organelles that convert energy to a form easily used
by cells. Mitochondria are the power plants of cells.
• Nanometer A billionth of a meter
• Nuclear envelope The concentric, double membrane that forms the outer layer of a
cell’s nucleus. The nuclear envelope contains nuclear pores that enable substances to
pass in and out of the nucleus.
• Nuclear pore A channel through the nuclear envelope surrounding the cell’s nucleus.
Materials pass in and out of the nucleus through the thousands of pores in the nuclear
envelope.
• Nucleolus a structure within the nuclear envelopes surrounding the cell’s nucleus that
functions in the synthesis of ribosomal RNA, one on the main constituent molecules
in ribosomes.
• Nucleus the membrane bound organelle in a eukaryotic cell that contains nearly all of
its dna.
• Organelle a highly specialized structure within a cell that carries out specific cellular
functions. Almost all organelles (meaning “tiny organ”) are bound by membranes.
The lone exception in the ribosome, which has no membrane and is the single
 organelle possessed by prokaryotic cells. Organelles in eukaryotic cells include
nucleus, mitochondiram, lysosomes, chloroplasts, and ribosomes.
• Plasma membrane a membrane forming the outer boundary of many cells,
composed of a phospholipids bilayer interspersed with proteins and cholesteral
molecules, and coated, on its exterior face, with short carbohydrate chains associated
with proteins and lipids.
• Plasmodesmata Tiny channels in a plant’s cell wall that enable communication
between cells by making the cytoplasm between cells continuous.
• Prokaryotic cells a cell whose DNA is not located in the membrane bound organelle
known as a nucleus. Prokaryotes are microscopic forms of life, and are all either
bacteria or archaea.
• Ribosome An organelle located in the cells cytoplasm that is the site of protein
synthesis. Ribosomes can be embedded in the rough endoplasmic reticulum but may
exist as free ribosomes unattached to the rough er. The traslation phase of protein
synthesis takes place within ribosomes.
• Rough endoplasmic reticulum a cell organelle that is a folded continuation of the
cell membrane studded with ribosomes and fuctioning in protein synthesis and
processing,
• Secratory protein A protein that is exported out of a cell. These proteins are
generally synthesizes on the ribosomes of the rough ER.
• Smooth ER The part of the ER membrane farther out from the cell nucleus that has
no ribosomes. Depending on the cell type, different lipids are synthesized there and
potentially harmful substances may be detoxified.
• Tissue An organized assemblance of similar cells that serves a common function.
Nervous, epithelial, and muscle tissue are some familiar examples.
• Transport vesicle A sphere of membrane, carrying proteins or other molecules, that
moves through the cytosol of a cell. Transport vesicles fuse with and bud off from
other membranes.