Cellular Structure
What is the function of the mitochondrion?
To generate ATP through cellular respiration
Why is a large surface area-to-volume ratio important for cells?
It increases the efficiency of material exchange with the environment
What is the Fluid Mosaic Model?
A model describing the cell membrane as a flexible layer with proteins embedded in or attached to a phospholipid bilayer
What type of transport requires energy to move molecules against a concentration gradient?
Active transport
What is one key difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells regarding compartmentalization?
Eukaryotic cells have membrane-bound organelles, while prokaryotic cells do not
Which organelle is responsible for protein synthesis?
Ribosome
What specialized structure in some cells increases surface area for absorption?
Microvilli
What is the role of cholesterol in the plasma membrane?
It stabilizes the membrane's fluidity, especially in varying temperatures
What is osmosis?
The diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane
Describe one advantage of compartmentalization in eukaryotic cells.
It allows for specialized environments and processes within the same cell
What is the role of the lysosome in a cell
To break down waste and recycle cellular components
How does a cell's shape influence its ability to exchange materials?
Cells with flattened or elongated shapes have a greater surface area relative to their volume, allowing for more efficient exchange.
Which type of membrane protein spans the entire bilayer?
Transmembrane proteins
What is facilitated diffusion?
The passive transport of molecules across the membrane through specific protein channels or carriers
What is the difference in the structure of DNA in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?
Prok - Not in a nucleus, freely floating in the cytoplasm
Euk - Organized in a nucleus in chromosomes
Describe the role of the rough endoplasmic reticulum in the cell
It synthesizes and processes proteins for secretion or use in the cell membrane
Why does increasing the volume of a cell without increasing its surface area reduce efficiency?
As volume increases, the surface area cannot keep up, reducing the cell's ability to transport nutrients and waste effectively
Describe how the hydrophobic/hydrophilic nature of phospholipids contributes to membrane structure.
Hydrophilic heads face outward toward water, while hydrophobic tails face inward, forming a bilayer
How do endocytosis and exocytosis differ?
Endocytosis brings large molecules into the cell, while exocytosis expels them
Daily Double: Who is current leading rusher of the NFL, and what team is he on?
Saquon Barkley on the Philadelphia Eagles
Explain how the structural features of the chloroplast allow it to capture and store energy.
The thylakoid membranes contain chlorophyll to capture light energy, and the stroma hosts the Calvin cycle to store energy in glucose
Explain how cell size and the surface area-to-volume ratio relate to diffusion time
Smaller cells with a higher surface area-to-volume ratio allow faster diffusion because molecules have less distance to travel and more surface area to pass through
Explain how glycoproteins in the membrane contribute to cell function.
They play roles in cell recognition, signaling, and immune responses
Explain how ion channels and pumps maintain a cell’s internal environment.
Ion channels allow passive movement of ions, while pumps like the sodium-potassium pump actively maintain ion gradients
Explain the endosymbiotic theory and how it relates to mitochondria and chloroplasts.
It suggests that mitochondria and chloroplasts originated from free-living bacteria that were engulfed by a host cell and became symbiotic organelles