What is the primary function of the cell membrane in an animal cell?
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To protect the cell and regulate what enters and exits.
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What is the primary function of the cell membrane in an animal cell?
To protect the cell and regulate what enters and exits.
What structure in plant cells is involved in protein synthesis?
Ribosomes.
What is the primary function of the prokaryotic cell wall?
To maintain the shape of the organism and protect it from mechanical injury.
What organelle is responsible for energy production in animal cells?
Mitochondria.
What type of cells synthesize and secrete proteins into the extracellular matrix (ECM)?
Fibroblasts.
What is the function of the cytoskeleton in eukaryotic cells?
It provides shape, structural support, and directed movement of molecules and organelles.
What organelle is responsible for photosynthesis in plant cells?
Chloroplasts.
What is the primary function of the cell wall in plant cells?
To provide structure and support.
How are peripheral proteins attached to the plasma membrane?
By noncovalent bonds to the cytoplasmic surface.
What are the components of eukaryotic cells that are devoid of membranes?
Ribosomes and the cytoskeleton.
What is the function of the trans-Golgi network (TGN)?
To sort processed molecules and package them into vesicles coated with clathrin.
What role do clathrin adapter proteins play?
They link clathrin to membrane-bound receptors and target clathrin-coated vesicles.
What organelle processes proteins before they are secreted?
The Golgi apparatus.
What is the role of the vacuole in plant cells?
To store nutrients and waste products, and to maintain turgor pressure.
What is the composition of bacterial cytoplasm?
A complex mixture of proteins, nucleic acids, ions, and small molecules.
What is the glycocalyx?
Substances such as polysaccharides and proteins secreted by some bacteria.
What are the two forms of bacterial glycocalyx?
Capsule and slime layer.
What characterizes Gram-negative bacteria in terms of dye retention?
They do not retain the dye crystal violet.
What lies between the outer membrane and the plasma membrane in Gram-negative bacteria?
A thin peptidoglycan layer.
What are magnetosomes?
Inclusions of the iron mineral magnetite that help some prokaryotes orient with the Earth's magnetic field.
What fills the remaining space in the bacterial cytoplasm?
Ribosomes and a diverse number of macromolecules and smaller metabolites.
What are ribosomes composed of?
RNA and proteins.
What is the role of V-ATPase in late endosome maturation?
It increases hydrogen ion concentration, reducing internal pH.
What internal pH activates acid hydrolases in late endosomes?
Less than 5.
What initiates clathrin-dependent endocytosis?
The binding of a specific ligand to its cognate receptor on the plasma membrane.
What are vesicles in eukaryotic cells?
Membranous sacs that bud off from a donor membrane and fuse with the membrane of a different compartment.
What do COPII-coated vesicles do?
They deliver molecular cargo to the Golgi complex for further processing.
What types of proteins are processed by the RER?
Membrane proteins and water-soluble proteins.
What is the composition of the plasma membrane (PM) in an animal cell?
A lipid bilayer with a variety of integral proteins embedded.
Which organelle is involved in protein synthesis?
Ribosomes.
What are COPI-coated vesicles used for?
To transfer molecules from older to younger cisternae.
What is the role of glycolipids in the bacterial plasma membrane?
They contain carbohydrate groups and are covalently bound to proteins and certain lipids.
What are hopanoids?
Complex lipid molecules that stabilize bacterial membranes.
What is the nucleoid in prokaryotic cells?
A spacious, irregularly shaped region that contains a long, circular DNA molecule called a chromosome.
What do prokaryotes that oxidize reduced sulfur compounds form?
Sulfur granules.
What is the role of early endosomes in the endocytic pathway?
They determine the fate of internalized molecules.
What is endocytosis?
A cellular process where plasma membrane protein receptors take in specific substances.
What proteins are involved in the membrane skeleton of animal cells?
Actin, actin-binding proteins, and spectrin.
How does the membrane skeleton contribute to cell function?
It provides mechanical strength and determines cell shape.
How do flagella contribute to bacterial movement?
Counterclockwise rotation pushes the cell forward, while clockwise rotation causes a stop-and-tumble motion for reorientation.
What is retrograde transport?
The process where COPI-coated vesicles return resident ER proteins to the ER.
What protein is responsible for excising the clathrin-coated vesicle from the plasma membrane?
Dynamin.
What is the role of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in muscle cells?
It serves as a reservoir for calcium, which triggers muscle contraction.
What are the two interconnected forms of the ER?
Rough ER (RER) and Smooth ER (SER).
How are integral proteins and lipid molecules attached to carbohydrates in the plasma membrane?
Covalently attached.
What do all living cells contain?
Vast numbers of densely packed and interacting molecules that perform specific tasks required for life.
What proteins reinforce the inner surface of the plasma membrane?
Actin microfilaments and other proteins linked to the cytoskeleton.
What is the primary function of the Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (RER)?
Protein synthesis.
What distinguishes the Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum (SER) from the RER?
The SER lacks attached ribosomes.
What is typically found within the nucleoid?
Protein complexes involved in DNA synthesis and gene expression regulation.
What are early endosomes?
Tubular-vesicular networks that mature to form late endosomes.
What are late endosomes also called?
Multivesicular bodies.
What are the two forms of endoplasmic reticulum (ER)?
Rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER).
What is the fate of internalized molecules in the endocytic pathway?
They can be recycled, delivered to the TGN, or degraded in lysosomes.
What role do molecular chaperones play in protein folding?
They facilitate efficient folding and prevent aggregation of partially folded polypeptides.
What is the primary function of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER)?
Involved in the synthesis of lipid molecules.
What is the primary function of the plasma membrane?
To provide mechanical strength and shape to the cell, and to select molecules that can enter or exit the cell.
What is the percentage of RER in hepatocytes and pancreatic acinar cells?
Approximately 35% in hepatocytes and 60% in pancreatic acinar cells.
What do VTCs mature into?
Cis-Golgi network (CGN).
What is the role of the nucleus in an animal cell?
To store genetic material and control cell activities.
What are inclusion bodies in bacterial cytoplasm?
Large granules that contain organic or inorganic substances.
What do some prokaryotic species use for carbon storage?
Glycogen or poly-β-hydroxybutyric acid.
What is exocytosis?
The process where secretory vesicles fuse with the plasma membrane to release their contents.
What triggers regulated exocytosis?
Calcium ions (Ca2+) in response to an external signal.
What are the main functions of the Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum (SER)?
Lipid synthesis, biotransformation, and Ca2+ storage.
What is the structure of the Golgi apparatus?
It consists of flattened, saclike membranous vesicles resembling a stack of plates.
What are pili in bacterial cells?
Fine, hair-like structures that allow cells to attach to food sources and host tissues.
What is the function of sex pili?
To transfer genetic information from donor cells to recipients through a process called conjugation.
What processes do proteins in the periplasmic space participate in?
Nutrient digestion, transport, or chemotaxis.
What is clathrin-dependent endocytosis also known as?
Receptor-mediated endocytosis.
What is the structure of clathrin?
A soluble protein complex called a triskelion, consisting of three heavy chains and three light chains.
How does endocytosis contribute to cellular signaling?
It regulates the number of receptors in the plasma membrane and can continue signaling after receptors enter endosomes.
What is the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)?
A system of interconnected membranous tubules, vesicles, and large flattened sacs that constitutes more than half of a cell’s total membrane.
What is the function of the plasma membrane in plant cells?
To regulate the movement of substances in and out of the cell.
What is the appearance of prokaryotic cytoplasm under low magnification?
Uniform and grainy, except for inclusion bodies.
Where are proteins destined for secretion produced?
In the endoplasmic reticulum (ER).
What are polyphosphate inclusions used for in prokaryotes?
A source of phosphate for nucleic acid and phospholipid synthesis.
What is an example of constitutive exocytosis?
Secretion of collagen by fibroblasts.
What happens when acetylcholine binds to receptors on the postsynaptic muscle cell?
It results in muscle contraction.
What do lysosomes contain that aids in digestion?
Digestive enzymes called acid hydrolases.
What is the function of acid hydrolases in lysosomes?
They catalyze the attack of a water molecule on ester and amide linkages under acidic conditions.
What additional role do lysosomes play besides endocytosis?
They contribute to the autophagic degradation of debris within cells.
What is the nucleoid in prokaryotic cells?
An irregularly shaped region where circular DNA molecules are located.
What is the unfolded protein response (UPR)?
A response initiated by the RER to restore proteostasis when stress is severe.
What is the transitional ER (tER)?
An ER subdomain where newly synthesized proteins and lipids exit in coated vesicles.
Why is the rough ER (RER) named so?
Because of the numerous ribosomes that stud its cytoplasmic surface.
What is the process that proteins and lipids undergo in the Golgi apparatus?
Covalent modifications, including the addition of sugar molecules and sulfate or phosphate groups.
What is the main component of the prokaryotic cell wall?
Peptidoglycan.
What determines how a cell wall retains specific dyes?
The thickness and chemical composition of the cell wall and its adjacent structures.
How do thick capsules help pathogenic bacteria?
They allow them to avoid detection by host immune systems and facilitate colonization.
What are biofilms?
Disorganized accumulations of polysaccharides formed when microorganisms adhere to surfaces.
What are plasmids?
Small circular DNA molecules that can replicate independently of the chromosome.
What advantage do plasmids provide to bacteria?
They often carry DNA sequences that code for antibiotic resistance.
How do antibiotic-resistant cells survive in the presence of antibiotics?
They synthesize a protein that inactivates the antibiotic before it can damage the cell.
What processes may involve proteins in the plasma membrane?
Energy transduction processes such as photosynthesis and respiration.
What model describes the maturation of the Golgi apparatus?
The cisternal maturation model.
What happens to LDL receptors after they release their cargo in early endosomes?
They are recycled back to the plasma membrane.
How are resident ER molecules recycled?
They return to the ER via vesicles that have COPI coats.
What structure provides support and shape to the animal cell?
Cytoskeleton.
What is the function of the endoplasmic reticulum in animal cells?
To synthesize proteins and lipids.
What is the role of the Golgi apparatus in an animal cell?
To modify, sort, and package proteins for secretion.
What organelle is responsible for detoxifying harmful substances in animal cells?
Peroxisomes.
What is the lipid component of the outer membrane in Gram-negative bacteria?
Lipopolysaccharide.
What is the plasma membrane also known as?
Cytoplasmic membrane.
What is the structure of the plasma membrane in bacteria?
A phospholipid bilayer reinforced with hopanoids.
What roles do proteins in the bacterial plasma membrane serve?
They act as selective permeability barriers, receptors for nutrients and toxins, and transport proteins for nutrient uptake and waste disposal.
What are the two faces of the Golgi apparatus called?
The forming (cis) face and the maturing (trans) face.
What is ER stress?
A condition caused by the accumulation of misfolded polypeptides that threatens overall cell function.
What specialized name is given to the SER in striated muscle cells?
Sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR).
What is the plasma membrane composed of?
A lipid bilayer and various integral and peripheral proteins.
What role do channels and carriers in the plasma membrane play?
They regulate the passage of ions and molecules in and out of the cell.
What is the glycocalyx?
A carbohydrate coat on the extracellular face of a eukaryotic cell that plays roles in cell recognition and adhesion.
What medical conditions are associated with biofilms?
Tooth decay, cystic fibrosis, and tuberculosis.
What role do endotoxins play in infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria?
They are responsible for symptoms such as fever and shock.
How do small molecules move across the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria?
Through porins, which are transmembrane protein complexes.
What is contained within the periplasmic space of Gram-negative bacteria?
A gelatinous fluid that includes peptidoglycan and various proteins.
What is the structure and function of flagella in bacteria?
A flexible corkscrew-shaped protein filament used for locomotion, pushing cells forward when rotating counterclockwise.
How are RER and SER connected in living eukaryotic cells?
They are interconnected.
What distinguishes eukaryotic cells from prokaryotic cells?
Eukaryotic cells are larger, more structurally complex, and contain membrane-bound organelles.
What role do organelles play in eukaryotic cells?
They contain specific biomolecules and are specialized to perform distinct functions efficiently.
What role do receptors on the plasma membrane play?
They allow the cell to respond to external stimuli.
What is the internal space enclosed by the ER membrane called?
The ER lumen or cisternal space.
How do polypeptides enter the RER?
They are threaded or translocated through the membrane during ongoing protein synthesis.
What happens to proteins in the Golgi apparatus?
They are packaged into vesicles.
What is the extracellular matrix (ECM)?
A gelatinous material synthesized by fibroblasts that binds cells together and regulates cell behavior.
What is the membrane skeleton?
A three-dimensional meshwork of proteins that reinforces the inner surface of the plasma membrane.
What is the primary role of the Golgi apparatus?
Processing, packaging, and distribution of cell products.
What process occurs at the Golgi apparatus involving sugar molecules?
Glycosylation (covalent attachment of sugar molecules) to proteins and lipids.
What is the significance of compartmentalization in the plasma membrane?
It facilitates signal transduction processes.
What is anterograde transport?
The process where vesicles move from the ER to the Golgi apparatus.
What happens to transmembrane polypeptides during the translocation process?
They remain embedded in the membrane when hydrophobic segments enter it.
What is the endomembrane system?
An extensive set of interconnecting internal membranes that divide the cell into functional compartments.
What are some examples of membrane-bound organelles?
Mitochondria, peroxisomes, and chloroplasts in plant cells.
What are some vital processes performed by the ER?
Synthesis of proteins, membrane lipids, steroid molecules, and storage of calcium ions.
What is the percentage of SER in hepatocytes and pancreatic acinar cells?
16% in hepatocytes and 1% in pancreatic acinar cells.