What is the primary function of the endomembrane system?
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To produce, degrade, store, and export biological molecules, and to degrade potentially harmful substances.
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What is the primary function of the endomembrane system?
To produce, degrade, store, and export biological molecules, and to degrade potentially harmful substances.
What are Okazaki fragments?
Short DNA fragments synthesized on the lagging strand during replication.
What is the primary function of transmembrane proteins?
Act as receptors for chemical messengers, transport proteins, and in cell-to-cell recognition.
During which phase does DNA replication occur?
S phase.
What is the cytoskeleton?
An elaborate network of rods running through the cytosol, providing support and enabling cell movement.
What happens during the G2 phase of interphase?
Enzymes and proteins needed for division are synthesized and centriole replication is completed.
What role do microfilaments play in muscle cells?
They interact with myosin to generate contractile forces.
What are basal bodies?
Basal bodies are centrioles that form the bases of cilia and flagella.
Describe the '9 + 2' pattern found in cilia and flagella.
The '9 + 2' pattern consists of nine doublets of microtubules encircling one central pair.
What happens to anucleate cells in the bloodstream?
They cannot reproduce and live for only three to four months before deteriorating.
What is the function of the centrosome matrix?
It generates microtubules and organizes the mitotic spindle during cell division.
Which organelles are included in the endomembrane system?
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER), Golgi apparatus, secretory vesicles, lysosomes, and the nuclear envelope.
What are the main phases of the cell cycle?
Interphase and the mitotic phase.
What is the primary function of cilia?
To move substances across the free cell surface.
What is the role of the S subphase in interphase?
DNA replication occurs during the S subphase.
What is the fate of a cell that ejects or loses its nucleus?
The cell typically cannot survive because the nucleus contains the genetic material necessary for cell function.
What is the function of intermediate filaments?
Stable cytoskeletal elements that resist mechanical forces acting on the cell.
What are microtubules made of?
Hollow tubes of spherical protein subunits called tubulin.
What does the Golgi apparatus do?
Packages, modifies, and segregates proteins for secretion, lysosomes, and plasma membrane incorporation.
How does a flagellum differ from a cilium?
A flagellum is longer than a cilium; the only example in humans is the sperm tail, which propels the cell.
What is the nuclear envelope?
A double membrane barrier that surrounds the nucleus.
What occurs during the G1 subphase of interphase?
The cell is metabolically active, synthesizing proteins rapidly and growing.
What are flagella and how do they differ from cilia?
Flagella are longer projections formed by centrioles, while cilia are shorter and occur in larger numbers. Flagella propel the cell itself, whereas cilia propel substances across a cell's surface.
What is the core structure of microvilli?
Bundled actin filaments.
What do ribosomes do?
Sites of protein synthesis.
What is the role of the rough endoplasmic reticulum?
Synthesis of proteins and phospholipids, and transport of proteins to the Golgi apparatus.
What role do microtubules play in the cell?
They determine the overall shape of the cell and the distribution of cellular organelles.
How do motor proteins move along microtubules?
They move 'hand over hand', gripping and releasing at new sites.
What is the role of DNA polymerase in DNA replication?
It positions complementary free nucleotides along the template strands.
What is the structure of the plasma membrane?
A double layer of phospholipids with embedded cholesterol and proteins.
What happens when lysosomes rupture?
The cell undergoes autolysis, digesting itself.
What is the cytoplasm?
The cellular region between the nuclear and plasma membranes, containing cytosol, organelles, and inclusions.
What is the purpose of having multiple origins of replication in human DNA?
To greatly increase the speed of replication.
What is the nucleolus composed of?
Ribosomal RNA and proteins.
What is a multinucleate cell?
A cell that has many nuclei, often found in skeletal muscle and some liver cells.
Where do most microtubules radiate from?
The centrosome or cell center.
What is the function of cilia in the respiratory tract?
Ciliated cells in the respiratory tract propel mucus laden with dust particles and bacteria upward away from the lungs.
What are nucleoli and where are they found?
Nucleoli are dark-staining spherical bodies within the nucleus where ribosomal subunits are assembled.
What are the phases of ciliary motion?
Power stroke and recovery stroke.
What is Tay-Sachs disease?
A rare neurodegenerative disorder caused by lysosomes lacking an enzyme needed to break down a specific glycolipid in nerve cell membranes.
What is the role of the nucleus in a cell?
It acts as the control center, containing genetic instructions for protein synthesis.
What are microfilaments composed of and their function?
Fine filaments composed of actin; involved in muscle contraction and intracellular movement.
How do cilia move substances across cell surfaces?
Cilia move substances in one direction through a rhythmic alternating motion of a propulsive power stroke and a recovery stroke.
What happens during the mitotic phase?
The cell divides into two cells.
What must occur before a cell can divide?
DNA must be replicated exactly.
What are nuclear pores?
Punctures in the nuclear envelope that regulate entry and exit of molecules.
What is the function of the centrosome?
It acts as a microtubule organizing center.
What are centrioles composed of?
Nine triplets of microtubules.
What role do histone proteins play in the nucleus?
Histone proteins package and regulate DNA, playing an important role in gene regulation.
What are intermediate filaments composed of?
Twisted units of tetramer fibrils.
What is the main function of intermediate filaments?
To act as internal cables that resist pulling forces on the cell.
What is the significance of the G2/M checkpoint?
It is a critical point where the cell checks for DNA damage and ensures all DNA is replicated before mitosis.
What is the average diameter of the nucleus?
5 μm.
What is the purpose of microvilli?
Tubular extensions of the plasma membrane that increase surface area for absorption.
What is the replication fork?
The point at which the DNA strands separate as hydrogen bonds are broken.
What is the role of the nuclear pore complex?
Forms an aqueous transport channel and regulates molecular transport.
What happens to chromatin when a cell prepares to divide?
Chromatin coils and condenses to form short, barlike bodies called chromosomes.
What do microvilli do?
Increase the plasma membrane surface area.
What are microtubules made of and their role?
Cylindrical structures made of tubulin proteins; support the cell, give it shape, and are involved in intracellular movements.
What metabolic function do lysosomes perform related to glycogen?
They degrade glycogen at a relatively constant rate.
What distinguishes the centrosome of spermatozoa from typical centrioles?
It contains a proximal centriole and a distal centriole with an atypical structure.
Why is interphase sometimes referred to as the 'resting phase'?
Because early cytologists thought cells were inactive, but it is actually a period of metabolic activity.
What is the function of peroxisomes?
Detoxify toxic substances and break down hydrogen peroxide using catalase.
What are the three recognizable regions or structures of the nucleus?
Nuclear envelope, nucleoli, and chromatin.
What is the composition of chromatin?
Chromatin is composed of approximately 30% DNA, 60% globular histone proteins, and 10% RNA chains.
What are the three types of rods in the cytoskeleton?
Microfilaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules.
What protein makes up microfilaments?
Actin.
How do motor proteins function in relation to microtubules?
They move and reposition organelles along the microtubules powered by ATP.
What is the function of the nuclear envelope?
It separates the nucleoplasm from the cytoplasm and regulates the passage of substances to and from the nucleus.
What unique structure do centrioles form the bases of?
Cilia and flagella.
What is the shape of the centriole pair?
Oriented at right angles to each other.
What is the function of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum?
Site of lipid and steroid synthesis, lipid metabolism, drug detoxification, and Ca2+ storage.
What do inclusions in the cytoplasm store?
Varied substances including stored nutrients like lipid droplets and glycogen granules.
What is the nucleus and its primary function?
The largest organelle, surrounded by the nuclear envelope; it controls the cell and transmits genetic information.
What role do lysosomes play in a cell?
They function as the cell's 'demolition crew' by digesting particles, degrading stressed or dead cells, and performing metabolic functions.
What are nucleosomes?
Nucleosomes are the fundamental units of chromatin, consisting of clusters of eight histone proteins connected by a DNA molecule.
What are lysosomes and their function?
Membranous sacs containing acid hydrolases; sites of intracellular digestion.
What is the function of mitochondria?
Site of ATP synthesis; known as the powerhouse of the cell.
What is the significance of extended chromatin?
Extended chromatin segments are active and expose different DNA segments for synthesizing proteins or RNA species.
What role do dynein arms play in cilia and flagella?
Dynein arms are motor proteins that produce the movement of the cilium or flagellum by gripping and pushing adjacent doublets.
What are the components of the nucleus?
Nuclear envelope, nucleolus, and chromatin.
What is the function of the nuclear lamina?
Maintains the shape of the nucleus and organizes DNA.
What process is referred to as autophagy?
The degradation of stressed or dead cells and worn-out organelles by lysosomes.
What is nucleo-plasm?
The jellylike fluid enclosed by the nuclear envelope.
How does the nuclear envelope compare to other cell membranes?
It is selectively permeable but allows substances to pass more freely.
What is the only flagellated cell in the human body?
The sperm cell, which has one propulsive flagellum commonly called a tail.
What is a physical finding associated with Tay-Sachs disease?
A 'cherry red spot' on the macula of the retina.
What guides the transport of molecules through nuclear pores?
Soluble transport proteins.
How do methyl and acetyl groups affect histone proteins?
Methyl groups can shut down nearby DNA, while acetyl groups expose different DNA segments for gene expression.
What initiates the formation of cilia in a cell?
Centrioles multiply and line up beneath the plasma membrane at the cell's exposed surface, leading to the sprouting of microtubules.
What is the significance of the G2/M checkpoint?
The cell ensures that all DNA is replicated and damaged DNA has been repaired before division.
What types of molecules can pass through nuclear pores?
Small molecules, protein molecules, and RNA molecules.
What happens during the uncoiling step of DNA replication?
Enzymes unwind the DNA molecule, forming a replication bubble.
What is chromatin made of?
DNA and histone proteins.
What are centrioles and their role during mitosis?
Paired cylindrical bodies that organize the microtubule network and form the spindle and asters during cell division.
What is the dynamic nature of microtubules?
They constantly grow, disassemble, and reassemble.
What is the function of cilia?
Short cell-surface projections that create a unidirectional current to propel substances across cell surfaces.