Biochemistry and Cell Structure: English Vocabulary List

a substance found in the cell walls of plants, providing structure and making up dietary fiber

"Cellulose in plant walls."

"Cellulose is the main structural component of plant cell walls."

a natural sugar found in fruits and honey, often used to sweeten foods and drinks

"Fructose is a natural fruit sugar."

"Fructose is a natural sugar found in fruits and honey and it is much sweeter than glucose which is why it is used in many sweetened beverages."

a basic kind of sugar that is a component of carbohydrates and provides energy for many living organisms

"Glucose is energy source."

"Glucose is the primary energy source for human cells."

a short chain of amino acids linked together, which can function as a building block for proteins or act as a signaling molecule in the body

"Short peptide chain."

"Peptides are short chains of amino acids."

a type of pigment found in plants, algae, and some bacteria, responsible for bright red, yellow, and orange colors and important for photosynthesis and antioxidant activity

"Carotenoid pigments give carrots their orange color"

"Carotenoids give carrots and tomatoes their orange color."

a substance that all living organisms produce that brings about a chemical reaction without being altered itself

"An enzyme speeds digestion."

"This specific enzyme catalyzes the breakdown of complex carbohydrates into simpler sugars."

the entire set of proteins expressed by a cell, tissue, or organism at a specific time under defined conditions

"The cell proteome."

"The proteome is the complete set of proteins expressed by an organism."

a molecule that forms the basic building block of DNA and RNA, consisting of a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base

"DNA is made of nucleotides."

"A nucleotide is an organic molecule composed of a sugar"

a simple sugar molecule, the most basic form of carbohydrates that cannot be further hydrolyzed

"Glucose is a monosaccharide."

"Monosaccharides are the simplest form of carbohydrates."

a fundamental compound derived from glutamic acid, integral to biological functions and known for its role as a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system

"Glutamate as neurotransmitter."

"Glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain."

a substance, such as vitamin E, that helps clean the body of harmful substances

"Vitamin C is antioxidant."

"Antioxidants protect cells from damage by free radicals."

any of a class of organic substances that do not dissolve in water that include many natural oils, waxes, and steroids

"A lipid does not dissolve."

"Each lipid molecule in the bilayer has a hydrophilic head and hydrophobic tails."

a specialized, membrane-bound structure within a cell that performs specific functions, contributing to the cell's overall structure and function

"Mitochondria are cell organelles."

"An organelle is a specialized structure within a cell that performs a specific function like energy production."

relating to or characteristic of mitochondria, which are organelles found in cells responsible for energy production

"The DNA is mitochondrial."

"The mitochondrial DNA is inherited only from the mother and scientists use it to trace maternal ancestry through many generations."

the gel-like, semifluid substance within a cell that surrounds the organelles, providing a medium for cellular activities, including metabolism, transport of substances, and support for cellular structures

"Cytoplasm fills the inside of cells."

"Cytoplasm is the gel-like substance filling the interior of a cell"

a green pigment found in all green plants and cyanobacteria that is responsible for the absorption of the sunlight needed for the photosynthesis process

"Chlorophyll is the green pigment in leaves that captures sunlight for photosynthesis."

"Chlorophyll is a light-absorbing pigment found in chloroplasts that plays the central role in photosynthesis by converting solar energy into chemical energy for the plant."

a thin sheet of tissue that separates or covers the inner parts of an organism

"The cell membrane protects it."

"The semipermeable membrane regulates the passage of substances into and out of the cell."

a cellular organelle involved in the processing, packaging, and distribution of proteins and lipids within the cell, consisting of a stack of flattened membrane sacs called cisternae

"The Golgi apparatus packages proteins."

"The Golgi apparatus within the cell modifies, sorts, and packages proteins and lipids for secretion or delivery."

a tiny structure within cells that assembles proteins by reading the genetic instructions carried by messenger RNA

"Ribosomes make proteins inside cells."

"A ribosome is a complex molecular machine found within all living cells"

a small, enzyme-filled sac in a cell that breaks down waste materials and unwanted substances

"Lysosomes break down waste inside cells."

"Lysosomes are cell organelles that digest waste materials and break down harmful substances inside cells."

a cell organelle in plants, fungi, and some protists that stores nutrients, manages waste, and helps maintain cell pressure

"Plant cells have a large vacuole."

"A vacuole is a membrane-bound organelle used for storage and maintaining turgor pressure"

a plant cell organelle that uses sunlight to produce energy and make glucose through photosynthesis

"Chloroplasts make food for plants."

"A chloroplast is a specialized organelle in plant cells where photosynthesis occurs"

a network of protein fibers in a cell that gives it shape, supports its structure, and aids in movement

"The cytoskeleton gives the cell its shape and helps it move around."

"The cytoskeleton is a dynamic network of protein filaments extending throughout the cytoplasm"

(biology) taking place inside one cell or more

"The bacteria is intracellular."

"The intracellular bacteria live inside the host's cells where they are protected from the immune system and antibiotics."

a layer of actively dividing cells in plants, responsible for secondary growth by producing new xylem and phloem tissues

"The cambium layer helps trees grow thicker."

"The cambium layer in a tree trunk produces new xylem and phloem cells each year causing the trunk to grow wider over time."

a group of cells in the body of living things, forming their different parts

"Muscle tissue helps movement."

"Nerve tissue transmits electrical signals throughout the body, enabling communication."

(biology) the part of a cell that contains most of the genetic information

"The nucleus controls the cell."

"The nucleus is the control center of a cell and contains its genetic material."

a branch of biology concerning the scientific study of the form and structure of an organism including plants and animals

"Study the morphology of the leaf."

"The intricate morphology of seashells reveals fascinating details about their evolutionary history."