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Ch 8 vocab
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Cell | Basic units of all forms of life |
| cell theory | fundamental concept of biology that states that all living things are composed of cells; that cells are the basic units of structure and function in living things; and that new cells are produced from existing cells |
| Nucleus | in cells, structure that contains the cell's genetic material in the form of DNA |
| Eukaryote | organism whose cells contain a nucleus |
| Prokaryote | unicellular organism that lacks a nucleus |
| Cytoplasm | fluid portion of the cell outside the nucleus |
| Organelle | specialized structure that performs important cellular functions within a eukaryotic cell |
| Ribosome | cell organelle consisting of RNA and protein found throughout the cytoplasm in a cell; the site of protein synthesis |
| Endoplasmic reticulum | internal membrane system found in eukaryotic cells; place where lipid components of the cell membrane are assembled |
| Golgi Apparatus/Golgi Body | organelle in cells that modifies, sorts, and packages proteins and other materials from the endoplasmic reticulum for storage in the cell or release outside the cell |
| Vacoule | cell organelle that stores materials such as water, salts, proteins, and carbohydrates |
| Lysosome | cell organelle that breaks down lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins into small molecules that can be used by the rest of the cell |
| cell wall | strong, supporting layer around the cell membrane in some cells |
| Cytoskeleton | network of protein filaments in a eukaryotic cell that gives the cell its shape and internal organization and is involved in movement |
| Chloroplast | organelle found in cells of plants and some other organisms that captures the energy from sunlight and converts it into chemical energy |
| Mitochondrion | cell organelle that converts the chemical energy stored in food into compounds that are more convenient for the cell to use |
| Lipid Bilayer | flexible double-layered sheet that makes up the cell membrane and forms a barrier between the cell and its surroundings |
| Selectively Permeable | property of biological membranes that allows some substances to pass across it while others cannot; also called semipermeable membrane |