Term | Definition |
cell | "little rooms", or the basic unit of living things |
tissue | a group of similar cells that work together to perform a specific job in the body |
organ | a combination of two or more tissues that work together to perform a specific function in the body |
organ system | a group of organs that works together to perform body functions |
organism | anything that can live on it's own |
population | a group of individuals of the same species that live together in the same area at the same time |
community | all of the populations of different species that live and interact in an area |
ecosystem | a community of organisms and their nonliving (abiotic) envirinment |
unicellular | made of a single cell |
multicellular | made of many cells |
cell membrane | a phospholipid layer that covers a cell's surface and acts as a barrier between the inside of a cell and a cell's environment |
organelles | a structure within a cell, sometimes surrounded by a membrane |
cytoplasm | cellular fluid surrounding a cell's organelles |
nucleus | the membrane covered organelle found in eukaryotic cells, contains the cells DNA, serves as the control center for the cell |
prokaryotic | a cell that does not have a nucleus or any other membrane covered organelles; bacteria |
eukaryotic | a cell that contains a central nucleus and a complicated internal structure |
bacteria | extremely small single-celled organisms without a nucleus, prokaryotic cells |
cell wall | a structure that surrounds the cell membrane of some cells, and provides strength and support to the cell membrane |
ribosome | a small organelle in cells where proteins are made from amino acids |
endoplasmic reticulum | a membrane covered organelle that produces lipids, breaks down drugs, and other substances, packages proteins for delivery out of the cell |
mitochondria | cell organelles surrounded by 2 membranes that break down food molecules to make ATP or energy |
nucleolus | a dark spot in the nucleus that stores the materials to make ribosomes in the cytoplasm |
Golgi complex | the cell organelle that modifies, packages, and transports materials out of the cell |
chloroplast | an organelle found in plant and algae cells where photosynthesis occurs |
vesicle | a membrane covered compartment in a eukaryotic cell that forms when part of the cell membrane surrounds an object and pinches off |
vacuole | a large membrane covered structure found in plants that serves as a storage container for water and other liquids |
lysosome | special vesicals in animal cells that contain enzymes to break down worn out organelles |