Term | Definition |
cytology | the branch of biology concerned with the structure and function of plant and animal cells. |
cell | A cell is the smallest unit of life that can replicate independently, and cells are often called the "building blocks of life |
organelle | a specialized subunit within a cell that has a specific function. |
organism | any individual living thing that can react to stimuli, reproduce, grow, and maintain homeostasis. It can be a virus, bacterium, protist, fungus, plant or an animal. |
unicellular | A unicellular organism, also known as a single-celled organism, is an organism that consists of only one cell |
multicellular | Multicellular organisms are organisms that consist of more than one cell, in contrast to unicellular organisms. |
Prokaryotic | A microscopic single-celled organism which has neither a distinct nucleus with a membrane nor other specialized organelles, including the bacteria and cyanobacteria. |
prokaryotes | a microscopic single-celled organism that has neither a distinct nucleus with a membrane nor other specialized organelles. |
eukaryotic | An organism whose cells contain a nucleus surrounded by a membrane and whose DNA is bound together by proteins |
eukaryotes | an organism consisting of a cell or cells in which the genetic material is DNA in the form of chromosomes contained within a distinct nucleus |
cell theory | a theory in biology that includes one or both of the statements that the cell is the fundamental structural and functional unit of living matter and that the organism is composed of autonomous cells with its properties being the sum of those of its cells. |
virus | an infective agent that typically consists of a nucleic acid molecule in a protein coat, is too small to be seen by light microscopy, and is able to multiply only within the living cells of a host. |
tissue | any of the distinct types of material of which animals or plants are made, consisting of specialized cells and their products. |
organs | a part of an organism that is typically self-contained and has a specific vital function, such as the heart or liver in humans. |
diffusion/passive transport | the net passive movement of particles (atoms, ions or molecules) from a region in which they are in higher concentration to regions of lower concentration. It continues until the concentration of substances is uniform throughout. |
osmosis | Osmosis is the spontaneous net movement of solvent molecules through a semi-permeable membrane into a region of higher solute concentration, |
active transport | the movement of ions or molecules across a cell membrane into a region of higher concentration, assisted by enzymes and requiring energy. |
semi permeable | allowing certain substances to pass through it but not others, especially allowing the passage of a solvent but not of certain solutes. |
phagocytosis | the process by which a cell—often a phagocyte or a protist—engulfs a solid particle to form an internal compartment known as a phagosome. |
pinocytosis | the ingestion of liquid into a cell by the budding of small vesicles from the cell membrane. |