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Ultimate AP Biology vocab

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Term
Definition
cerebrum   Largest part of the brain; responsible for voluntary muscular activity, vision, speech, taste, hearing, thought, and memory.  
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channel protein   A membrane protein, specifically a transport protein, that has a hydrophilic channel that certain molecules or atomic ions use as a tunnel.  
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character   A heritable feature that varies among individuals.  
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character displacement   Tendency of characteristics to be more divergent in sympatric populations than allopatric populations.  
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chemiosmosis   Process by which a Hydrogen pump pumps protons into the thylakoid membrane. H+ passively flows through the ATP synthase which leads to the creation of ATP.  
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chemiosmosis   When energy is stored in the form of a hydrogen ion gradient across a membrane which is used to drive cellular work.  
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chemoautotrophs   Organisms that use hydrogen sulfide or other chemicals as energy source instead of light.  
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chiasmata   X-shaped regions where crossing over occurred.  
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chitin   Polysaccharide found in arthropod exoskeletons and fungal cell walls.  
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chlorophyll   Green pigment located within the chloroplasts.  
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chlorophyll a   Only pigment that can participate directly in the light reactions.  
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chloroplasts   Organelles that capture the energy from sunlight and convert it into chemical energy in a process called photosynthesis.  
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cholesterol   Steroid common in cell membranes, also in many hormones.  
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chondrocytes   Cells that secrete cartilage.  
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chorionic villus sampling (CVS)   Prenatal diagnostic technique that involves taking a sample of tissue from the chorion.  
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chromatin   The complex of DNA and proteins that makes up a eukaryotic chromosome.  
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chromatin   The readily stainable substance of a cell nucleus consisting of DNA and RNA and various proteins.  
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chromatin   The readily stainable substance of a cell nucleus consisting of DNA and RNA and various proteins.  
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chromosome theory of inheritance   According to this theory, genes are carried from parents to their offspring on chromosomes.  
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chromosomes   A threadlike, gene-carrying structure found in the nucleus. Consists of one very long DNA molecule and associated proteins.  
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chromosomes   Threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes.  
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circadian rhythm   A physiological cycle of about 24 hours that is present in all eukaryotic organisms and that persists even in the absence of external cues.  
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circadian rhythms   The 24-hour biological cycles found in humans and many other species.  
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citric acid cycle   Completes the breakdown of glucose by oxidizing a derivative of pyruvate to carbon dioxide.  
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clade   A taxonomic grouping that includes only a single ancestor and all of its descendants.  
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cladistics   A phylogenetic classification system that uses shared derived characters and ancestry as the sole criterion for grouping taxa.  
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cladogram   Diagram that shows patterns of shared characteristics.  
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classical conditioning   An arbitrary stimulus is associated with an award or punishment.  
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cleavage   The process of cytokinesis in animal cells, characterized by pinching of the plasma membrane; specifically.  
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cleavage furrow   The first sign of cleavage in an animal cell; a shallow groove in the cell surface near the old metaphase plate.  
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climate   Prevailing weather conditions of an area.  
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cline   A graded change in a trait along a geographic axis.  
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clone   An identical genetically individual of the parent  
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cloning   Making a genetically identical copy of DNA or of an organism.  
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cloning vector   DNA molecules that can carry foreign DNA into a host cell and replicate there.  
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clumped dispersion   The most common pattern of dispersion; individuals aggregated in patches.  
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cocci   Spherical bacteria.  
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codominance   When which the phenotypes of both alleles are exhibited in the heterozygote.  
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codons   mRNA base triplets.  
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coefficient of relatedness   Probability that if two individuals share common parent or ancestor, a particular gene present in one will be present in other.  
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coenzyme   If the cofactor is an organic molecule.  
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coevolution   Reciprocal evolutionary adaptations of two interacting species.  
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cofactor   Non-protein helpers that may be bound tightly to the enzyme as a permanent resident, or may bind loosely and reversibly along with the substrate.  
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cognition   The ability of an animal's nervous system to perceive, store, process, and use information gathered by sensory receptors.  
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cognitive maps   An internal representation of the spatial relationships between objects in an animal's surroundings.  
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cohesion   Water molecules sticking to each other.  
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cohort   A group of individuals of the same age.  
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coleoptile   Covers and protects the shoot as it grows upward.  
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collagenous fibers   Fibers made of collagen.  
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colonies   Collections of autonomously replicating cells.  
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columnar epithelium   Cells shaped like bricks standing on end.  
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commensalism   Interaction between species that benefits one but neither helps or harms the other. (+/0)  
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communication   Signals among animals that include sounds, odors, visual displays, and touches that produce responses.  
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community   All species that inhabit an area.  
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comparative embryology   Embryos of vertebrates share many anatomical homologies.  
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competitive exclusion.   Strong competition can lead to local elimination of one of the species  
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Competitive Exclusion Principle   Two species competing for same limiting resource cannot coexist in one place; one species will have an advantage that will eventually lead to competitive exclusion  
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competitive inhibitors   Reduce the productivity of enzymes by blocking substrates from entering active sites.  
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complement system   A group of about 30 blood proteins that may amplify the inflammatory response, enhance phagocytosis, or directly lyse extracellular pathogens.  
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complementary DNA (cDNA)   DNA molecule made in vitro using mRNA as a template and the enzyme reverse transcriptase.  
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complete dominance   When the phenotypes of the heterozygote and dominant homozygote are indistinguishable.  
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complete flower   A flower that has all four basic floral organs: sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels.  
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concentration gradient   A difference in the concentration of a substance across a distance.  
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conformer   An animal that allows its internal condition to vary with certain external changes.  
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conjugation   In bacteria, the direct transfer of DNA between two cells that are temporarily joined.  
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connective tissue   Tissue that functions mainly to bind and support other tissues.  
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conservation biology   Integrates ecology, physiology, molecular biology, genetics and evolutionary biology to conserve biological diversity.  
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contractile vacuoles   A membranous sac that helps move excess water out of the cell.  
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control elements   segments of noncoding DNA in eukaryotic genes that help regulate transcription by binding to certain proteins.  
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cooperativity   It amplifies the response of enzymes to substrates.  
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corpus callosum   Nerves that enable communication between the right and left cerebral hemispheres.  
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cotransport   The coupling of the "downhill" diffusion of one substance to the "uphill" transport of another against its own concentration gradient.  
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countercurrent heat exchanger   In ectotherms, a circulatory adaptation that is an arrangement of blood vessels that warm or cool the blood.  
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crenation   This happens when a cell shrinks and shrivels; can result in cell death if severe.  
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cristae   Infoldings of the inner membrane of a mitochondrion that houses the electon transport chain and the enzyme catalyzing the synthesis of ATP.  
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critical load   The amount of added nutrient that can be absorbed by plants without damaging ecosystem.  
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crossing over   Nonsister chromatids exchanging DNA segments.  
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crossing over   Process in which homologous chromosomes exchange portions of their chromatids during meiosis.  
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cryptic coloration   Camouflage; makes an organism difficult to spot.  
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cubiodal epithelium   Dice-shaped cells.  
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culture   A system of information transfer through influential social learning or teaching.  
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cyclic AMP (cAMP)   A compound formed from ATP that acts as a second messenger.  
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cyclic photophosphorolation   Only Photosystem I works. ATP is made, no oxygen is produced, no water is split, no NADPH is made.  
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cystic fibrosis   A genetic disorder that is present at birth and affects both the respiratory and digestive systems.  
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cytogenetic maps   A chart of a chromosome that locates genes with respect to chromosomal features distinguishable in a microscope.  
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cytokines   Chemicals released by the immune system communicate with the brain.  
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cytokinesis   Division of the cytoplasm to form two separate daughter cells.  
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cytokinins   A class of plant hormones that retard aging and act in concert with auxin to stimulate cell division, influence the pathway of differentiation, and control apical dominance.  
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cytolysis   This happens when a cell swells until pressure bursts it, resulting in cell death.  
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cytoplasm   The region of the cell between the cell membrane and the nucleus.  
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cytoplasmic determinants   Maternal substances in egg that influence the course of early development.  
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cytoplasmic streaming   The motion of cytoplasm in a cell that results in a coordinated movement of the cell's contents.  
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cytoskeleton   Network of protein filaments within some cells that helps the cell maintain its shape and is involved in many forms of cell movement.  
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cytosol   The soluble portion of the cytoplasm, which includes molecules and small particles, such as ribosomes, but not the organelles covered with membranes.  
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cytotoxic T cells or "killer T cells"   T cells that directly attack infecting organisms; these cells attack antigen labeled foreign or host tissue.  
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daily torpor   in small mammals and birds, daily lowering of metabolism that allows them to survive on stored energy  
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day-neutral plant   A plant whose flowering is not affected by photoperiod.  
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de-etiolation   The changes a plant shoot undergoes in response to sunlight; also known informally as greening.  
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decent with modification   Darwin's way of referring to evolution.  
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dehydration synthesis   Condensation reaction where molecules are connected by loss of a water molecule.  
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deletion   A change to a chromosome in which a fragment of the chromosome is removed.  
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demographic transition   Movement from a high birth rate, high death rate to a low birth rate, low death rate.  
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demography   Study of vital statistics of a population and how they change over time.  
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denaturation I   n proteins, a process in which a protein unravels and loses its native conformation, thereby becoming biologically inactive. In DNA, the separation of the two strands of the double helix.  
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dendrites   Highly branched extensions that receive signals from other neurons.  
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density dependent inhibition   The arrest of cell division that occurs when cells grown in a laboratory dish touch one another.  
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density-dependent regulation   When birth or death rates do change with population density.  
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density-independent regulation   When birth or death rates do not change with population density.  
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depolarization   The process during the action potential when sodium is rushing into the cell causing the interior to become more positive.  
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determination   The point during development at which a cell becomes committed to a particular fate due to cytoplasmic effects or to induction by neighboring cells.  
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detritivores   Obtain energy from detritus.  
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detritus   Nonliving organic maters such as remains of dead organisms, feces, fallen leaves, dead wood.  
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diacylglycerol (DAG)   A second messenger produced by the cleavage of a certain kind of phospholipid in the plasma membrane.  
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dialysis   The diffusion of small solutes through a selectively permeable membrane.  
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differential gene expression   The expression of different sets of genes by cells with the same genome.  
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diffusion   When a substance moves from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. Due to entropy.  
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digestion   To break apart.  
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dihybrids Parents that are heterozygous for two characters.   Parents that are heterozygous for two characters.  
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dioecious   If staminate and carpellate flowers are on different plants.  
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diploid cell   Has two sets of chromosomes.  
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directional selection   Shift toward a favorable variation.  
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discrete characteristics   Characteristics that are classified on an either-or basis, determined by a single gene locus.  
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dispersal   Movement of individuals away from centers of high population density or their area of origin.  
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dispersion   Pattern of spacing among individuals.  
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disruptive selection   Shift toward the extremes.  
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disturbance   An event, such as storm, fire, flood, drought, overgrazing or human activity, that changes a community and alters resource availability.  
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disulphide bridges   Reinforce tertiary structure.  
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DNA ligase   A linking enzyme essential for DNA replication; catalyzes the covalent bonding of the 3' end of a new DNA fragment to the 5' end of a growing chain.  
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DNA methylation   The addition of methyl groups to bases of DNA after DNA synthesis; may serve as a long-term control of gene expression.  
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DNA polymerase   An enzyme that catalyzes the formation of the DNA molecule.  
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DNA sequencing   Determining the exact order of the base pairs in a segment of DNA.  
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domains   Discrete structural and functional regions of proteins.  
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dominant allele   An allele whose trait always shows up in the organism when the allele is present.  
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dominant species   Species that are the most abundant or have the most biomass.  
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dopamine   Important neurotransmitter in the CNS that acts on the sympathetic nervous system.  
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dormancy   A condition typified by extremely low metabolic rate and a suspension of growth and development.  
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double fertilization   A mechanism of fertilization in angiosperms, in which two sperm cells unite with two cells in the embryo sac to form the zygote and endosperm.  
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Downs Syndrome   A congenital disorder caused by having an extra Chromosome 21.  
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Duchenne muscular dystrophy   A human genetic disease caused by a sex-linked recessive allele; characterized by progressive weakening and a loss of muscle tissue.  
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dynamic stability hypothesis   Long food chains are less stable than short chains.  
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ecological footprint   Land and water area appropriated by each nation as a resource to consume or to absorb the waste it generates.  
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ecological niche   Sum total of a species' use of the biotic and abiotic resources.  
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ecological succession   Gradual recolonization of a disturbed area; species replaced by other species which are replaced by other species.  
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ecology .   Study of interactions between organisms and the environment  
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ecosystem   Consists of all the organisms living in a community as well as all the abiotic factors with which they interact.  
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ectoparasites   Parasites that feed on external surface of host.  
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edocrine glands   Glands that secrete chemicals called hormones directly into the bloodstream.  
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effector cells   Muscle cells or gland cells that carry out the body's response to stimuli.  
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elastic fibers   Fibers made of elastin.  
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electrochemical gradient   The combination of forces that acts on membrane potential.  
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electronegativity   Attraction of an atom for electrons in a covalent bond.  
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electroporation   A technique to introduce recombinant DNA into cells by applying a brief electrical pulse to a solution containing the cells. The pulse creates temporary holes in the cells' plasma membrane, through which DNA can enter.  
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elicitors   A molecule that induces a broad type of host defense response  
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emigration   Movement out of population. Decreases population size.  
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enantiomers   Structures that are like a mirror-image.  
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endangered species   Species that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.  
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endergonic reaction   Reaction that absorbs free energy from its surroundings.  
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endocrine signaling   Specialized cells release hormone molecules into vessels of the circulatory system, by which they travel to target cells in other parts of the body.  
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endocrine system   The system of glands that produce endocrine secretions that help to control bodily metabolic activity.  
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endocytosis   Occurs when a cell takes in biological molecules and particulate matter by forming new vesicles from the plasma membrane.  
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endomembrane system   A network of membranes inside and around a eukaryotic cell, related either through direct physical contact or by the transfer of membranous vesicles.  
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endoparasites   Parasites that live within the body of their host.  
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endorphins   Natural analgesics that decrease pain perception.  
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endosperm   In angiosperms, a nutrient-rich tissue formed by the union of a sperm with two polar nuclei during double fertilization. Provides nourishment to the developing embryo in angiosperm seeds.  
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endospore   A thick-walled protective spore that forms inside a bacterial cell and resists harsh conditions.  
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endosymbiotic theory   Ancestors of mitochondria and plastids was prokaryotes that came to live in a host cell.  
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endothermic   Animals that are warmed mostly by heat generated by metabolism.  
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energy coupling   The use of an exergonic process to drive an endergonic one.  
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energy hypothesis   Length of a food chain is limited by the inefficiency of energy transfer.  
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enhancer   A DNA segment containing multiple control elements that can recognize certain transcription factors that stimulate the transcription of nearby genes.  
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enteric division   One of three divisions of the autonomic nervous system; consists of networks of neurons in the digestive tract, pancreas, and gallbladder.  
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entropy   A measure of disorder or randomness.  
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enzymatic activity   A protein built into the membrane with active site exposed.  
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enzyme   A catalytic protein.  
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enzyme-substrate complex   When an enzyme binds to its substrate, it forms:  
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epigenetic inheritance   Inheritance of traits transmitted by mechanisms not directly involving the nucleotide sequence.  
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epinephrine   Neurotransmitter secreted by the adrenal medulla in response to stress. Also known as adrenaline.  
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episome   A genetic element that can exist either as a plasmid or as part of the bacterial chromosome.  
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epithelial tissue   Tissue that covers outside of the body and lines organs and cavities.  
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epitope   Small, accessible portion of an antigen that can be recognized.  
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equatorial-polar gradients   Species diversity highest at equator, decreases toward poles.  
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Erwin Chargaff   Discovered that DNA composition varies, but the amount of adenine is always the same as thymine and the amount of cytosine is always the same as guanine.  
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estivation   Summer torpor. Enables animals to survive long periods of high temperatures and scarce water supplies.  
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ethology   The scientific study of how animals behave, particularly in natural environments.  
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ethylene   The only gaseous plant hormone. Among its many effects are response to mechanical stress, programmed cell death, leaf abscission, and fruit ripening.  
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