Glossary of cell biology

• Anaphase - phase of mitosis in which the chromosomes begin to pull to opposite poles of the cell

• Abiogenesis - spontaneous generation, nonliving matter yielding life

• Animal - kingdom composed of multicellular organisms divided into two divisions: vertebrates and invertebrates, who obtain their food from external sources and reproduce sexually or asexually

• Asexual - a type of reproduction that does not require the union of female and male gametes

• Biogenesis - the concept that all life arises from living matter

• Cell - the smallest unit of life that carries out its own processes

• Cellulose - a carbohydrate that is found in cell walls

• Cell wall - multi-layered, sturdy structure composed of cellulose that provides plants and other organisms with their rigidity

• Centrioles - essential tubular organelles found near the nucleus in pairs that aid in cellular division

• Chlorophyll - the green material found in chloroplasts that is active in photosynthesis

• Chloroplasts - membrane-bound organelles containing chlorophyll that is found in photosynthetic organisms

• Chromosomes - condensed form of chromatin visible during cellular division

• Cytoplasm - collective term for cytosol and all the organelles contained in it (outside the nucleus and within the plasma membrane)

• Cytoskeleton - network of microtubules that support and give structure to cell while aiding in intracellular transport

• Cytosol - jelly-like material that contains the organelles between the nucleus and the plasma membrane

• DNA - deoxyribonucleic acid is the double-helix molecule holding the genetic information of organisms that, along with protein, composes the chromatin

• Endoplasmic reticulum - the cell's highway transport system composed of tubes and membranes connected to the nuclear membrane and extending through the cytoplasm that is also utilized for storing and separating

• Enzyme - a protein utilized in chemical reactions

• Eukaryotes - advanced cell type with a nuclear membrane surrounding genetic material and numerous membrane-bound organelles dispersed in a complex cellular structure

• Flagellum - an extension on many unicellular organisms that enables movement through whip-like motions

• Fungi - kingdom in which organisms may be unicellular or multicellular, obtain their food from external sources, and reproduce sexual or asexually

• Golgi apparatus - multi-layered organelle near the nucleus used for packaging of materials to be transported out of the cell

• Interphase - time period between cellular divisions in which cellular processes such as protein synthesis are carried out

• Lysosomes - the digestive plants of food for the cell, changes shape from task to task

• Meiosis - cellular division that yields four gametes through two cellular divisions

• Metaphase - phase of mitosis in which the chromosome pairs line up at the equator of the cell

• Mitochondria - genetically independent organelles that produce energy for the cells along their many internal folds, called cristae

• Mitosis - cellular division that yields two identical cells from one cell through a five-step process

• Moneran - simplest kingdom containing prokaryotic cells (mostly bacteria), some of which can create their own food

• Nuclear membrane - membrane surrounding the nucleus that is covered with pores and controls nuclear traffic

• Nucleolus - spherical structure within the nucleus that contains RNA

• Nucleus - spherical organelle that is the cell's control center

• Phagocyte - collective term for cells that engulf other cells or microorganisms

• Plant - kingdom containing a variety of multicellular organelles that reproduce sexually or asexually, and also carry out photosynthesis

• Plasma membrane - outer membrane of cells composed of proteins and a phospholipid bi-layer that controls cellular traffic

• Plastid - vital organelle that aids in the metabolism of unicellular organisms and plant cells (chloroplasts, chromoplasts, leucoplasts are examples)

• Prokaryotes - primitive cell type that lacks a nuclear membrane and membrane-bound organelles

• Protein - a complex molecule found in numerous cellular structures that is composed of amino acids

• Protist cell - kingdom containing organisms with eukaryotic cells that are unicellular and multicellular and reproduce sexually and asexually

• Prophase - phase of mitosis in which the chromatin duplicates itself and thickens into chromosomes, the spindle fibers form, and the nuclear membrane disintegrates

• Ribosomes - extremely small grain-like organelle that provides the sites for protein synthesis (they may be free in the cytoplasm or attached to the endoplasmic reticulum)

• RNA - ribonucleic acid, a molecule that is a necessary component of the protein synthesis process

• Sexual - reproduction involving the union of female and male gametes to form a zygote

• Spontaneous generation - abiogenesis, the creation of life from nonliving material

• Telophase - phase of mitosis in which the chromosome pairs have separated and reached opposite poles of the cell as the spindle begins to disintegrate, the nuclear membrane reappears, and the cytoplasm begins to divide

• Vacuoles - membrane-bound organelles in the cytoplasm that are used for storage and digestion