Science / Biology Glossary

Cell Body: In a neuron, the part that contains the nucleus and most of the cytoplasm and the organelles.

Cell Cycle: The sequence of events from one division of a cell to the next; consists of mitosis (or division) and interphase.

Cell Plate: In plants, a membrane-bound space produced during cytokinesis by the vesicles of the Golgi apparatus. The cell plate fuses with the plasma membrane, dividing the cell into two compartments.

Cell Theory: One of the four (or five) unifying concepts in biology. The cell theory states that all living things are composed of at least one cell and that the cell is the fundamental unit of function . . . View Full Definition

Cell Wall: Structure produced by some cells outside their cell membrane; variously composed of chitin, peptidoglycan, or cellulose.

Cell-Mediated Immunity: Immune reaction directed against body cells that have been infected by viruses and bacteria; controlled by T cells.

Cells: The smallest structural units of living matter capable of functioning independently.

Cellular Respiration: The transfer of energy from various molecules to produce ATP; occurs in the mitochondria of eukaryotes, the cytoplasm of prokaryotes. In the process, oxygen is consumed and carbon dioxide is . . . View Full Definition

Cellulose: A polysaccharide that is composed of unbranched chains of glucose; the major structural carbohydrate of plants, insoluble in water, and indigestible in the human intestine.

Cenozoic Era: The period of geologic time beginning after the end of the Mesozoic Era 65 million years ago and encompassing the present. Commonly referred to as the age of mammals.

Central Nervous System (CNS): The division of the nervous system that includes the brain and spinal cord.

Centriole: Paired cellular organelle which functions in the organization of the mitotic spindle during cell division in eukaryotes.

Centromere: A specialized region on each chromatid to which kinetochores and sister chromatids attach.

Cephalization: The concentration of sensory tissues in the anterior part of the body (head).

Cerebellum: That part of the brain concerned with fine motor coordination and body movement, posture, and balance; is part of the hindbrain and is attached to the rear portion of the brain stem.

Cerebral Cortex: The outer layer of gray matter in the cerebrum; consists mainly of neuronal cell bodies and dendrites in humans; associated with higher functions, including language and abstract thought.

Cerebrum: The part of the forebrain that includes the cerebral cortex; the largest part of the human brain.

Cervix: The lower neck of the uterus that opens into the vagina.

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