Download Microorganism Vocabulary Words 1. Amoeba Single-celled life

Vocabulary Word
Microorganism Vocabulary Words
Actual Definition
1. Amoeba
2. Autotrophs
3. Cilium
Single-celled life-form characterized by an
irregular shape and move using
pseudopodia, or temporary projections of
eukaryotes.
Organisms that make their own food.
"Hair-like" structures on outer membranes
of some cells used for movement.
A gel-like substance that holds all the cell's
organelles, except for the nucleus.
4. Cytoplasm
5. Cytoplasmic
Streaming
The directed flow of cytosol or the liquid
component of the cytoplasm around plant
cells.
A protist that can both eat food as animals
by heterotrophy; and can photosynthesize,
like plants, by autotrophy.
6. Euglena
7. Eukaryotes
8. Flagellum
Cellular organisms that contain nuclei.
"Tail-like " structure attached to the outer
membrane of some cells used for
movement.
Organisms that cannot make their own
food.
Organisms that are composed of many
10. Multicellular
cells.
9. Heterotroph
Example/Picture
11. Paramecium
A group of unicellular protozoa, which are
commonly studied as a representative of
the ciliate group, or cilia movement.
The cellular process of engulfing solid
particles by reshaping the cell membrane.
12.
Phagocytosis
13. Prokaryotes
14. Protists
Cellular organisms that lack a nucleus.
Eukaryotes that cannot be classified as
animals, plants, or fungi.
A diverse group of single-cell eukaryotic
organisms, many of which are mobile.
Amoebae, Euglena,
Protozoa
15. Protozoa
16. Unicellular
17. Volvox
Organism that is single-celled.
A type of green algae and forms spherical
colonies of up to 50,000 cells who live in a
variety of freshwater habitats.
Cell Vocabulary
Vocabulary Word
Actual Definition
1. Cell
Membrane
It protects, supports, and controls
movement of substances in and
out of the cell.
Example/Picture
2. Cell Wall
The rigid, outermost layer of a
plant cell.
3. Chloroplast
A small, oval, green organelle that
contains chlorophyll and is where
photosynthesis occurs.
4. Mitochondria
The part of a cell that controls
growth and reproduction;
“powerhouse”
5. Nucleus
The control center of a cell that
directs the cell’s activities and
contains the information that
determines the cell’s form and
function;“brain”
6. Vacuole
These are the storage tanks for
the cell - they store water, food,
waste, enzymes, etc; “locker”
7. Cytoplasm
A gel-like substance that holds all
the cell's organelles, except for
the nucleus.

These are the protein factories of
the cell - This is where amino
acids are combined to make the
proteins our bodies need to
survive.
9. Endoplasmic 
Reticulum
The transportation system for
the cell - helps to move
substances through the cytoplasm
within the cell.
8. Ribosome
10. Golgi Body
They receive proteins and other
newly formed materials from the
endoplasmic reticulum, package
them, and distribute them to
other parts of the cell or outside
of the cell. These structures can
be thought of as the cell's
mailroom.
11. Chromosomes They direct the production of
proteins in the cell and are
responsible for cell growth and
reproduction. They are found in
the nucleus.
12. Cell
The basic unit of structure and
function in a living thing.
13. Organelles
Tiny structures that cells are
made of.
Cellular Reproduction Vocabulary Chart
Vocabulary Word
14. Asexual
Reproduction
Actual Definition
A form of reproduction in which a
new organism is created from a
single parent and inherits the genes
of that parent only.
Example/Picture
15. Binary Fission
The subdivision of a cell into two or
more parts and the regeneration of
those parts into two separate cells.
Asexual Reproduction
16. Budding
A form of asexual reproduction in
which a new organism grows on
another one. The new organism
remains attached as it grows,
separating from the parent only
when mature. New organism is a
clone of the original and is genetically
identical to the parent.
Asexual Reproduction
17. Egg cell
The “female” sex cell. Contains ½ the
genetic information of the female
parent.
Sexual Reproduction
18. Fertilization
The process in which the sex cells of
different organisms of the same
species combine to produce a new
organism.
Sexual Reproduction
19. Gamete
A cell that fuses with another during
fertilization (conception) in
organisms that reproduce sexually.
Sexual Reproduction
The stage of the cell cycle during
which the cell’s nucleus divides into
two new nuclei and one copy of the
DNA is distributed into each newly
created cell.
**A form of Asexual Reproduction.
Asexual Reproduction
A special type of cell division or cell
cycle undergone by body cells in
order to turn them into sex cells,
necessary for sexual reproduction.
Sexual Reproduction
20. Mitosis
21. Meiosis
22. Sexual
Reproduction
A form of reproduction in which a
new organism is created by
combining the genetic material of
two organisms of the same or similar
genetic species.
23. Sperm Cell
The “male” sex cell. Contains ½ the
genetic information of the male
parent.
24. Selective
Breeding
1. (also called artificial selection)
2. The process by which
humans breed animals and plants for
particular traits. Typically, strains that
are selectively bred are
domesticated, and the breeding is
normally done by a professional
breeder.
Sexual Reproduction
Sexual Reproduction