g l o s s a r y
Wondering what a word means? Need a definition? This is the place to check it.
- Acid
- any substance that dissociates to form H+ ions when dissolved in water.
- Alpha-cell
- a cell in the islets of Langerhans that produces the hormone glucagon, which causes liver cells to release stored glucose and fat cells to break down triglycerides.
- Amino acids
- molecules containing an amino group (-NH2), a carboxyl group (-COOH), a hydrogen atom, and a functional group designated R, all bonded to a central carbon atom.
- Beta-cell
- a cell in the islets of Langerhans that secretes insulin when a person eats, storing away glucose to be used later.
- Carbohydrate
- an organic compound consisting of a chain or ring of carbon atoms to which hydrogen and oxygen atoms are attached approximately 1:2:1; they have a general formula of (CH2O)n.
- Enzymatic hydrolysis
- enzymes which catalyse the hydrolysis of molecules.
- Enzyme
- a protein capable of speeding up specific chemical reactions by lowering the energy required to activate or start the reaction but remains unaltered in the process.
- Epithelial cells
- a thin layer of cells forming a tissue that covers the internal and external surfaces of the body.
- Fat
- a molecule containing many more C - H bonds than carbohydrates contain, thus providing more efficient energy storage.
- Fatty acids
- components of fats, oils, phospholipids, and waxes.
- Fermentation
- respiration in which the final electron acceptor is an organic molecule.
- Glucose
- the most common six-carbon sugar in most organisms.
- Homeostasis
- the maintainance of a relatively stable internal physiological environment in an organism.
- Hormone
- a chemical messenger, often a steroid or peptide, produced in a small quantity in one part of an organism and then transported to another part of the organism, where it brings about a physiological response.
- Hydrolysis
- the process of tearing down a polymer (a large molecule formed of long chains of similar molecules) by adding a molecule of water.
- Lymph
- in animals, a colourless fluid derived from blood by filtration through capillary walls in the tissues.
- Metabolism
- the process by which all living things assimilate energy and use it to grow.
- Peptide
- two or more amino acids linked by peptide bonds.
- Protein
- a long chain of amino acids linked end to end by peptide bonds.