Cells: Organelles, Membranes and Communication Test Review Guide
Cell Organelles
 Know what each of the organelles covered in your class and book does and why
the cell needs it - why would it have more than average number of them? What
would happen if you got rid of them?
 Be able to recognize and explain where and how each of the organelles formed
(endosymbiosis or invagination of the membrane) an any evidence that supports
the theory
 Know the rules behind surface area to volume and how they affect cell size
 Know the difference between what you would find in a Eukaryotic and
Prokaryotic cell ... and a Plant and Animal cell
 Understand each of the different types of cell junctions and where they would be
found (and why).
 Know the difference between prokaryotic cell walls, DNA and ribosomes
Cell Membranes and Transport
 Know the structure of a cell membrane - what it looks like, where the proteins are,
what regions are hydrophillic/hydrophobic
 From a given diagram be able to recognize what types of cell transport (passive,
facilitative or active) are being illustrated
 Know what environments cells prefer and what can happen to them if put into a
different tonicity
 Understand the differences in hypertonic, hypotonic and isotonic - where the free
energy is higher and where the molecules are moving.
 Be able to describe the transport process and explain how the organization of cell
membranes functions in the movement of specific molecules across membranes
 Be able to explain the significance of each type of transport to a specific cell
(know examples for each and "why" the cell would use them)
Cell Communication
 Understand the basic forms of cell communication and how they work
 Know the basics about how each receptor works
 Understand what a signal transduction pathway is, why they are used and how
they work
Math
 Be able to calculate water potential
 Be able to calculate surface are and volume