Chapter 2

 

an- = not (anion: a negatively charged ion)

co- = together; -valent = strength (covalent bond: an attraction between atoms that share one or more pairs of outer-shell electrons)

electro- = electricity (electronegativity: the tendency for an atom to pull electrons towards itself)

iso- = equal (isotope: an element having the same number of protons and electrons but a different number of neutrons)

neutr- = neither (neutron: a subatomic particle with a neutral electrical charge)

pro- = before (proton: a subatomic particle with a single positive electrical charge)


Chapter 3

 

kilo- = a thousand (kilocalorie: a thousand calories)

hydro- = water; -philos = loving; -phobos = fearing (hydrophilic: having an affinity for water; hydrophobic: having an aversion to water)


Chapter 4

 

hydro- = water (hydrocarbon: an organic molecule consisting only of carbon and hydrogen)

iso- = equal (isomer: one of several organic compounds with the same molecular formula but different structures and therefore different properties)

enanti- = opposite (enantiomer: molecules that are mirror images of each other)

carb- = coal (carboxyl group: a functional group present in organic acids, consisting of a carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom)

sulf- = sulfur (sulfhydryl group: a functional group which consists of a sulfur atom bonded to an atom of hydrogen)

thio- = sulfur (thiol: organic compounds containing sulfhydryl groups)


Chapter 5

 

con- = together (condensation reaction: a reaction in which two molecules become covalently bonded to each other through the loss of a small molecule, usually water)

di- = two (disaccharide: two monosaccharides joined together )

glyco- = sweet (glycogen: a polysaccharide sugar used to store energy in animals)

hydro- = water; -lyse = break (hydrolysis: breaking chemical bonds by adding water)

macro- = large (macromolecule: a large molecule)

meros- = part (polymer: a chain made from smaller organic molecules)

mono- = single; -sacchar = sugar (monosaccharide: simplest type of sugar)

poly- = many (polysaccharide: many monosaccharides joined together)

tri- = three (triacylglycerol: three fatty acids linked to one glycerol molecule)

Chapter 6

 

allo- = different (allosteric site: a specific receptor site on some part of an enzyme molecule remote from the active site)

ana- = up (anabolic pathway: a metabolic pathway that consumes energy to build complex molecules from simpler ones)

bio- = life (bioenergetics: the study of how organisms manage their energy resources)

cata- = down (catabolic pathway: a metabolic pathway that releases energy by breaking down complex molecules into simpler ones)

endo- = within (endergonic reaction: a reaction that absorbs free energy from its surroundings)

ex- = out (exergonic reaction: a reaction that proceeds with a net release of free energy)

kinet- = movement (kinetic energy: the energy of motion)

therm- = heat (thermodynamics: the study of the energy transformations that occur in a collection of matter)


Chapter 7

 

centro- = the center; -soma = a body (centrosome: material present in the cytoplasm of all eukaryotic cells and important during cell division)

chloro- = green (chloroplast: the site of photosynthesis in plants and eukaryotic algae)

cili- = hair (cilium: a short hair-like cellular appendage with a microtubule core)

cyto- = cell (cytosol: a semifluid medium in a cell in which are located organelles)

-ell = small (organelle: a small formed body with a specialized function found in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells)

endo- = inner (endomembrane system: the system of membranes within a cell that include the nuclear envelope, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, vacuoles, and the plasma membrane)

eu- = true (eukaryotic cell: a cell that has a true nucleus)

extra- = outside (extracellular matrix: the substance in which animal tissue cells are embedded)

flagell- = whip (flagellum: a long whip-like cellular appendage that moves cells)

glyco- = sweet (glycoprotein: a protein covalently bonded to a carbohydrate)

lamin- = sheet / layer (nuclear lamina: a netlike array of protein filaments that maintains the shape of the nucleus)

lyso- = loosen (lysosome: a membrane-bounded sac of hydrolytic enzymes that a cell uses to digest macromolecules)

micro- = small; -tubul = a little pipe (microtubule: a hollow rod of tubulin protein in the cytoplasm of almost all eukaryotic cells)

nucle- = nucleus; -oid = like (nucleoid: the region where the genetic material is concentrated in prokaryotic cells)

phago- = to eat; -kytos = vessel (phagocytosis: a form of cell eating in which a cell engulfs a smaller organism or food particle)

plasm- = molded; -desma = a band or bond (plasmodesmata: an open channel in a plant cell wall)

pro- = before; karyo- = nucleus (prokaryotic cell: a cell that has no nucleus)

pseudo- = false; -pod = foot (pseudopodium: a cellular extension of amoeboid cells used in moving and feeding)

thylaco- = sac or pouch (thylakoid: a series of flattened sacs within chloroplasts)

tono- = stretched; -plast = molded (tonoplast: the membrane that encloses a large central vacuole in a mature plant cell)

trans- = across; -port = a harbor (transport vesicle: a membranous compartment used to enclose and transport materials from one part of a cell to another)

ultra- = beyond (ultracentrifuge: a machine that spins test tubes at the fastest speeds to separate liquids and particles of different densities)

vacu- = empty (vacuole: sac that buds from the ER, Golgi, or plasma membrane)


Chapter 8

 

amphi- = dual (amphipathic molecule: a molecule that has both a hydrophobic and a hydrophilic region)

aqua- = water; -pori = a small opening (aquaporin: a transport protein in the plasma membrane of a plant or animal cell that specifically facilitates the diffusion of water across the membrane)

co- = together; trans- = across (cotransport: the coupling of the "downhill" diffusion of one substance to the "uphill" transport of another against its own concentration gradient)

electro- = electricity; -genic = producing (electrogenic pump: an ion transport protein generating voltage across a membrane)

endo- = inner; cyto- = cell (endocytosis: the movement of materials into a cell. Cell-eating)

exo- = outer (exocytosis: the movement of materials out of a cell)

hyper- = exceeding; -tonus = tension (hypertonic: a solution with a higher concentration of solutes)

hypo- = lower (hypotonic: a solution with a lower concentration of solutes)

iso- = same; (isotonic: solutions with equal concentrations of solutes)

phago- = eat (phagocytosis: cell eating)

pino- = drink (pinocytosis: cell drinking)

plasm- = molded; -lyso = loosen (plasmolysis: a phenomenon in walled cells in which the cytoplasm shrivels and the plasma membrane pulls away from the cell wall when the cell loses water to a hypertonic environment)


Chapter 9

 

aero- = air (aerobic: chemical reaction using oxygen)

an- = not (anaerobic: chemical reaction not using oxygen)

chemi- = chemical (chemiosmosis: the production of ATP using the energy of hydrogen ion gradients across membranes to phosphorylate ADP)

glyco- = sweet; -lysis = split (glycolysis: the splitting of glucose into pyruvate)


Chapter 10

 

auto- = self; -troph = food (autotroph: an organism that obtains organic food molecules without eating other organisms)

chloro- = green; -phyll = leaf (chlorophyll: photosynthetic pigment in chloroplasts)

electro- = electricity; magnet- = magnetic (electromagnetic spectrum: the entire spectrum of radiation)

hetero- = other (heterotroph: an organism that obtains organic food molecules by eating other organisms or their by-products)

meso- = middle (mesophyll: the green tissue in the middle, inside of a leaf)

photo- = light (photosystem: cluster of pigment molecules)


Chapter 11

 

liga- = bound or tied (ligand: a small molecule that specifically binds to a larger one)

trans- = across (signal-transduction pathway: the process by which a signal on a cell's surface is converted into a specific cellular response inside the cell)

-yl = substance or matter (adenylyl cyclase: an enzyme built into the plasma membrane that converts ATP to cAMP)


Chapter 12

 

ana- = up, throughout, again (anaphase: the mitotic stage in which the chromatids of each chromosome have separated and the daughter chromosomes are moving to the poles of the cell)

bi- = two (binary fission: a type of cell division in a which a cell divides in half)

centro- = the center; -mere = a part (centromere: the narrow "waist" of a condensed chromosome)

chroma- = colored (chromatin: DNA and the various associated proteins that forms eukaryotic chromosomes)

cyclo- = a circle (cyclin: a regulatory protein whose concentration fluctuates cyclically)

cyto- = cell; -kinet = move (cytokinesis: division of the cytoplasm)

gamet- = a wife or husband (gamete: a haploid egg or sperm cell)

gen- = produce (genome: a cell's endowment of DNA)

inter- = between (interphase: time when a cell metabolizes and performs its various functions)

mal- = bad or evil (malignant tumor: a cancerous tumor that is invasive enough to impair functions of one or more organs)

meio- = less (meiosis: a variation of cell division which yields daughter cells with half as many chromosomes as the parent cell)

meta- = between (metaphase: the mitotic stage in which the chromosomes are aligned in the middle of the cell, at the metaphase plate)

mito- = a thread (mitosis: the division of the nucleus)

pro- = before (prophase: the first mitotic stage in which the chromatin is condensing)

soma- = body (centrosome: a nonmembranous organelle that functions throughout the cell cycle to organize the cell's microtubules)

telos- = an end (telophase: the final stage of mitosis in which daughter nuclei are forming and cytokinesis has typically begun)

trans- = across; -form = shape (transformation: the process that converts a normal cell into a cancer cell)


Chapter 13

 

apsis = juncture (synapsis: the pairing of replicated homologous chromosomes during prophase I of meiosis)

a- = not or without (asexual: type of reproduction not involving fertilization)

auto- = self (autosome: the chromosomes that do not determine gender)

chiasm- = marked crosswise (chiasma: the X-shaped microscopically visible region representing homologous chromosomes that have exchanged genetic material through crossing over during meiosis)

di- = two (diploid: cells that contain two homologous sets of chromosomes)

fertil- = fruitful (fertilization: process of fusion of a haploid sperm and a haploid egg cell)

haplo- = single (haploid: cells that contain only one chromosome of each homologous pair)

homo- = like (homologous: like chromosomes that form a pair)

karyo- = nucleus (karyotype: a display of the chromosomes of a cell)

meio- = less (meiosis: a variation of cell division which yields daughter cells with half as many chromosomes as the parent cell)

soma- = body (somatic: body cells with 46 chromosomes in humans)

sporo- = a seed; -phyt = a plant (sporophyte: the multicellular diploid form in organisms undergoing alternation of generations that results from a union of gametes and that meiotically produces haploid spores that grow into the gametophyte generation)

syn- = together; gam- = marriage (syngamy: the process of cellular union during fertilization)

tetra- = four (tetrad: the four closely associated chromatids of a homologous pair of chromosomes)


Chapter 14

 

co- = together (codominance: phenotype in which both dominant alleles are expressed in the heterozygote)

-centesis = a puncture (amniocentesis: a technique for determining genetic abnormalities in a fetus by the presence of certain chemicals or defective fetal cells in the amniotic fluid, obtained by aspiration from a needle inserted into the uterus)

di- = two (dihybrid cross: a breeding experiment in which parental varieties differing in two traits are mated)

epi- = beside; -stasis = standing (epistasis: a phenomenon in which one gene alters the expression of another gene that is independently inherited)

geno- = offspring (genotype: the genetic makeup of an organism)

hetero- = different (heterozygous: having two different alleles for a trait)

homo- = alike (homozygous: having two identical alleles for a trait)

mono- = one (monohybrid cross: a breeding experiment that uses parental varieties differing in a single character)

pedi- = a child (pedigree: a family tree describing the occurrence of heritable characters in parents and offspring across as many generations as possible)

pheno- = appear (phenotype: the physical and physiological traits of an organism)

pleio- = more (pleiotropy: when a single gene impacts more than one characteristic)

poly- = many; gen- = produce (polygenic: an additive effect of two or more gene loci on a single phenotypic character)

Chapter 15

 

aneu- = without (aneuploidy: a chromosomal aberration in which certain chromosomes are present in extra copies or are deficient in number)

cyto- = cell (cytological maps: charts of chromosomes that locate genes with respect to chromosomal features)

hemo- = blood (hemophilia: a human genetic disease caused by a sex-linked recessive allele, characterized by excessive bleeding following injury)

mono- = one (monosomic: a chromosomal condition in which a particular cell has only one copy of a chromosome, instead of the normal two; the cell is said to be monosomic for that chromosome)

non- = not; dis- = separate (nondisjunction: an accident of meiosis or mitosis, in which both members of a pair of homologous chromosomes or both sister chromatids fail to move apart properly)

poly- = many (polyploidy: a chromosomal alteration in which the organism possesses more than two complete chromosome sets)

re- = again; com- = together; bin- = two at a time (recombinant: an offspring whose phenotype differs from that of the parents)

trans- = across (translocation: attachment of a chromosomal fragment to a nonhomologous chromosome)

tri- = three; soma- = body (trisomic: a chromosomal condition in which a particular cell has an extra copy of one chromosome, instead of the normal two; the cell is said to be trisomic for that chromosome)


Chapter 16

 

helic- = a spiral (helicase: an enzyme that untwists the double helix of DNA at the replication forks)

liga- = bound or tied (DNA ligase: a linking enzyme for DNA replication)

-phage = to eat (bacteriophages: viruses that infect bacteria)

semi- = half (semiconservative model: type of DNA replication in which the replicated double helix consists of one old strand, derived from the old molecule, and one newly made strand)

telos- = an end (telomere: the protective structure at each end of a eukaryotic chromosome)

trans- = across (transformation: a phenomenon in which external DNA is assimilated by a cell)

Chapter 17

 

anti- = opposite (anticodon: a specialized base triplet on one end of a tRNA molecule that recognizes a particular complementary codon on an mRNA molecule)

exo- = out, outside, without (exon: a coding region of a eukaryotic gene that is expressed)

intro- = within (intron: a noncoding, intervening sequence within a eukaryotic gene)

muta- = change; -gen = producing (mutagen: a physical or chemical agent that causes mutations)

poly- = many (poly (A) tail: the modified end of the 3′ end of an mRNA molecule consisting of the addition of some 50 to 250 adenine nucleotides)

trans- = across; -script = write (transcription: the synthesis of RNA on a DNA template)


Chapter 22

 

bio- = life; geo- the Earth (biogeography: the study of the past and present distribution of species)

end- = within (endemic: a type of species that is found only in one region and nowhere else in the world)

homo- = like, resembling (homology: similarity in characteristics resulting from a shared ancestry)

paleo- = ancient (paleontology: the scientific study of fossils)

taxo- = arrange (taxonomy: the branch of biology concerned with naming and classifying the diverse forms of life)

vestigi- = trace (vestigial organs: structures of marginal, if any, importance to an organism; they are historical remnants of structures that had important functions in ancestors)

Chapter 26

 

bio- = life; -genesis = origin, birth (biogenesis: the principle that "life comes from life")

proto- = first (protobionts: aggregates of abiotically produced molecules)

stromato- = something spread out; -lite = a stone (stromatolite: rocks made of banded domes of sediment in which are found the most ancient forms of life)


Chapter 35

 

apic- = the tip; meristo- = divided (apical meristems: embryonic plant tissue on the tips of roots and in the buds of shoots that supplies cells for the plant to grow)

a- = not, without; -symmetr = symmetrical (asymmetric cell division: cell division in which one daughter cell receives more cytoplasm than the other during mitosis)

bienn- = every 2 years (biennial: a plant that requires two years to complete its life cycle)

coll- = glue; -enchyma = an infusion (collenchyma cell: a flexible plant cell type that occurs in strands or cylinders that support young parts of the plant without restraining growth)

endo- = inner; derm- = skin (endodermis: the innermost layer of the cortex in plants roots)

epi- = over (epidermis: the dermal tissue system in plants; the outer covering of animals.

fusi- = a spindle (fusiform initials: the cambrium cells within the vascular bundles; the name refers to the tapered ends of these elongated cells)

inter- = between (internode: the segment of a plant stem between the points where leaves are attached)

meso- = middle; -phyll = a leaf (mesophyll: the ground tissue of a leaf, sandwiched between the upper and lower epidermis and specialized for photosynthesis)

morpho- = form; -genesis = origin (morphogenesis: the development of body shape and organization during ontogeny)

perenni- = through the year (perennial: a plant that lives for many years)

peri- = around; -cycle = a circle (pericycle: a layer of cells just inside the endodermis of a root that may become meristematic and begin dividing again)

phloe- = the bark of a tree (phloem: the portion of the vascular system in plants consisting of living cells arranged into elongated tubes that transport sugar and other organic nutrients throughout the plant)

pro- = before (procambium: a primary meristem of roots and shoots that forms the vascular tissue)

proto- = first; -plast = formed, molded (protoplast: the contents of a plant cell exclusive of the cell wall)

quiesc- = quiet, resting (quiescent center: a region located within the zone of cell division in plant roots, containing meristematic cells that divide very slowly)

sclero- = hard (sclereid: a short, irregular sclerenchyma cell in nutshells and seed coats and scattered through the parenchyma of some plants)

trachei- = the windpipe (tracheids: a water-conducting and supportive element of xylem composed of long, thin cells with tapered ends and walls hardened with lignin)

trans- = across (transpiration: the evaporative loss of water from a plant)

vascula- = a little vessel (vascular tissue: plant tissue consisting of cells joined into tubes that transport water and nutrients throughout the plant body)

xyl- = wood (xylem: the tube-shaped, nonliving portion of the vascular system in plants that carries water and minerals from the roots to the rest of the plant)