All important definition

1. Cell: The basic structural and functional unit of all living organisms.

2. Tissue: A group of cells that are similar in structure and function.

3. Organ: A structure composed of different types of tissues that work

together to perform a specific function.

4. Organ System: A group of organs that work together to perform complex

functions.

5. Homeostasis: The maintenance of a stable internal environment in an

organism.

6. Metabolism: The sum of all chemical reactions that occur within a living
organism.

7. Photosynthesis: The process by which green plants and some other

organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the help of chlorophyll.

8. Respiration: The biochemical process in which cells convert glucose and

oxygen into energy, carbon dioxide, and water.

9. Enzyme: A protein that acts as a catalyst to speed up chemical reactions in

the body.

10. Genetics: The study of heredity and the variation of inherited

characteristics.

11. Chromosome: A thread-like structure made of DNA and proteins

that contains genetic information.

12. Gene: A segment of DNA that contains the instructions for making a
specific protein or set of proteins.

13. Mutation: A change in the DNA sequence that can lead to changes
in phenotype.
14. Natural Selection: The process by which organisms better adapted
to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

15. Ecosystem: A community of living organisms and their physical

environment interacting as a system.

16. Biodiversity: The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat

or ecosystem.

17. Antibody: A protein produced by the immune system that binds to

foreign substances (antigens) to neutralize or destroy them.

18. Vaccine: A biological preparation that provides active acquired

immunity to a particular infectious disease.

19. Hormone: A signaling molecule produced by glands in the endocrine

system that regulates physiological processes.

20. Evolution: The change in the heritable characteristics of biological

populations over successive generations.

21. Cell Cycle: The series of phases that a cell goes through, including
interphase (G1, S, G2) and mitotic phase (M), leading to cell division.

22. Mitosis: A type of cell division that results in two genetically identical
daughter cells, important for growth and repair.

23. Meiosis: A specialized type of cell division that reduces the

chromosome number by half, producing four genetically diverse gametes.

24. DNA Replication: The process by which a cell duplicates its DNA
before cell division, ensuring each daughter cell receives a complete set of
genetic information.

25. Transcription: The process of copying a segment of DNA into RNA,

which is the first step in gene expression.

26. Translation: The process by which ribosomes synthesize proteins

using the mRNA sequence as a template.

27. Phenotype: The observable physical and biochemical characteristics

of an organism, determined by its genotype and environment.
28. Genotype: The genetic constitution of an individual organism,
representing the alleles inherited from its parents.

29. Dominant Allele: An allele that expresses its phenotype even in the
presence of a recessive allele.

30. Recessive Allele: An allele that only expresses its phenotype when
two copies are present (homozygous).

31. Homozygous: Having two identical alleles for a specific gene (e.g.,
AA or aa).

32. Heterozygous: Having two different alleles for a specific gene (e.g.,
Aa).

33. Punnett Square: A diagram used to predict the genotypes and

phenotypes of offspring from a genetic cross.

34. Chromatid: One of the two identical halves of a replicated

chromosome.

35. Centromere: The region of a chromosome where the two sister

chromatids are joined and where the spindle fibers attach during cell
division.

36. Allele: Different forms of a gene that can exist at a specific locus on
a chromosome.

37. Ecosystem Diversity: The variety of ecosystems within a given

area, including different habitats and ecological processes.

38. Population: A group of individuals of the same species living in a

specific area at the same time.

39. Symbiosis: A close and often long-term interaction between two

different biological species, which can be mutualistic, commensalistic, or
parasitic.

40. Photosynthetic Pigments: Molecules such as chlorophyll that

absorb light energy for photosynthesis.

41. Osmosis: The diffusion of water across a selectively permeable

membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher
solute concentration.
42. Active Transport: The movement of molecules across a cell
membrane against their concentration gradient, requiring energy (ATP).

43. Antigen: A substance that induces an immune response, often found

on the surface of pathogens.

44. Neurotransmitter: A chemical messenger that transmits signals

across a synapse from one neuron to another.

45. Cloning: The process of producing genetically identical individuals

from a single parent organism.

46. Biotechnology: The use of living organisms or their products to

develop or create useful products, processes, or technologies.

47. Apoptosis: The process of programmed cell death that occurs in

multicellular organisms.

48. Phylogenetics: The study of evolutionary relationships among

biological entities, often using molecular data.

49. Chloroplast: An organelle found in plant cells that conducts

photosynthesis, converting solar energy into chemical energy.

50. Mitochondria: Organelles known as the powerhouses of the cell,

where cellular respiration occurs to produce ATP.

51. Biomolecule: Any molecule that is produced by a living organism,

including carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids.

52. Carbohydrates: Organic compounds made of carbon, hydrogen,

and oxygen, typically in a ratio of 1:2:1, serving as a major energy source.

53. Proteins: Large biomolecules made up of amino acids, essential for

structure, function, and regulation of the body’s tissues and organs.

54. Lipids: A diverse group of hydrophobic organic molecules, including

fats, oils, and steroids, that serve as energy storage and structural
components of cell membranes.

55. Nucleic Acids: Biopolymers (DNA and RNA) essential for all known
forms of life, responsible for the storage and transmission of genetic
information.
56. Antibiotic: A type of medication that inhibits the growth of or
destroys microorganisms, commonly used to treat bacterial infections.

57. Pathogen: An organism, such as a virus, bacterium, or fungus, that

causes disease in its host.

58. Immunity: The ability of an organism to resist infection or disease,

often through the action of the immune system.

59. Phagocytosis: The process by which certain cells (phagocytes)

engulf and digest foreign particles, bacteria, or dying cells.

60. Epidemiology: The study of how diseases affect the health and
illness of populations.

61. Biogeochemical Cycle: The cycle of chemical elements and

compounds between living organisms and the environment (e.g., carbon
cycle, nitrogen cycle).

62. Biosphere: The global sum of all ecosystems, representing the zone
of life on Earth.

63. Natural Selection: The process by which organisms with favorable

traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, leading to evolutionary
change.

64. Speciation: The process by which new species arise from existing
species through evolutionary processes.

65. Sympatric Speciation: The evolution of new species from a

common ancestor while inhabiting the same geographical region.

66. Allopatric Speciation: The evolution of new species that occurs

when populations are geographically isolated from one another.

67. Genetic Drift: A mechanism of evolution that refers to random

changes in allele frequencies within a population.

68. Endemic Species: Species that are native to and found only within a
specific geographic area.

69. Extinction: The end of an organism or a group of organisms, often

due to environmental changes, loss of habitat, or competition.
70. Conservation Biology: The scientific study of nature and of Earth's
biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and
ecosystems.

71. Transgenic Organism: An organism that has been genetically

modified to contain a gene from another species.

72. Gene Therapy: A technique that uses genes to treat or prevent

disease by inserting, altering, or removing genes within an individual's
cells.

73. Cladistics: A method of classifying species based on common

ancestry and evolutionary relationships.

74. Phylogenetic Tree: A diagram that represents the evolutionary

relationships among various biological species based on similarities and
differences in their physical or genetic characteristics.

75. Xylem: The vascular tissue in plants responsible for the transport of
water and nutrients from the roots to the rest of the plant.

76. Phloem: The vascular tissue in plants responsible for the transport of
sugars and other metabolic products downward from the leaves.

77. Stomata: Small openings on the surfaces of leaves that allow for gas
exchange (CO2 in, O2 out) and transpiration.

78. Chlorophyll: The green pigment found in plants that is essential for
photosynthesis, absorbing light energy.

79. Niche: The role or function of an organism or species within an

ecosystem, including its habitat, resource use, and relationships with other
organisms.

80. Biodiversity Hotspot: A biogeographic region with significant levels

of biodiversity that is under threat from human activities.

81. Allele Frequency: The relative frequency of an allele (variant of a

gene) at a genetic locus in a population, expressed as a fraction or
percentage.

82. Biotic Factors: Living components of an ecosystem that affect the

organisms within it, such as plants, animals, and microorganisms.
83. Abiotic Factors: Non-living physical and chemical elements in the
environment, such as sunlight, temperature, water, and minerals.

84. Trophic Level: The position an organism occupies in a food chain,

which can be classified as producers, primary consumers, secondary
consumers, and so on.

85. Food Chain: A linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients

and energy pass as one organism eats another.

86. Food Web: A complex network of feeding relationships among

various organisms in an ecosystem, illustrating how energy and nutrients
circulate.

87. Carrying Capacity: The maximum number of individuals of a

species that an environment can sustainably support.

88. Ecological Succession: The process of change in the species

structure of an ecological community over time, which can be primary or
secondary succession.

89. Primary Succession: The development of a biological community in

an area where no soil exists, such as after a volcanic eruption.

90. Secondary Succession: The recovery of a biological community

after a disturbance that does not destroy the soil, such as after a forest fire.

91. Biomass: The total mass of living matter within a given area or
volume, often used as a measure of the energy available in an ecosystem.

92. Keystone Species: A species that has a disproportionately large

effect on its environment relative to its abundance, playing a critical role in
maintaining the structure of an ecosystem.

93. Invasive Species: Non-native species that spread widely in a new

habitat and can cause harm to native species, ecosystems, or human
activities.

94. Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER): A network of membranes within the

cell that assists in the synthesis of proteins and lipids; it can be rough (with
ribosomes) or smooth (without ribosomes).

95. Golgi Apparatus: An organelle that modifies, sorts, and packages

proteins and lipids for secretion or delivery to other organelles.
96. Lysosome: A membrane-bound organelle containing enzymes that
digest cellular waste and debris.

97. Cell Membrane: A semi-permeable membrane that surrounds the

cell, controlling the movement of substances in and out of the cell.

98. Vacuole: A membrane-bound organelle in plant cells that stores

nutrients, waste products, and helps maintain turgor pressure.

99. Nucleotide: The basic building block of nucleic acids (DNA and
RNA), consisting of a sugar, phosphate group, and nitrogenous base.

100. Pseudopodia: Temporary extensions of the cytoplasm used by

some cells, such as amoebas, for movement and feeding.