Vacuole, Arteries, Immune, Xylem, etc definition

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vacuole

A cell is a tiny world of elements, one of which is the vacuole. Found in both plant and animal cells, a vacuole is a fluid-filled pocket in the cell's cytoplasm that serves varying functions depending on the cell's requirements.

Look at the word vacuole. Reminds you of "vacuum," doesn't it? That's because both words comes from the Latin word vacuus, which means "empty." In fact, vacuole comes from the French word that means "little vacuum." However, whereas a "vacuum" refers to an empty space, the vacuole usually contains a watery fluid. It is a space in the cell that has no specific purpose, but usually functions as a storage bin for everything from water and food to waste products.

artery

An artery is a major blood vessel that pumps blood away from your heart. For a healthy heart, keep your arteries clean!

The word artery originally stemmed from the Greek arteria, which means "windpipe." An artery is distinct from a smaller passage that carries blood in the body, called a vein. An artery is more important, as it is larger and collects and dispenses vast amounts of blood to various cells and tissues throughout the body. The word artery can also refer to a major route of transportation that absorbs the flow of local routes, like a highway or an interstate.

immune

To be immune to something is to be resistant to it. If you had chickenpox as a child, you should be immune to it now.

The adjective immune comes from the Latin word immunis, which means “exempt from public service.” If you're protected — or exempt — from disease, injury, work, insults, or accusations, then you're immune. Vaccinations serve to make people immune to certain diseases. Being a diplomat makes people immune to certain legal persecution. To be immune to bullying means that you don’t let the bad behavior of your peers get you down.

 xylem

Xylem is the part of a plant that conveys water from the roots to the leaves and stems, transporting various nutrients along with it.

Xylem is composed of hollow, tube-like tissue, almost like tiny pipes that carry water and minerals to every part of a plant. Together with phloem, which transports the sugar made during photosynthesis, xylem helps keep plants healthy and growing. In woody plants, including trees, the xylem tissue dies off as the plant grows, becoming the "wood" of its trunk or stem. The word xlyem, originally coined in German, comes from the Greek xylon, "wood."

red blood cell

Red blood cells are an important part of your blood, with the important job of carrying oxygen throughout your body. Humans have as many as 30 trillion red blood cells.

Red blood cells are also called erythrocytes. They move constantly in the human body, picking up oxygen in the lungs and delivering it to the heart, which spreads oxygen through the body with every pump of blood. Red blood cells also contain hemoglobin, a protein rich in iron that gives blood its red color. If you don't get enough iron in your diet, your body can't make the hemoglobin your red blood cells need.