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CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS Shape and number o !e""s Ce"" or#ane""es

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Living organisms carry out certain basic functions. Different sets of organs perform the various functions. Basic structural unit of an organ is called Cell. Dis!o.ery o ,he Ce"" In 1655, the nglish scientist !obert "oo#e made an observation that $ould change basic biological theory and research forever. %hile e&amining a dried section of cor# tree $ith a crude light microscope, he observed small chambers and named them cells. 'ver the ne&t 1(5 years, research led to the formation of the cell theory, first proposed by the )erman botanist *atthias +acob ,chleiden and the )erman physiologist -heodore ,ch$ann in 1./. and formali0ed by the )erman researcher !udolf 1ircho$ in 1.5.. In its modern form, this theorem has four basic parts2

1. -he cell is the basic structural and functional unit of life3 all organisms are
composed of cells. 4. 5ll cells are produced by the division of pree&isting cells 6in other $ords, through reproduction7. ach cell contains genetic material that is passed do$n during this process. /. 5ll basic chemical and physiological functions 8 for e&ample, repair, gro$th, movement, immunity, communication, and digestion 8 are carried out inside of cells. 9. -he activities of cells depends on the activities of subcellular structures $ithin the cell 6these subcellular structures include organelles, the plasma membrane, and, if present, the nucleus7 /arie,y in Ce"" Number0 Shape and Si1e -here are millions of living organisms. -hey are of different shapes and si0es. -heir organs also vary in shape, si0e and number of cells. Number o Ce""s "uman body has trillions of cells $hich vary in shapes and si0es. Different groups of cells perform a variety of functions. 'rganisms made of more than one cell are called mu",i!e""u"ar organisms. 5n organism $ith billions of cells begins life as a sin#"e !e"" $hich is the fertili0ed egg. -he fertilised egg cell multiplies and the number of cells increase as development proceeds. -he single8celled organisms are called uni!e""u"ar organisms. 5 single celled organism performs all the necessary functions that multicellular organisms perform. 5 single8celled organism, li#e amoeba, captures and digests food, respires, e&cretes, gro$s and reproduces. ,imilar functions in multicellular organisms are carried out by groups of specialised cells forming different tissues. -issues, in turn, form organs.

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Shape o Ce""s )enerally, cells are round, spherical or elongated. ,ome cells are long and pointed at both ends. -hey e&hibit spindle shape . Cells sometimes are :uite long. ,ome are branched li#e the nerve cell or a neuron -he nerve cell receives and transfers messages, thereby helping to control and coordinate the $or#ing of different parts of the body. Components of the cell are enclosed in a membrane. -his membrane provides shape to the cells of plants and animals. Cell $all is an additional covering over the cell membrane in plant cells. It gives shape and rigidity to these cells. Ce"" S,ru!,ure and Fun!,ion ach organ in the system performs different functions such as digestion, assimilation and absorption. ,imilarly, different organs of a plant perform specific;speciali0ed functions. <or e&ample, roots help in the absorption of $ater and minerals. ach organ is further made up of smaller parts called ,issues. 5 tissue is a group of similar cells performing a specific function. 2ar,s o ,he Ce""

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Ce"" 3embrane -he cell membrane functions as a semi8permeable barrier, allo$ing a very fe$ molecules across it $hile fencing the ma=ority of organically produced chemicals inside the cell. -he basic components of a cell are cell membrane, cytoplasm and nucleus. -he cytoplasm and nucleus are enclosed $ithin the cell membrane, also called the plasma membrane. -he membrane separates cells from one another and also the cell from the surrounding medium. -he plasma membrane is porous and allo$s the movement of substances or materials both in$ard and out$ard. -he cell membrane gives shape to the cell. In addition to the cell membrane, there is an outer thic# layer in cells of plants called !e"" $a"". -his additional layer surrounding the cell membrane is re:uired by the plants for protection. >lant cells need protection against variations in temperature, high $ind speed, atmospheric moisture, etc. -hey are e&posed to these variations because they cannot move. Cells can be observed in the leaf peel of Tradescantia, Elodea or Rhoeo. ?ou can prepare a slide as in the case of onion. Cy,op"asm It is the =elly8li#e substance present bet$een the cell membrane and the nucleus. 1arious other components, or or#ane""es, of cells are present in the cytoplasm. -hese are mitochondria, golgi bodies, ribosomes, etc.

Nu!"eus It is an important component of the living cell. It is generally spherical and located in the centre of the cell. It can be stained and seen easily $ith the help of a microscope. @ucleus is separated from the cytoplasm by a membrane called the nu!"ear membrane. -his membrane is also porous and allo$s the movement of materials bet$een the cytoplasm and the inside of the nucleus. %ith a microscope of higher magnification, $e can see a smaller spherical body in the nucleus. It is called the nu!"eo"us. In addition, nucleus contains thread8li#e structures called !hromosomes. -hese carry #enes and help in inheritance or transfer of characters from the parents to the offspring. -he chromosomes can be seen only $hen the cell divides. ?ou can visuali0e genes as memory stic# or CD $hich $e use to carry data from one computer to another or $e can carry music as $ell. ,imilarly genes carry genetic codes $hich are responsible for the uni:ue physical character of an animal or a plant.

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@ucleus acts as control centre of the activities of the cell. -he entire content of a living cell is #no$n as protoplasm. It includes the cytoplasm and the nucleus. >rotoplasm is called the living substance of the cell. Comparison o 2"an, and Anima" Ce""s

-here are a fe$ differences bet$een a plant and animal cell. >lant cells have a cell $all surrounding the cell membrane, and animal cells only have a membrane. >lant cells contain chloroplasts $hich are used for photosynthesis. >lant cells have a large vacuole 6itAs li#e a fluid sac#7, compared to animal cell. an

5nimal cells are AblobbyA, but cells in plants are more structured due to the cell $all, and form a lattice li#e structure $hich helps $ith rigid ness.

Summary 5ll organisms are made of smaller parts called organs. 'rgans are made of still smaller parts. -he smallest living part of an organism is a BcellC. Cells $ere first observed in cor# by !obert "oo#e in 1665. Cells e&hibit variety of shapes and si0es. @umber of cells also varies from organism to organism. ,ome cells are big enough to be seen $ith the unaided eye. "enCs egg is an e&ample. ,ome organisms are single8celled, $hile others contain large number of cells. -he single cell of unicellular organisms performs all the basic functions performed by a variety of cells in multicellular organisms. -he cell has three main parts, 6i7 the cell membrane, 6ii7 cytoplasm $hich contains smaller components called organelles, and 6iii7 the nucleus.

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@ucleus is separated from cytoplasm by a nuclear membrane. Cells $ithout $ell organised nucleus, i.e. lac#ing nuclear membrane, are called pro#aryotic cells. >lant cells differ from animal cells in having an additional layer around the cell membrane termed cell $all. Coloured bodies called plastids are found in the plant cells only. )reen plastids containing chlorophyll are called chloroplasts. >lant cell has a big central vacuole unli#e a number of small vacuoles in animal cells.

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