Unit 3: The Cell

The Basic Unit of

Life

Vocabulary
Study the vocabulary words and definitions below.
biochemical .................................... describing those chemical reactions
among substances that are specifically
involved in life
cell .................................................... the basic unit of life
cell membrane ............................... a thin outer covering that surrounds the
cell and allows molecules to pass into
and out of the cell
cellulose .......................................... the fibrous material of cell walls which
helps support plants
cell wall ........................................... a hard wall in a plant cell that helps
support and protect the cell
chloroplast ...................................... the many green bodies in plant cells
where photosynthesis takes place
chromosome ................................... a twisted and coiled strand of DNA
within the nucleus that carries the codes
for reproductive traits such as eye and
hair color
cytoplasm ....................................... a jellylike, living substance inside the
cell membrane but outside the nucleus

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DNA ................................................. the strands of genetic material that

determine traits of daughter cells (DNA
stands for deoxyribonucleic acid)
eukaryotes ...................................... a type of cell that has a clearly defined
nucleus with a nuclear membrane as
well as organellesthis group includes
most cells
Golgi bodies .................................. organelles that store the chemicals
synthesized by ribosomes
membrane ....................................... any thin covering or part used to divide
one area of a cell from another; certain
substances can cross certain membranes
mitochondria ................................. organelles that break down food to get
energy; sometimes called the
powerhouse of the cell; (sing.
mitochondrion)
nuclear membrane ........................ a thin wall or covering (membrane) that
surrounds the nucleus
nucleus ............................................ the control center of the cell; that part of
the cell that holds the chromosomes and
DNA used for controlling cell activities
like reproduction, synthesis, and
metabolism (pl. nuclei)
organelle ......................................... a cell structure that carries out a specific
function for the cell, much like the
organs (heart, liver, etc.) that carry out
specific functions for human beings

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Unit 3: The CellThe Basic Unit of Life

photosynthesis .............................. the process plants and algae use to make

the sugar glucose from water, carbon
dioxide, and the energy in sunlight
prokaryotes .................................... a type of cell that doesnt have a clearly
defined nucleus with a nuclear
membrane or organellesthis group
includes bacteria and certain types of
blue-green bacteria
ribosome ......................................... an organelle where other molecules are
taken and new molecules are
synthesized into proteins
synthesis ......................................... using substances to chemically form
new substances
vacuole ............................................ an organelle that stores food or water in
the cytoplasm

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Introduction
Too tiny for us to see well without a microscope, cells are the basic unit of
all living things. Though it may be hard to imagine, these little structures
constantly carry out all the work necessary for life. They break down food
for energy, get rid of garbage, and send messages to each other. And they
do all these things chemically. All of the complex work of life is based on
the chemical processes that go on in cells.

The Cell Theory

More than 300 years ago, scientists looking at thin slices
of cork and other material through microscopes
noticed that the material was made of tiny, regular
cavities similar to a honeycomb. Because these
little cavities were similar to the small rooms in
a monastery, the cavities were called cells. Over
the next few centuries, scientists continued to
develop their idea of what a cell is. Over time,
they developed the cell theory.
The cell theory states the following:
All living things are made of cells.
The cell is the smallest unit of structure and function of
all living things. The cell carries out the processes that
are characteristic of all living things.
Cells are produced only by other cells.

Cell Functions: The Processes That Keep Us Alive

Cells are very busy places. Each cell is a seething laboratory of chemical
reactions. All of these chemical reactions are related to each other. The
products of one reaction provide the building blocks for the next. All of
these reactions are governed by biochemical principles. Biochemical
principles are those that regulate the way chemicals behave in living
organisms. All of these principles are dedicated to one mission: keeping
that cell alive. That takes energy. Many cell processes involve taking in
and breaking down energy. Again, we see how knowledge of energy is
fundamental to all sciences.

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Besides those reactions that are devoted to transferring energy, there are
lots of other things going on in a cell. As we discussed in the last unit,
every living organism must carry out basic functions that are
characteristic of all living things. It is these functions that are regulated by
the principle of biochemistry. The cell functions and examples are listed
below:

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Nutrition:

Food molecules supply both energy and

building materials in cells. Some cells make
their own food molecules and others take
them in from their environment.
A candy bar becomes energy for a runner.
We fertilize our houseplants regularly.

Digestion:

Foods must be broken down into simpler

chemicals so that the cell can use them.
A dinner roll becomes sugar if held in your mouth
a minute or two.
Yeasts change the taste of flour by partially
digesting it.

Absorption:

A cell takes in water, food molecules, and

other materials from the environment.
The roots of plants take in water.
People who suffer from motion sickness may wear
a skin patch from which they absorb medicine to
prevent the sickness.

Biosynthesis:

Cells make many of the complex materials

they need from smaller chemical building
blocks they get from their environment.
Plants use carbon dioxide and water to make
sugar.
Animals use nutrients to make cell materials.

Respiration:

In a cell, the step-by-step breakdown of a

food molecule releases energy. In most cells,
oxygen is used in this process. The gas

Unit 3: The CellThe Basic Unit of Life

carbon dioxide is usually produced during

this process.
Football players must sometimes be given oxygen
on the sidelines.
Algae growing in the lake use up the oxygen
needed by the fish.
Excretion:

During respiration, yeasts give off carbon

dioxide and alcohol as by-products. They do
not use oxygen. Waste materials pass from
inside the cells out into the environment.
Many coastal plants excrete excess salt.
Bread rises and gets fluffy when yeasts excrete
carbon dioxide.

Secretion:

Similar to excretion, except in this case the

cell passes useful substances, such as
vitamins and hormones, into the
environment to affect other cells.
The pancreas produces insulin that goes into the
blood.
Moths release chemicals (pheromones) into the air
which signal other moths that they are ready to
mate.

Response:

Cell activities change according to influences

from outside the cell, such as heat, light,
pressure, or chemicals.
Facing the sun may cause you to shield your eyes
from the light.
Certain fungi prevent the growth of bacteria by
releasing growth-inhibiting chemicals called
antibiotics.

Reproduction:

Cells multiply in an orderly fashion.

The cat had a litter of kittens.
Acorns produce oak trees.

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