Class VIII - Science

Chapter 8 - Cell - Structure and Functions

1. Crop Production and Management

2. Microorganisms : Friend and Foe

3. Synthetic Fibres and Plastics

4. Materials : Metals and Non-Metals

5. Coal and Petroleum

6. Combustion and Flame

7. Conservation of Plants and Animals

8. Cell - Structure and Functions

9. Reproduction in Animals

10. Reaching the Age of Adolescence

11. Force and Pressure

12. Friction

13. Sound

14. Chemical Effects of Electric Current

15. Some Natural Phenomena

16. Light

17. Stars and the Solar System

18. Pollution of Air and Water

WHAT IS CELL?

Cell is the basic building block of all living organism or the smallest structural or functional unit of
an organism.

DISCOVERY OF CELL

Robert Hooke in 1665 discovered the cell.

He took thin cork slices of cork and observed them under microscope.
He noticed block like structure that appeared like honey comb.
Hooke coined the term 'cell' for each box.
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THE CELL

Basic structural unit.

Have di erent designs, sizes and shape.
Cells in living organism are complex unlike non-living bricks.

The egg of a hen represents a single cell and is big enough to be seen by naked eye."

TYPES OF CELLS

1. Prokaryotic Cells - The cells having nuclear material without nuclear membrane are termed as
prokaryotic cells. Examples: bacteria and blue green algae.

2. Eukaryotic cells - The cells having well organised nucleus with a nuclear membrane are
designated as eukaryotic cells.

ORGANISMS SHOW VARIETY IN CELL NUMBER, SHAPE AND SIZE

Millions of living organisms
Have cells with di erent shapes and sizes.
Their organs also vary in shape, size and number of cells.
NUMBERS OF CELLS

Human body has trillions of cells which vary in di erent size and shapes.
Organisms made of more than one cell are calledmulticellular organisms.
An organism with billions of cells Starts life as a single fertilized egg cell.
The fertilised egg cell multiplies by dividing process and the number of cells increases for
development.
The single-celled organisms are made up of single cell are called unicellular organisms.
A single-celled organism, like amoeba, captures and digests food, respires, excretes, grows
and reproduces.
Similar functions in multi-cellular organisms are carried out by groups of specialised cells
forming di erent tissues. Tissues, in turn, form organs.

SHAPE OF CELLS

Generally, cells are round, spherical or elongated. Ask a Question

 Some types of cells are long and pointed at both ends exhibit spindle shape.
Some types of cells are branched like the nerve cell or a neuron.
Example- Spherical red blood cells of humans, Spindle shaped muscle cells, long branched
nerve cell.
Components of the cell are enclosed in a membrane. This membrane provides shape to the
cells of plants and animals.

SIZE OF CELLS
The size of cells in living organisms may be as small as a millionth of a metre (micrometre or
micron) or may be as large as a few centimetres.
Most of the cells are microscopic in size and are not visible to the naked eye.
The smallest cell is 0.1 to 0.5 micrometre in bacteria. The largest cell measuring 170 mm x
130 mm, which is the egg of an ostrich.
The size of the cells has no relation with the size of the body of the animal or plant.
Size of cell is related to its function.
CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
Each organ in the living system performs di erent functions such as digestion, assimilation
and absorption. Similarly, di erent organs of a plant perform speci c/ specialized functions.
Example: roots help in the absorption of water and minerals.
Each organ is further made up of smaller parts called tissues (group of similar type cells
performing a particular function.).
PARTS OF CELL
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The basic components of a cell are cell membrane, cytoplasm and nucleus.

1. Cell Membrane
The cytoplasm and nucleus are enclosed within the cell membrane, also called the plasma
membrane.
This membrane separates cells from one another and also the cell from the surrounding
medium.
Plasma membrane is porous and allows the movement of substance.
This gives shape to the cell.
An outer thick layer in cells of plants, called cell wall.
This additional cell wall surrounding the cell membrane is required by the plants for
protection against variations in temperature, high wind speed, atmospheric moisture, etc.
They are exposed to these variations because they cannot move.
Cells can be observed in the leaf peel of Tradescantia, Elodea or Rhoeo.

2. Cytoplasm
The jelly-like substance present between the cell membrane and the nucleus.
Various other components or organelles of cells are present in the cytoplasm. Like
mitochondria, Golgi bodies, ribosomes, etc.

3. Nucleus
Important component of the living cell.
Generally dense and spherical organelle and located in the centre of the cell.
Nucleus is separated from the cytoplasm by a membrane called the nuclear membrane (This
membrane is also porous and allows the movement of materials between the cytoplasm and
the inside of the nucleus.)
Nucleus Consist of nucleolus and thread-like structures called chromosomes. These carry
genes.
Nucleus acts as control centre of the activities of the cell. The entire content of a living cell is
known as protoplasm (includes the cytoplasm and the nucleus).
Nucleus is the storehouse of genes. Without nucleus, cell can neither survive nor shows
specialized activities.

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 COMPARISION OF PLANT CELL AND ANIMAL CELLS

Plant Cell Animal Cell

1. Plant cells have a cell wall surrounding the Animal cells only have a membrane.
cell membrane

2. Plant cells contain chloroplasts which are Absent in animal cell.

used for photosynthesis.

3. Plant cells have a large vacuole (it's like a Animal cells have a small vacuole, compared
uid sack), compared to an animal cell. to a plant cell.

4. Cells in plants are more structured due to Animal cells are 'blobby'
the cell wall, and form a lattice like structure
which helps with rigidness.

SCIENCE

MATHS

HISTORY

CIVICS

GEOGRAPHY

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