HKDSE BIOLOGY: Connecting Concepts

Revision notes

3 Cellular organization

3.1 Cells as the basic units of life

1. The cell theory states that:

• all organisms are made up of one or more cells.

• the cell is the basic functioning unit of life.
• all cells arise from pre-existing cells.

2. The types of microscopes commonly used today are light

microscopes, transmission electron microscopes and scanning
electron microscopes.

3. Comparison between the light microscope and electron microscope:

Light microscope Electron microscope
Principle of Makes use of lenses to Makes use of a magnetic
image refract and focus light to field to focus an electron
formation form an image beam to form an image
Magnifying Up to 2000 times Up to 10,000,000 times
power
Resolution 200 nm 0.2 nm
Types of Living or dead Dead
specimen
Preparation Simple and quick Complicated and time-
of specimen consuming
Ideal for • Living or preserved cells • TEM: internal structure of
viewing • Biological processes in a specimen
living cells • SEM: external features of
a specimen

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HKDSE BIOLOGY: Connecting Concepts Revision notes

3.2 Using a light microscope

4. Components of a typical light microscope and their functions:

Eyepiece Coarse adjustment

This is the magnifying knob
lens that the eye looks This is used to raise or
through. lower the body tube
(or the stage) for
Body tube rough focusing.
Nosepiece Fine adjustment knob
This holds the This is used to bring
objectives of different the image into a sharp
magnifications. It can focus.
be turned to switch
Arm
between different
objectives. Stage-clip
This holds the slide in
Objective
position on the stage.
This is the magnifying
lens closest to the Condenser
specimen. This concentrates the
Stage light reflected from the
The slide is put here mirror onto the
for observation. specimen.

Mirror Iris diaphragm

This reflects light to This regulates the
shine through the amount of light passing
specimen. Base through the condenser.

5. The total magnification of a compound microscope is the product of

the magnification of the eyepiece and the magnification of the
objective.

6. The image formed by a light microscope is inverted upside down

and reversed laterally.

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HKDSE BIOLOGY: Connecting Concepts Revision notes

7. Differences between observation at low power magnification and high

power magnification:

Low power High power

magnification magnification
Area of the specimen larger (more cells can smaller (fewer cells
observed be observed) can be observed)
Details in the image fewer more
Brightness of the image brighter dimmer

3.3 Sub-cellular structures in animal cells and plant cells

8. Different structures in cells have different functions:

Cell Presence in
Function
structure plant cells animal cells
• Controls the movement of
Cell
  substances into and out of the
membrane
cell
Cytoplasm • Holds all the organelles in a cell
  • Provides a site for chemical
reactions to take place
Nucleus • Contains the genetic material
  DNA
• Controls activities of the cell
• Helps in the synthesis and
Rough ER  
transport of proteins
• Helps in the synthesis and
Smooth ER  
transport of lipids
Mitochon- • The site of ATP production
 
drion during aerobic respiration

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HKDSE BIOLOGY: Connecting Concepts Revision notes

Cell Presence in
Function
structure plant cells animal cells
Vacuole   • Contains water and dissolved
a large only a few substances
central or none • Provides support to the plant
vacuole when it is full
Cell wall   • Protects and gives shape to cells
Chloroplast • Contains chlorophyll which
  absorbs light energy for
photosynthesis

9. Animal cells and plant cells share some common features:

• Both have a cell membrane surrounding the cytoplasm.

• Both have a nucleus that contains the genetic material.
• Both contain mitochondria that function in the production of ATP.

10. There are some unique features that plant cells have but animal cells
do not have, or vice versa:
Animal cells Plant cells
Shape Usually irregular Fixed by the cell wall
Size Usually smaller Usually larger
Cell wall Absent Present
None or only a few small Usually present as a large
Vacuole
vacuoles central vacuole
Chloroplast Absent Present in green plant cells
Position of Usually at the centre of the Usually to one side of the
nucleus cell cell

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HKDSE BIOLOGY: Connecting Concepts Revision notes

3.4 Prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells

11. Comparison of prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells:
Prokaryotic cell Eukaryotic cell
Examples of Animals, plants, fungi
Bacteria
organisms and protists
Similarities • Both prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells are
surrounded by a cell membrane
• Both possess DNA as their genetic material
Differ- Size Usually smaller (about 1 Usually larger (about 10
ences to 10 μm in diameter) to 100 μm in diameter)
Genetic Coiled loop of DNA lies DNA enclosed in the
material free in the cytoplasm nuclear membrane
Nuclear
Absent Present
membrane
Membrane-
bound Absent Present
organelles
Cell wall • Sometimes present • Present in plant cells
• Does not contain but absent in animal
cellulose cells
• Usually contains
cellulose (except in
fungi)

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HKDSE BIOLOGY: Connecting Concepts Revision notes

3.5 Levels of organization in organisms

12. The levels of organization in organisms:

Organism

System

Organ
Multicellular organisms

Tissue

Cell
Unicellular organisms

Organelle

Molecule

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