The Cell

THE BASIC UNIT OF LIFE

 The Cellular Level of Organization

• Living things are constructed of cells.

• Living things may be unicellular or multicellular.
• Cell structure is diverse but all cells share common characteristics.
• Cells are small so they can exchange materials with their surroundings.
- Surface area relative to the volume decreases as size of cell increases.
- This limits the size of cells.

• Cell Theory states:

1. All organisms are composed of one or more cells.

2. Cells are the basic unit of structure and function in organisms.

3. All cells come only from other cells.

Size of Living Things

1 m = 100 cm = 1,000mm = 1,000,000 µm = 1,000,000,000nm

1mm = 1000 µm = 1000000nm
1 µm = 1000nm
Click link for an interactive
“Size of Microscopic Things”
animation on Cells Alive.
 Cell History

 Cytology- study of cells

 1665 English Scientist

Robert Hooke

 Used a microscope to
examine cork (plant)

 Hooke called what he saw

"Cells"
Cell History

 Robert Brown
 discovered the nucleus in
1833.
 Matthias Schleiden
 German Botanist
Matthias Schleiden
 1838
 ALL PLANTS "ARE
COMPOSED OF
CELLS".
 Theodor Schwann
 Also in 1838,
 discovered that animals
were made of cells
 Cell History

 Rudolf Virchow
 1855, German Physician
 " THAT CELLS ONLY COME FROM
OTHER CELLS".
 His statement debunked
"Theory of Spontaneous Generation"
 Cell Theory
 The COMBINED
work of Schleiden,
Schwann, and
Virchow make up
the modern
CELL
THEORY.
 Characteristics of a Cell
 Contain highly organized molecular and
biochemical systems and are used to store
information
 Use energy
 Capable of movement
 Sense environmental changes
 Can duplicate (transfer genetic information to
offspring)
 Capable of self-regulation
 The origin of cells
• The origin of eukaryotic cells can be explained by the
endosymbiotic theory.
Cell Diversity

 Cells within the same organism show

Enormous Diversity in:
 Size
 Shape
 Internal Organization
Cell
Diversity-
Size
 Smallest Cells:

Cell Diversity- Size

Biggest Cells:
Longest Cells: 6 inches long, 5 inches wide, 3 pounds

Ostrich Egg
 Cells are small for 2 Reasons
Reason 1:
 Limited in size by the RATIO between their Outer
Surface Area and Their Volume.
A small cell has more SURFACE AREA than a
large cell for a GIVEN VOLUME OF CYTOPLASM.
 Surface Area to Volume Ratio

SA = 6lw
V = lwh
SA = 6 mm2
V = 1 mm3
SA/V = 6:1 SA = 24 mm2
V = 8 mm3
SA/V = 3:1

V increases faster than SA SA = 96 mm2

V = 64 mm3
SA/V = 1.5:1
 Cell Diversity- Shape
 Cells differ widely in shape.
 Most cells are roughly
cuboidal or spherical.
 Cell Shape

 Diversity of form reflects a

diversity of function.
 THE SHAPE OF A CELL
DEPENDS ON ITS
FUNCTION.
 Cell Diversity- Internal
Organization
 Nucleus: contains DNA which directs the
activity of the cell
 Organelle: a cell component that performs
specific functions in the cell
 Eukaryotes: cells that contain a nucleus and
membrane-bound organelles
 Prokaryotes: cells that lack nuclei and
membrane-bound organelles
Internal Organization
Cell membrane Cytoplasm

Prokaryotic Cell
Cell membrane

Cytoplasm
Eukaryotic Cell Nucleus

Organelles
Compare and Contrast

Prokaryotes Eukaryotes
Nucleus
Endoplasmic reticulum
Cell membrane Golgi apparatus
Contain DNA Lysosomes
Ribosomes Vacuoles
Cytoplasm Mitochondria
Cytoskeleton
 Prokaryotic Examples

ONLY Bacteria
EUKARYOTIC CELLS

Two Kinds:
Plant and Animal
 Microscope Pictures of a
Plant Cell and an Animal Cell

Elodea Human Cheek Cells

Eukaryotic Example
Section 7-2

Smooth endoplasmic
Vacuole reticulum
Ribosome
(free)
Chloroplast
Ribosome
(attached)
Cell
Membrane
Nuclear
Cell wall envelope

Nucleolus

Golgi apparatus
Nucleus

Mitochondrion Rough endoplasmic reticulum

Plant Cell
 Venn Diagrams

Compare and Contrast

Animal Cells Plant Cells

Cell membrane
Ribosomes
Nucleus
Endoplasmic reticulum
Cell Wall
Centrioles Golgi apparatus
Chloroplasts
Lysosomes
Vacuoles
Mitochondria
Cytoskeleton
Internal Organization
 Cells contain
ORGANELLES.
 Cell Components
that PERFORMS
SPECIFIC
FUNCTIONS FOR
THE CELL.
 Cellular Organelles
 The Plasma
membrane
 The boundary of the
cell.
 Composed of three
distinct layers.
 Two layers of fat and
one layer of protein.
 Cell
Membrane

 Composition: mainly protein and phospholipid; some proteins

extend thru membrane
 Protein function: receptors, transport in and out of cells, structure
 Lipids in membrane can move laterally at about 2um/sec
 Saturated fatty acids in P-lipids make membrane more rigid;
unsaturated fatty acids will increase the fluidity of membrane.
 Note: As temp drops, organisms put more unsaturated fatty acids
in membrane
Membrane Proteins
 Movement Across Membranes

•Diffusion: molecules moving from high to low

concentration; concentration = #molecules/volume

•Osmosis: diffusion of water across a selective

membrane; amount of water is opposite of number
molecules-if water is high, solute (molecules) is low.

•Facilitative diffusion: just like diffusion (high to low) but a

protein carrier is involved Note: diffusion will continue but
rate of transport with carrier will level off because carrier
becomes saturated
 Osmosis

Hypertonic - high solute concentration relative

to another solution
Hypotonic - low solute concentration relative to
another solution
Isotonic - solute concentration is the same as
that of another solution
Plant Cells – Turgor Pressure
and Plasmolysis
Animal Cells – in different
solutions
Passive Transport –
no energy used
Active Transport – uses energy
 Cell Wall
 Extra structure surrounding its plasma
membrane in plants, algae, fungi, and
bacteria.
 Cellulose – Plants
 Chitin – Fungi
 Peptidoglycan - Bacteria
Endocytosis and Exocytosis
The Nucleus
 Brain of Cell
 Bordered by a porous
membrane - nuclear
envelope.
 Contains thin fibers of DNA
and protein called
Chromatin.
 Rod Shaped Chromosomes
 Contains a small round
nucleolus
 produces ribosomal RNA
which makes ribosomes.
 Chromosome
Structure

a. Nuclesosomes – Core
of DNA wrapped
around 8 histone
proteins plus linker
DNA

b. Solenoid – coiling of
nucleosomes like phone
cord

c. Chromatin fiber – series

of nucleosomes
Ribosomes
 Small non-membrane
bound organelles.
 Contain two sub units
 Site of protein synthesis.
 Protein factory of the cell
 Either free floating or
attached to the
Endoplasmic Reticulum.
Endoplasmic Reticulum
 Complex network of
transport channels.
 Two types:
1. Smooth- ribosome
free and functions in
poison detoxification.
2. Rough - contains
ribosomes and
releases newly made
protein from the cell.
 Golgi Apparatus
 A series of flattened
sacs that modifies,
packages, stores,
and transports
materials out of the
cell.
 Works with the
ribosomes and
Endoplasmic
Reticulum.
Lysosomes
 Recycling Center
 Recycle cellular debris
 Membrane bound
organelle containing a
variety of enzymes.
 Internal pH is 5.
 Help digest food
particles inside or out
side the cell.
 Centrioles
 Found only in animal
cells
 Paired organelles
found together near the
nucleus, at right angles
to each other.
 Role in building cilia
and flagella
 Play a role in cellular
reproduction
 Cytoskeleton
Cell membrane

Endoplasmic
reticulum

Microtubule

Microfilament

Ribosomes Mitochondrion
 Cytoskeleton
 Framework of the cell
 Contains small microfilaments and larger
microtubules.
 They support the cell, giving it its shape
and help with the movement of its
organelles.
 Cytoskeleton

Intermediate filaments are more permanent than microtubules and microfilaments- they
provide tensile strength for the cell
Microtubules-composed of tubulin - act as a scaffold to determine cell shape, and
provide a set of "tracks" for cell organelles and vesicles to move on. Microtubules
also form the spindle fibers for separating chromosomes during mitosis. When
arranged in geometric patterns inside flagella and cilia, they are used for
locomotion.
Microfilaments-composed of actin - Microfilaments' association with the protein
myosin is responsible for muscle contraction. Microfilaments can also carry out
cellular movements including gliding, contraction, and cytokinesis.
 Mitochondrion

 Double Membranous
 It’s the size of a bacterium
 Contains its own DNA;
mDNA
 Produces high energy
compound ATP
The Chloroplast
 Double membrane
 Center section contains
grana
 Thylakoid (coins) make
up the grana.
 Stroma - gel-like
material surrounding
grana
 Found in plants and
algae.
 The Vacuole
 Sacs that help in
food digestion or
helping the cell
maintain its water
balance.
 Found mostly in
plants and protists.
Cell Types (Review)
Eukaryotic Prokaryotic
1. Contains a nucleus and 1. Does not contain a
other membrane bound nucleus or other
organelles. membrane bound
2. Rod shaped organelles.
chromosomes 2. Circular chromosome
3. Found in all kingdoms 3. Found only in the
except the Eubacteria Eubacteria and
and Archaebacteria Archaebacteria
Kingdoms
 Cell Cycle

 G1 Phase – high rate

of biosynthesis and
growth
 S Phase – DNA
content doubles and
chromosomes
replicate
 G2 Phase - final
preparations for
Mitosis
 M Phase – Mitosis
and Cytokinesis
 Mitosis
 Prophase – chromatid pairs coil
up, spindle forms, nuclear
membrane dissolves, chromatid
pairs attach to spindle fibers
(microtubules)
 Metaphase – chromatid pairs move
to the equator, chromatid pairs
align at the equator
 Anaphase – chromatids separate
into individual chromosomes,
chromosomes are pulled apart
toward the equator by the spindle
fibers (microtubules)
 Telophase - chromosomes uncoil,
spindle dissolves, nuclear
membrane reforms
 Cytokinesis – division of the
cytoplasm to make two new cells
Control of Cell Cycle
 Cell division
• Mitosis is division of the nucleus into two genetically
identical daughter nuclei.
• Chromosomes condense by supercoiling during
mitosis.
 Cell division

• Cytokinesis occurs after mitosis and is different in

plant and animal cells.
• Prokaryotes divide by binary fission.
 Cell division

• Interphase is a very active phase of the cell cycle

with many processes occurring in the nucleus and
cytoplasm.
• Cyclins are involved in the control of the cell cycle.