Cell theory Study Guide

1. Outline the premises of the Cell Theory and discuss the evidence that justifies
those, using examples.
 All living organisms are composed by cells (Scientifics observed-we know this by
looking in a microscope)
 Cells are the smallest units of life (Scientifics experimented-cells leaved by their own
but not their components)
 All cells come from preexisting cells (Scientifics observed and experimented-this
theory applied in a certain time, but not in the origin of life)
2. Search info about the “spontaneous generation theory” or “abiogenesis”. When
was this theory proven wrong (refuted)?
SPONTANEOUS GENERATION THEORY: Some organisms develop from unliving organisms.
Louis Pasteur is credited with conclusively disproving the theory of spontaneous generation
with his famous swan-neck flask experiment.

3. State special cases regarding the Cell Theory.

Striated muscle, giant algae and aseptate fungal hyphae.
Striated muscle is the type of tissue that we use to change the position of our body. The
building blocks of this tissue are muscle fibres, which are similar in some ways to cells. They
are surrounded by a membrane and are formed by division of pre-existing cells. They have
their own genetic material and their own energy release system. However, muscle fibres are
far from typical. They are much larger than most animal cells.
Algae are organisms that feed themselves by photosynthesis and store their genes inside
nuclei, but they are simpler in their structure and organization than plants. Many algae
consist of one microscopic cell. There are vast numbers of these unicellular algae in the
oceans and they form the basis of most marine food chains. Less common are some algae that
grow to a much larger size, yet they still seem to be single cells. They are known as giant
algae. Acetabularia is one example. It can grow to a length of as much as 100 mm, despite
only having one nucleus.
Fungi consist of narrow thread-like structures called hyphae. These hyphae are usually white
in colour and have a fluffy appearance. They have a cell membrane and, outside it, a cell
wall. In some types of fungi, the hyphae are divided up into small cell-like sections by cross
walls called septa. However, in aseptate fungi there are no septa. Each hypha is an
uninterrupted tube-like structure with many nuclei spread along it.
4. Explain how unicellular organisms carry out all the functions of life.
Unicellular organisms carry out al the functions of life because they have the capacity of
performing all the functions of life just in one cell.
5. Explain the importance of the surface area to volume ratio as a factor limiting cell
size. Investigate examples of very big or very small organisms and the adaptations
they had developed to cope with size (elephant, pygmy shrew, etc).
What limits: relationship volume and surface area
The SURFACE AREA to the VOLUME ratio gets smaller as the cell gets larger. This is very
important. If the ratio is too small then substances will not enter the cell as quickly as they
are required and waste products will accumulate because they are produced more rapidly
than they can be excreted. Surface area to volume ratio is also important in relation to heat
production and loss. If the ratio is too small then cells may overheat because the metabolism
produces heat faster than it is lost over the cell’s surface.
Elephants: they have a great surface area in the years and a thin skin in order to get rid of
the heat.
6. Compare the relative sizes of molecules, cell membrane thickness, viruses,
bacteria, organelles and cells, using the appropriate SI unit. 
MOLECULES: 1 nm
CELL MEMBRANE THICKNESS: 7.5 nm
VIRUSES: 100 nm
BACTERIA: 1-5 nm
ORGANELLES: 1-10 um
CELLS:
 Eukaryotic cell (plant) = 100 μm
 Eukaryotic cell (animal) = 10 – 50 μm