Chapter 6: Cells

9.1 Life’s Building Blocks

What is a Cell?

Definition:

• A cell is basic units of

living things.

• Cells are tiny room-like

structures that all living All cells are made of matter,
things are made of. which are made
up of the elements carbon,
hydrogen and oxygen.
 Unicellular and Multi-cellular
Organisms
• An organism which
consists of one cell
is called unicellular
organism.

• An example of this
type of organism is
the ameoba.
• Others: euglena,
paramecium
 Unicellular and Multi-cellular
Organisms
• An organism which consists of a large
number of cells is called multicellular
organism.

• Examples of such organisms: All

animals.
 9.2 Inside Cells
• Organisms have many different kinds of
cells which exist in various shapes and
sizes.
• However, all cells share some common
features.

human cheek cells

 Animal Cells

cell membrane

Cytoplasm

nucleus
vacuoles
 Parts of Animal’s Cell
Part What is the Function??
cell membrane • partially permeable, allow small
• thin layer around the molecules like dissolved sugar
cell, allowing shape of and mineral salts to enter or leave
cell to change the cell.
Cytoplasm • contains water and many other
• jelly-like substance substances involves chemical
that fills the cell reactions.
• Many cell reactions takes place.
nucleus •controls cell activities
•contains chromosomes

vacuoles •small spaces containing air, liquid

or food particles numerous in
animals
Parts What if each part is missing?

Cell membrane Big molecules like proteins that

are present in the cytoplasm
would leave the cell.
Cytoplasm Reaction that takes place in
cytoplasm (breakdown of food to
produce energy) would not take
place.
Nucleus The cell cannot control or
regulate its activity.
 • thick layer around
• small
the cell
disc-like structures
Plant cells
•found
madeinuptheofcells
toughof green
substance (cellulose)
plants
• •contain
supports the cell and
chlorophyll
gives it a regular
shape

cell wall chloroplasts

cell membrane

• jelly-like substance that

fills the cell
• contains water and
many other substances
• involves chemical
vacuole reactions

• controls cell activities cytoplasm

• contains chromosomes
nucleus
 Plant cells
Part Function
nucleus •controls cell activities
•contains chromosomes
cytoplasm • jelly-like substance that fills the cell
• contains water and many other substances
involves chemical reactions
vacuole • single large space containing liquid (cell sap)
• cell sap contains water and dissolved
substances (eg. sugar and salt)
• cell sap keeps the cell firm by taking in water

cell membrane • thin layer around the cell,

• partially permeable
 Plant cells
Part Function
chloroplasts • thick layer around the cell made
up of tough substance
(cellulose)
• supports the cell and gives it a
regular shape

cell wall • To give cell its shape. The cell

‘skeleton’
 How are they different?
Plants Does it has…. Animals
Yes a Cell wall? No
Yes a Cell Yes
membrane
Yes A Nucleus Yes
Yes. A thin lining A Cytoplasm Yes. It fills the
only. cell
Yes. A large Vacuoles Yes. Many
vacuole small
vacuoles
Yes Chloroplasts No
Yes. Regular Fix shape No. Can
 Dead Cells

• A living plant cell has a cell

wall, a nucleus and
cytoplasm.
• When a cell dies, the nucleus
and cytoplasm become part
of the cell wall. The remainder
of the cell becomes a large
space containing only air.
• Example: cork
Chromosomes, Genes and Heredity

What are
Chromosomes???
1.The nucleus in each cell contains many
threads called chromosomes.
2. They carry information which controls:
• how the cell works and
• what the organism will look like
 Chromosomes, Genes and Heredity

3. In a human cell there are 46 (or 23 pairs) of

chromosomes.
• Different organisms contain different
numbers of chromosomes in their cells.

chromosomes genes on a
chromosome
5. Each chromosome is made up of many
genes;
6. Each gene contains instructions for a
different feature of an organism.
7. In humans, height, skin colour, eye colour,
the length of your nose is all controlled by
genes.
8. A human being has 100 000 – 200 000 genes.
9. During reproduction, a full set of genes is
passed on from one generation to the next.
10. That is why children look like their parents.
11. The features of the parents are passed on
to their children through genes.
This is called Heridity
Microscopes
A microscope is used for seeing cells.

cell

tissue microscope
 Cells - Two-dimensional or
Three-dimensional
Are cells two-dimensional or three
dimensional?

• Cells are actually three-dimensional, not flat

9.3 From Cells to Organisms
1. In the human body Fats cells
there are about 200
different types of
cells.
2. Each type of cells Nerve cells

does a particular
job.

Guard cell
Types of cells Function

Fats cells Store fats

Nerve cells Carry meassges

Guard cells Allow gases in and out of leave

 From Cells to Tissues

3. Cells of the same type work together to do

the same job to make up a tissue.
• Animal tissues

Muscle tissue Nerve tissue

 Tissue Location Function

Muscle •I found in limbs and in • contract and cause

walls of some organs body movement

Nerve Brain and spinal cord • Carry message

from one part to
another part of the
body
Epithelial •found on the surface •protects structures
skin, on the outer underneath the
covering of tubes and surface
lines the spaces inside a
body

Connective • includes bone, fat and • used to join parts

cartilage of an organism
 Plant Tissue
epidermal tissue

• found on
surfaces of
different parts of
a plant
vascular • protects plants
tissue against injury
• found in all and drying up
parts of a
plant
• carries food supporting
and water to tissue
various parts • found mainly in the
of the water stems of plants
• supports and
strengthens the plant
 From Tissues to Organs
• Different tissues working together to do
a particular job make up an organ.
• Animal organs
From Tissues to Organs
•consists of nerve tissue &
connective tissue
•controls the various parts of the
body.
Brain
•consists of muscle tissue, blood
tissue & connective tissue
•pumps blood around the body
heart

•consists of epithelial tissue,

muscle tissue & connective tissue
•digests (breaks down) some
foods
stomach
 From Tissues to Organs
Plant organs

leave

flower roots
 From Organs to System
• Different organs working together to do a particular job make up a
system. Each system has one main function.

• Animal systems
• Different systems make up the whole organism.

• Systems include:
• respiratory system
• circulatory system
• nervous system
• digestive system
• excretory system
• skeletal system
• reproductive system
From Organs to System
Plant systems
stem

xylem

phloem

root
 Division of Labour
• Unicellular cell
• one cell carry out all the jobs of the organism
• Multicellular cell
• different cells have special features to carry out
particular jobs
• examples include respiratory, digestive and
reproduction systems
• Different organs and systems also perform
different jobs. However, they work with one
another to ensure that the whole organism
functions effectively.