The Cell & Molecules of Life (9744) Cell Structure 2018

Cell Structure

Use a graticule and stage micrometer to measure cells and be familiar with units (millimetre, micrometre, nanometer) used in cell studies
* Interconversion of units (mm, μm, nm)
1 mm = 103 micrometers (m)
1 m = 103 nanometers (nm)
Interpret & recognise drawings, photomicrographs & electron micrographs of the following membrane systems and organelles: rough and
smooth endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi body, mitochondria, ribosomes, lysosomes, chloroplasts, cell surface membrane (this is covered under
the cell membrane summary), nuclear envelope, centrioles, nucleus & nucleolus. Outline the functions of the organelles listed.

Membrane-bound organelles
Organelle Description Function
Nucleus . Nucleus  To contain the hereditary material
 Prominent, spherical organelle in  To control cell activities by synthesising
nuclear envelope eukaryotic cell mRNA which will be translated into
 Surrounded by a nuclear envelope (a proteins which are needed in the cell
double membrane) which is perforated
with pores & continuous with RER
nuclear pore
 Contains the nucleolus & chromatin
Nucleolus
nucleolus  To synthesise rRNA, a component of
 Non-membranous, sphere/s within ribosomes
chromatin nucleus  Assembly of large & small ribosomal
 Contains large amounts of DNA, RNA & subunits using rRNA synthesised in
protein nucleolus & proteins exported from
cytoplasm
[NB: Substances pass between nucleus & Chromatin
cytoplasm via the nuclear pores. They are  Hereditary material of the cell
1) free nucleotides & enzymes (for DNA  Are thin, elongated threads of DNA
replication & transcription), proteins (to make coiled around histone proteins
up ribosomal subunits) which enter the
 2 types of chromatin are present
nucleus 1. Euchromatin (lightly stained,
2) mRNA, tRNA and large and small ribosomal
transcriptionally active, exists in a
subunits which leave the nucleus]
diffused, extended state)
2. Heterochromatin (darkly stained,
transcriptionally inactive, usually found
along the edge of nucleus).
Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)  Consists of the RER & SER
Rough ER Smooth ER Rough ER (RER)

 A network of membranous flattened  To transport of proteins which are

sacs called cisternae synthesised by the ribosomes on its
surface to the Golgi apparatus via
 Has ribosomes bound to the outer
transport vesicles
surface
 Continuous with the outer membrane  To allow proteins to fold into their native
flattened cisternae tubular cisternae
conformation in the cisternal space &
of the nuclear envelope
glycosylate them

1. The RER and SER together act as the
membrane factory of the cell by adding
membrane proteins and phospholipids to its own
membrane.
2. Protein channels on the RER surface
 Hold the ribosome in position
 Allow the entry of polypeptides synthesised on
the ribosomes on the surface into the lumen
Golgi Apparatus
‘trans’ face
Golgi vesicles
cisternae
‘cis’ face
Smooth ER (SER)
 A network of membranous tubular sacs
called cisternae
 Lacks ribosomes on outer surface
(Singular: cisterna, Plural:cisternae)
 Membrane-bound flattened sacs called
cisternae & associated Golgi vesicles
 Consists of a ‘forming’ or ‘cis’ face
where new cisternae are being formed
by fusion of transport vesicles from ER
& a ‘maturing’ or ‘trans’ face from
which Golgi vesicles continuously bud
off.
 To synthesise lipids and carbohydrates
 To detoxifiy drugs & poisons (Thus SER
abundant in liver)
 To glycosylate to proteins and lipids to
form glycoproteins and glycolipids
respectively
 To modify existing glycoproteins and
glycolipids by modifying/cleaving the
existing sugar chains
 To sort and package proteins into different
vesicles and target the proteins to different
parts of the cell or for secretion
 To form lysosomes
 To synthesises polysaccharides such as
pectin which is transported in vesicles to
the cell membrane.

Lysosome  Membranous sac containing hydrolytic
enzymes
single membrane [NB: The hydrolytic enzymes work best in the
acidic environment of the lysosme. Thus if a
lysosome bursts, the enzymes are not very
active as the cytosol has a neutral pH.
However, if many lysosomes burst, then the
cell will be destroyed.]
 To digest material engulfed by the cell
(phagocytosis)
 To release enzymes from cells
 To digest unwanted or worn-out
organelles (autophagy)
 To self-destruct a cell after its death
(autolysis)

Prepared by: Mrs Selvamani Nair Raffles Institution (Yr 5-6) 1

The Cell & Molecules of Life (9744) Cell Structure 2018
Organelle Description Function
Mitochondrion  Spherical or rod shaped structures  Acts as the site for certain stages of
DNA ribosomes surrounded by a double membrane aerobic respiration to generate energy in
1. the outer membrane is smooth the form of ATP
2. the inner membrane is highly 1) Inner mitochondrial membrane is highly
convoluted with infoldings called folded & hence increases surface
cristae area for oxidative phosphorylation
 Between the membranes is the 2) Mitochondrial matrix is the site of the
intermembrane space link reaction & the Krebs cycle
matrix
inner membrane  Cristae project into semi-fluid matrix
intermembrane space containing circular DNA, 70S
ribosomes, phosphate granules &
outer membrane
enzymes for aerobic respiration
ATP synthase complex  ATP synthase complex on inner
(appears as a stalked particle) membrane projects into matrix

Chloroplast  Lens-shaped structure surrounded by a  Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll which

double membrane convert solar energy to chemical energy
 Within the chloroplast is an internal through photosynthesis via
outer membrane ribosomes
membrane system which consists of 1) Site of light-dependent reactions
inner membrane (i.e. cyclic & non-cyclic
stroma flattened sacs called thylakoids (a
stack of thylakoids = granum) & photphosphorylation) which occurs in
DNA intergranal lamella the thylakoid membrane
 Fluid within chloroplast surrounding the 2) Site of light-independent reactions (i.e.
grana is called stroma (contains Calvin cycle) which occurs in the stroma
circular DNA, 70S ribosomes,
enzymes & starch grains) [NB: Like bacteria, both chloroplasts &
thylakoids ATP  Chlorophyll molecules are located on mitochondria contain circular DNA, 70S
intergranal synthase the thylakoid membrane. ribosomes. This led to the endosymbiont
lamella granum lipid starch on  ATP synthase complex on thylakoid theory which proposed that the ancestors of the
droplet grain membrane mitochondria and choloplasts were oxygen using
membrane project into stroma
non-photosynthetic prokaryotes and
photosynthetic prokaryotes respectively, that
were engulfed by an ancestral eukaryotic cell.]
Non membrane-bound Organelles
Organelle Description Function
Ribosome  Consists of a small & a large subunit  Act as the site for protein synthesis
 A complex of protein & rRNA
 May be found intact freely floating in
small subunit (40S) the cytosol or bound to ER (or outer
membrane of nuclear envelope as the [NB: Free ribosomes produce proteins that
large subunit (60S) ER is continuous with the nuclear function within the cytosol while bound
envelope) during translation. The small ribosomes synthesise proteins meant for
& large subunit only come together insertion into membranes, packaging within
during translation. organelles or secretion out of cell.]
Centrioles .  A pair of hollow cylinders made up of 9  To act as microtubule organising centre
triplets of microtubules (hollow tubes (MTOC) during spindle formation in cell
triplet of
made of the protein tubulin) each division
microtubules
 The two rod-like cylinders are positioned
at right angles to each other [NB: 1) During cell cycle, the centrioles replicate
 Found in a region called the & move to the opposite poles of the cell.
centrosome which is the microtubule They play a role in nuclear division in
organising centre (MTOC) animal cells by helping to organise the
cross section centrioles at right spindle fibres (which are made up of
angles to each microtubules)
lateral view other 2) In higher plants, centrioles are absent.]
The endomembrane system consists of the nuclear envelope, rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER), smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER), Golgi
apparatus (GA), lysosomes and various vesicles and the plasma membrane.

DNA is transcribed in the nucleus to mRNAmRNA leaves the nucleus via the nuclear poresmRNA is translated into polypeptides on the ribosomes
of the RERpolypeptides enter the lumen of the cisternae of the RER where it undergoes modificationtransport vesicle buds off from the RER and
carry the proteins to the GA vesicle fuses with the ‘cis’ face of the GA and the proteins undergoes further modification, sorting and packing a
secretory vesicle containing the protein will bud off from the ‘trans’ face of the GA and be transported to and fuse with the cell surface membrane,
releasing the protein content of the vesicle by exocytosis. Microtubules direct the movement of the transport vesicle to the GA and the secretory vesicle
to the cell surface membrane.

Cell Theory states that:

1. Cells are the smallest unit of life. 2. All cells come from pre-existing cells. 3. Living organisms are composed of cells.
Draw plan diagrams of tissues and calculate linear magnifications of drawings
* When making drawings remember, STAMP
S: Size of drawing must occupy 2/3 of given space
T: Title must include : plane of section, name of specimen, name of tissue / cell,magnification e.g. T.S. of epidermal cell of onion (LP)
A: Annotation and Labels e.g. cytoplasm starts to pull away from cell wall (not just cytoplasm)
M: Magnification
P: Proportion and Lines: e.g. Cell wall cannot be too thick when drawing a plant cell. It must be proportional to the rest of the cell.

Prepared by: Mrs Selvamani Nair Raffles Institution (Yr 5-6) 2