1.2 Ultrastructure of Cells, 1.2.

U2
 1.2.U2: Eukaryotes have a compartmentalized cell structure
(Oxford Biology Course Companion page 20). State the meaning
and advantages of eukaryotic cells being “compartmentalized.”

o It means that they are divided up by partitions into compartments.

These partitions can be either single or double membranes.

o There are 4 advantages in being compartmentalized:

 Enzymes and substrates for a particular process can be much

more concentrated than if they were spread throughout the cytoplasm.

 Substances that could cause damage to the cell can be kept inside
the membrane of an organelle. For example, the digestive enzymes of a
lysosome could digest and kill a cell, if they were not safely stored inside the
lysosome membrane.

 Conditions such as pH can be maintained at an ideal level for a

particular process, which may be different to the levels needed for other
processes in a cell.

 Organelles with their contents can be moved around within the

cell.

Activity 1
Read and summarize from the sources provided below.
  Discovery and structure of cells:
visionlearning.com/en/library/Biology/2/Discovery-and-Structure-of-
Cells/64

o Cells are the basis for all life. Which an inheritable genetic
material. Cells have many sub-cellular structures that carry out different
activities. They contain an outer boundary that contains a cell membrane,
cytoplasm, and genetic material. There is huge variety among living cells.

 Organelles: visionlearning.com/en/library/Biology/2/Cellular-
Organelles-I/195

o Eukaryotic cells and prokaryotic cells are mainly differentiated

by either the presence of a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles.
Chloroplasts and mitochondria have their own DNA, this only being one of
its unique features. As membrane-bound organelles evolved they developed
the ability to establish specialized compartments for cells to do specific
functions.

 Overview of Eukaryotes:
nature.com/scitable/topicpage/eukaryotic-cells-14023963

o Eukaryotes have organelles that do things such as energy

production, photosynthesis, and membrane construction. Eukaryotes
have a nucleus which is really important because it is the location of a
cell’s DNA. They also contain mitochondria and chloroplasts, which

2
are important organelles due to the fact that they play an important
role in energy conversion.

Review the presentation below

docs.google.com/presentation/d/1zrngaSsbcrcE_KAaghNlmbnjKYVdmv
eu596ZA_54pBE/edit?usp=sharing

And

Cell structure matching cards

docs.google.com/document/d/1yKzMo3PYl7FsCzYB12_O_2CYCtXvg_7
P3MaLDuHCrC4/edit?usp=sharing

Extension activities: (this a google drive folder)

drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B7EoydxcWA7pOHFsQWgwc1VCQms
?usp=sharing