General Biology Reviewer
Cell History Experimented to see if rotting meat
Characteristics of Life
- Locomotion – Ability to move on their
own
- Growth and Development – growth;
increase in mass and size,
development; aging and different
mental capacity
- Irritability – refers to the ability to
react
- Metabolism and Digestion
‘meta’ means two processes.
Anabolism- requires energy to
grow and build.
Catabolism – uses energy to
break down.
- Reproduction – the ability to
reproduce
Timeline
1590; Hans and Zachariah Jansen
Invented the “FIRST PRIMITIVE
MICROSCOPE” which allowed Robert Hooke
to view the cell wall of a cork in 1665.
1660; Marcelo Malpighi
The first to observe blood capillaries in
fish tails. Considered as the precursor of
embryology and history. Also observed red
blood cells passing through capillaries and
found connection between arteries and
veins.
1665; Robert Hooke
Discovered the cell in 1665 by
examining a thin slice of cork and seeing a
multitude of little pore. Because the little
pores he saw that looked like little
compartments, he called it ‘cell’ because it
looks like cells. Even though he discovered
it, he didn’t know about the structure,
function, nucleus, and other organelles found
in cells.
1668; Francesco Redi
turns into flies. He found out flies can
reproduce but rotting meat can’t. This is
similar to how cells reproduce, cells split to
make other cells, which is the third part of
the cell theory.
1683; Anton Von Leeuwenhoek
He taught himself how to polish and
grind glass of great curvature, in which he
used to create the first practical microscope.
The first to see and describe bacteria, yeast
plants, the teeming life in a drop of water
and circulation of blood corpuscles in
capillaries.
1831; Robert Brown
Discovered nucleus in plant cell. He
discovered in because he went to Australia to
study Flora. When he was scrutinizing the
epidermis of an orchid with his microscope,
he found an opaque spot in the cell. He
called this ‘areola’.
1839; Matthias Schleiden
Stated that different parts of plants
are composed of cells and communicate it to
Schwann. They then became the first to
formulate what was an informal belief as a
principal of equal importance of the atomic
theory of chemistry. Recognized the
importance of the cell nucleus and sensed its
importance with cell division.
1839; Theodor Schwan
On his book, he concluded that ‘All
living things are made of cell and cell
products. Which is now the first part of the
cell theory.
1855; Rudolph Virchow
His ‘aphorism’omnis cellula e cellula’
means every cell from a pre-existing cell
became the foundation of dividion. Also
stated that all plant is made up of cells,
which eventually led to creation of the cell
theory.
 General Biology Reviewer

Cell Theory Eukaryotic Cell – have nucleus, membrane-

covered organelles, linear DNA, all other
- The Cell Theory is a cornerstone of
cells.
biology that was proposed independently in
1838 and 1839.

1. All organisms are composed of one or

more cells.

2. Cells are the smallest living things.

3. Cells arise only by division of previously

existing cells.

4. All organisms living today are descendants

of an ancestral cell.
Fig 1. Plant Cell
Cell Structure and Function

Cell – the smallest unit of capable of

performing life functions.

Examples of Cells

1. Amoeba Proteus

2. Plant Stem

3. Bacteria

4. Nerve Cell
Fig 2. Animal Cell
5. Red Blood Cell
Differences of Eukaryotes and Prokaryotes
Organelles – structures that enable the cell
to live, grow and reproduce.

Two Fundamentally Different Types of Cells

Prokaryotic Cell – no membrane-covered

nucleus, no membrane-covered organelles,
circular DNA, BACTERIA
 General Biology Reviewer

Common Components of all Cell 4.2 Ribosomes – site where the proteins
were made.
1. Cell Membrane/ Plasma Membrane – outer
layer of the cell, allows nutrients into the cell
and waste out of the cell

2. Nucleus – the control center of the cell,

contains the cell’s DNA

Parts of the Nucleus

Nuclear Membrane – surrounds

nucleus, made of two layers, openings allow
material to enter and leave nucleus.

Chromosomes – made of DNA,

contain instructions for traits and
characteristics.

Nuclear pores – small openings

path for ribosomes.

Nucleoplasm – jelly-like
structure inside the nucleus. Fig 3. ‘Idealized’ Animal Cell

Nucleolus – contains the RNA to 5. Lysosome – digestive plant for proteins,

build proteins, responsible for the synthesis fats and carbohydrates. Removes waste. Cell
of ribosome. breaks down if lysosome explodes.

3. Cytoplasm – a jelly-like fluid contained in

the cell that holds the organelles.Surrounded
by cell membrane and contains hereditary
materials.

4.1 Endoplasmic Reticulum – transportation

system of the cell

a. rough er – carries ribosomes,

protein synthesis happens here.

b. smooth er – synthesis of fats and

lipids.
 General Biology Reviewer

6. Mitochondrion (plural: Mitochondria) –

powerhouse of the cell, responsible for the
production and consumption of energy.

1. Chloroplasts - plant cell organelles that

Provides energy the cell needs to
move, divide and etc.
7. Golgi apparatus – pancake-like structure,
‘factory of the cell’. It receives, sorts, and
delivers materials (from ER and Nucleus)
within the cell
Two Faces of the Golgi Apparatus
Cis – receives the materials
Trans – transport the materials
8. Vacuole – small but many in quantity in
animal cell.
convert light energy into relatively stable
chemical energy via the photosynthetic
process.
2. Cell Wall – found only in plant cells,
supports and protects the cell
3. Vacuole – Stores water, food, and wastes.
This is the largest organelle in plant cell.
The central vacuole controls the turgor
pressure. The state in which the cell content
is shrunken is called flaccidity. These cells
are referred to as flaccid. The condition in
which the cell wall is rigid and stretched due
to the absorption of water is called turgidity.
These cells are referred to as a turgid.

9. Centrioles – opposite poles of cell and only

appears.

10. Chromatin – appears when cell division

happens, a complex of DNA and proteins
that forms chromosomes within the nucleus
of eukaryotic cells.

11. Cytoskeleton – cell fibers, attach in flaccid

different organelles, acts as the frameworks,
holds up organelles.
CHLOROPLASTS ARE A BIG PART OF THE
DIFFERENCE
Think of the chloroplast as the solar panel of
the plant cell, ONLY PLANTS HAVE
CHLOROPLASTS
turgid
Cell Modification
Cilia – slender pro tuberances that project
from the much larger cell body (Locomotion)
Flagella – lash-like appendage that protrudes
from the cell body (Locomotion)
Villi - absorption

Plant Cells have a cell wall, chloroplasts and Cuticle – a transparent sheet-like in leaf.
a central vacuole, while animal cells do not.
 General Biology Reviewer

Parts of Chloroplasts

4. Stoma – small opening under the plant,

passage for oxygen in and CO2 out.

5. Thylakoids – disc like structure, this

contains pigments

6. Granum – stack of thylakoids

7. Grana – collection of granum

8. Stroma – space between grana

9. Plastids – pivotal subcellular organelles

that have evolved to perform specialized
functions in plant cells, including
photosynthesis and the production and
storage of metabolites.

10. Chlorophyl – absorb light from the sun,

the energy absorbed from light is transferred
to two kinds of energy-storing molecules.
Through photosynthesis, the plant uses the
stored energy to convert carbon dioxide
(absorbed from the air) and water into
glucose (type of sugar)