Structure and Function of Cell

Biochemistry
4th October 2022
Mr. Wong Gou Rean
Lecture’s learning outcome
At the end of the lectures, student should be able to:
• briefly explain the structure and function of cell and its organelles.
• distinguish between prokaryote and eukaryotic cell.
Building blocks of life
• Biochemistry is the study of life on the molecular level.
• Life is perhaps impossible to define in precise fashion.
• Life possesses the properties:
- Replications
- Catalysis
- mutability
• Cell is a major structural and functional unit of life (Schleiden and
Schwann, 19th century)
History of the cell: the discovery
• Robert Hooke (1635-1703)
• Early microscopist
• Cell Theory (1665)
“ all organisms are made of cells, which
are the basic structural units of life”
History of the cell: the discovery
• Antonie van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723)
• The Father of Microbiology
• one of the first microscopists
• Invented simple microscope (200-300 x)
• bacteria and protozoa-“animalcules”
Matthias Schleiden & Theodor Schwann (1838)

• Unified cell theory

• studied cells of animals and plants
respectively
• Cell is a major structural and
functional unit of life
1. all living things are composed
of one or more cells;
2. the cell is the basic unit of life;
3. new cells arise from existing
cells
Hierarchical
organization of human
skin

biological structures
epidermis
1. Organism
2. Organ
3. Tissue
4. Cell cytochrome

5. Organelle
Basal cell
6. Supermolecular
assembly
7. Macromolecule
lipid membrane mitochondrion
Classification of cell
• Prokaryotes (Greek: pro, before)
• Lack of membrane-enclosed nucleus
• 1 to 10 µm in diameter
• Bacteria, Archae
• Eukaryotes (Greek: eu, good or true)
• Membrane-enclosed nucleus
• 10 - 100 µm in diameter
• Animal, plant, protozoa
Phylogenetic tree
Prokaryotes
• Most numerous and widespread
Unicellular organisms
• Highly adaptable mechanisms
• Rapid reproductive rate
• Lack of membrane-enclosed organelle
• Escherichia coli
• Well characterised
• Intensive biochemistry and genetic studied
Eukaryotes
• 10 - 100 µm in diameter
• a thousand to a million times
the volume of typical
prokaryotes.
• Membrane-enclosed organelles
• Specialized function
Organelles in the cell
• Cell membrane
• Cytoplasm
• Nucleus
• Endoplasmic reticulum
• Golgi apparatus
• Mitochondria
• Lysosomes & Peroxisomes
Cell membrane
• These barriers prevent molecules
generated inside the cell from leaking out
and unwanted molecules from diffusing in.
• contain transport systems that allow the
cell to take up specific molecules and
remove unwanted ones

Phospholipid
Selective permeability
Nucleus
• the repository of its genetic information
• The chromosomes consist of chromatin, a
complex of DNA and protein.
• DNA replication
• RNA synthesis
• Nucleolus, which is the site of ribosomal
assembly.
Ribosomes
• Translation/protein synthesis
according to messenger RNA 40S
(mRNA)
▪ Free ribosomes
▪ Synthesize protein that are
released into the cytosol
▪ Membrane bound ribosomes
▪ Produce transmembrane proteins
or complex proteins
60S
▪ Produce proteins associated with
vesicles (e.g lysosomal enzyme) S=Svedberg’s unit 80S
Endoplasmic Reticulum
• The most extensive membrane in the cell
• Types:
• Rough (studded with ribosomes): protein synthesis
• Smooth (devoid of ribosomes): lipid synthesis
• Products of ER transported to the Golgi Apparatus
Golgi Apparatus
• A stack of flattened
membranous sacs
• Process and packaging of protein
and lipid from ER
• Post-translational modification
• enzymatic cleavage of peptide
bonds
• covalent additions of lipids,
carbohydrates, or even entire
proteins to amino acid side chains.
• The finished products
• Secretion
• Plasma membrane
• Secretory vesicles
 Mitochondria
• Greek: mitos, thread chondros, granule
• the site of cellular respiration (aerobic metabolism): the
power house of cell
• ellipsoidal with dimensions of around 1.0-2.0µm—
much like a bacterium
• 2 compartments
• intermembrane space
• the internal matrix space

• These enzymes couple the energy producing oxidation

of nutrients to the energy-requiring synthesis of
adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
• Contains mitochondrion-specific DNA, RNA, and
ribosomes that participate in the synthesis of several
mitochondrial components.
Lysosomes & Peroxisomes
Lyossomes
• organelles bounded by a single membrane that are of variable size
and morphology
• containing a large variety of hydrolytic enzymes, function to digest
materials ingested by endocytosis and to recycle cellular components
• budding from the Golgi apparatus

Peroxisomes (microbodies)
• Assembled from proteins that are synthezied on free ribozomes
• Contain oxidative enzymes
• Breakdown metabolic hydrogen peroxides
Cytoskeleton
• Ray of filaments that gives the cell shape and ability to move.
• Organises the cytosol
• Components:
1. microtubules (protein: tubulin) (~25nm)
• Supportive framework guides the movements of organelles (E.g mitotic spindle, visicles)
• Microtubules also major constituents of cilia and flagella
2. Microfilaments (protein: actin) (~7nm)
• Cellular contraction and cell movement
• Muscle movement, division
3. Intermediate filaments (~10nm)
• Mechanical strength to cells and tissues
A kinesin transporting a vesicle along a
microtubule
Further readings
• Comparisons of Prokaryotes vs Eukaryotes
• Disorders associated with malfunction of organelles