Chapter 6

Model of Cells
Learning Outcomes
• Show an understanding of the functions of the different parts of a
typical cell, including the nucleus which contains genetic material
that can be passed down to the next generation.
• Recognise that in multicellular organisms (both plants and
animals), cells are the basic building blocks that are organised into
tissues, organs and systems.
• Explain the significance of the division of labour, even at the
cellular level.
• Infer whether an organism is an animal or a plant, based on its
cellular composition.
Big ideas
1. Discovery of cells
2. Parts and functions of animal and plant cells
3. Differences between animal and plant cells
4. Organisation of cells into organism
5. Division of labour
Discovery of cells
Discovery of cells
• Discovered by Robert Hooke about 300 years ago
• Using microscope to look at a thin layer of cork, he saw
cells that looked like small rooms
• However, it is Anton van Leeuwenhoek who made the
first descriptions of cells

Hooke’s drawings of the cells he saw

Microscopes used to observe cells

Light microscope Electron microscope

• Shows very little details inside the cell • Shows a lot of details inside the cell
• Can view living cells • Cells would not be alive
Types of Organisms
Types of
organisms

Unicellular Multicellular
 Types of Organisms
❖ Unicellular
• Living things made up of only ONE cell
• E.g. bacteria, amoeba, yeast, paramecium, euglena

Amoeba Bacteria

Paramecium Euglena Yeast

 Types of Organisms
❖ Multicellular
• Living things made up of many cells
• E.g. most living things such as plants and animals
 Microscope

• Cells are too small to be seen by

the naked eye
• Use microscope to magnify
image
 Magnification of Human Cheek Cells

40x magnification 100x magnification 400x magnification

 Magnification of Onion Epidermal Cells

40x magnification 100x magnification 400x magnification

Parts and functions of
animal and plant cells
Parts and functions of an animal cell

Cell membrane
Cell membrane
• A thin layer that surrounds the cell.
• It is partially permeable.
• It controls the entry and exit of substances into and out of
the cell.
• Only substances which are small enough can pass
through the pores of the cell membrane.
• Eg of small substances: water, simple nutrients (glucose),
oxygen, carbon dioxide
Parts and functions of an animal cell

Cytoplasm
Cytoplasn
• A jelly-like substance that fills the cell.
• It contains water and other dissolved substances.
• Many chemical reactions take place in the cytoplasm.
Parts and functions of an animal cell

Vacuole
Vacuole
• Vacuoles contain air, liquid or food particles.
• It stores water and other nutrients needed by the cell or
living organism to survive.
• The vacuoles in animal cells are small, numerous and
temporary.
Parts and functions of an animal cell

Nucleus
Nucleus
• It controls all cell activities (e.g. repair of worn-out parts,
cell division).
• It contains DNA, the genetic material that is passed down
from parents to offspring.
• The cell must have the nucleus to stay alive.
A typical animal cell

Cell membrane
Vacuole

Nucleus

Cytoplasm
Parts and functions of a plant cell
Cellulose cell wall
Cellulose cell wall
• A thick layer of cellulose surrounding the cell membrane.
• Protects and provides support for the cell.
• Rigid and gives the cell a regular shape.
• The cellulose cell wall is fully permeable (all substances
can pass through it).
Parts and functions of a plant cell

Cell membrane
Cell membrane
• Serves the same function as animal cell membrane.
Parts and functions of a plant cell

Chloroplast
Chloroplast
• Contains a green pigment called chlorophyll.
• Chlorophyll absorbs light energy from the sun to make
food through photosynthesis.
• Not found in animal cells.
Parts and functions of a plant cell

Vacuole
Vacuole
• A plant cell usually only has a single, large vacuole.
• The vacuole contains water and dissolved substances
such as sugars and mineral salts.
• The vacuole keeps the cell firm by taking in water.
• The vacuole is permanent in plant cell.
Parts and functions of a plant cell

Nucleus
Cytoplasm
Nucleus and cytoplasm
• Serves the same functions as animal cell’s nucleus and cytoplasm.
A typical plant cell
Cellulose cell wall
Cell membrane
Chloroplast

Nucleus

Vacuole
Cytoplasm
 Differences between
animal and plant cells
 Similarities & Differences
between animal and plant cell
Differences between animal and
plant cell
Animal cell Plant cell
No cellulose cell wall Has cellulose cell wall

Numerous, small Single, large vacuole

vacuoles all over the cell
Vacuoles are not Vacuole is permanent
permanent
No chloroplasts Has chloroplasts
 Similarities & Differences
between animal and plant cell
• A plant cell has a cellulose cell wall but an animal cell
does not.
• An animal cell has numerous small vacuoles but a plant
cell has a single, large vacuole.
• The vacuoles in animal cells are not permanent but the
vacuole in a plant cell is permanent.
• A plant cell has chloroplast but not an animal cell.
Do all animal and plant cells look like
this?
No! There are many different animal
cells, the model is just a simplified
representation.
 Red Blood Cells

Sperm Cell

Smooth muscle cells

Nerve Cell
Root hair cells

Xylem cells

Guard cells
Organisation of cells into
organism
From cells to organism
Cells

Tissues

Organs

Systems

Organism
Tissue
• A tissue is a group of cells working together to perform
the same function.

phloem

xylem
Photosynthetic tissue:
Made up of palisade mesophyll
cells and spongy mesophyll cells Vascular tissue:
Carries out photosynthesis Made up of phloem cells and xylem cells
Transports water and food throughout the
plant
Tissue
• A tissue is a group of cells working together to perform
the same function.

Epidermal
tissue
Dermal
tissue

Hypodermal
Nerve tissue:
tissue
Found in brain, spinal
cord and nerves Epidermal tissue:
Relays information Contains hair follicles, sweat glands, etc
from one part of body Provides barrier to infection and regulates
to another water loss into atmosphere
Organ
• An organ is made of different tissues working together to
do a particular job.

Animal organs Plant organs

Brain Leaf
Heart Stem
Stomach Roots
Lungs Flower (for flowering plants)
System
• A system is made up of different organs working together
to perform a particular job.

Skeletal Circulatory Digestive Transport

system system system system
Organism
• Several different systems make up an organism.
How cells are organised into systems

The muscle A group of The heart is made The circulatory The human is
cell has a muscle cells up of different system is an organism
specific form the tissues that work made up of made up of the
together to perform different
function – it muscle tissue circulatory
the function of organs to
produces that perform transporting blood
system and
movement of the same transport blood other systems.
around the body.
body parts. function. around the
body.
 How cells are organised into systems

Root hair cells

have a specific
The transport
function – The whole
Root hair cells The root is an system of a plant
absorb water. plant is an
make up the organ made up is made up of
organism made
root tissue. of different different organs,
up of the
They perform tissues that such as the root
transport
the same work together and the stem, that
system and
function of to perform the work together to
other systems.
absorbing same function transport
water. of absorbing substances
water. around the plant.
Division of labour
Division of labour
• A multicellular organism is made up of many systems.
• In these systems, different types of cells carry out different
functions.
• Dividing the work of the organism among different cells is
called division of labour.
Division of labour
• Also occurs at the cellular level where different parts of a
single cell perform different functions in a coordinated
way.
• E.g. a root hair cell is able to absorb water as its cell
membrane controls the movement of water into and out
of the cell while its cell wall prevents the cell from
bursting.
Division of labour
• Advantages of division of labour:
1. The organism can perform more tasks than a
unicellular organism
2. It increases efficiency
3. The cells live longer