Cell structure

cell: fundamental unit of all living things

Plasma membrane or cell membrane:

● a two layer membrane of phospholipids.
● it is present in all and every cell
● It is partially permeable and not freely permeable.
● some other organelles are covered with membranes
● there membrane controls all that comes in and goes
out of cell
● Protein receptors, channels cholesterol and …. Are present in the membrane.

Cytoplasm
● semi uid matrix outside nucleus that contains organelles.
● it exists in all cells.
● The liquid is called cytosol.
● Metabolism happens in cytoplasm, metabolism consists of catabolism and anabolism

Nucleus
● the largest and most obvious structure in a eukaryotic cell is the
nucleus, which contain cell’s chromosomes. Chromosomes are
composed of DNA combined with histone protein, forming a material
known as chromatin.— coordinate cellular activities.
● The nucleus as surrounded by a double-layered membrane, the
nuclear envelope.
● small gaps in the envelope, called nuclear pores, are visible and it is
through theses that material passes between the nucleus and the rest of the cell.
● DNA in procaryotes is looped and in the cytoplasm.

Nucleolus: a distinctive feature of the nucleus is darkly staining nucleolus. This is the site of ribosome
production. Nucleolus is where the ribosomal (rRNA) is synthesised.

Ribosomes
They are the site of protein synthesis in cells. They may be free in the cytoplasm or attached to the rough
endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi body. They found exist in every cell. They are made of RNA and protein
but they don’t have a membrane around them.
Eukaryotic cells contain 80s ribosomes, which are larger than those found in prokaryotes.
fl
 Mitochondria
are often called the power plant of the cells, in reference to their
Important metabolic function. the mitochondrion contains two
layers: the outer and inner membranes. The outer membrane
serve as a barrier between the cytosol and the inner environment
of the mitochondrion. The inner membrane, which is thrown into
numerous infolding called cristae, contains the molecules and
enzymes necessary for the electron transport chain.
the cristae are highly convoluted structures that increase the
surface area available for electron transport chain enzymes.
The pumping of protons from mitochondrial matrix to the inter
membrane space establishes the proton-motive force; ultimately,
these protons ow through ATP synthase to generate ATP during
oxidative phosphorylation.
They contain some of their own genes and replicate independently of the nucleus via binary ssion.
● it is a membraned organelle which means it doesn’t exist in procaryotes.
● it works with creating Adenosine tri phosphate (ATP) which later breaks in to adenosine mono
phosphate (AMP).
● They are usually more than one in each cell depending on the cell.

Endoplasmic reticulum
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a series of interconnected
membranes that are actually contiguous with the nuclear envelope.
The double membrane of endoplasmic reticulum is folded into
numerous invagination. There are two varieties of ER: smooth and
rough. The rough ER is studded with ribosomes, which permit the
translation of proteins destined for secretion directly into its lumen.
However, smooth ER lack ribosomes and is utilise primarily for lipid
and steroid synthesis (such as the phospholipid in the cell membrane
and cholesterol) and the detoxi cation of certain drugs and poisons.
The SER also transport proteins from the RER to the Golgi apparatus.

* as protein are synthesised, they collect in space between the membrane known as the cisternae. From
here they can be transported in vesicles to the other parts of cell such as the Golgi apparatus.
fl
fi
 d
- 4. , Golgi apparatus
glycoprotein, , is similar in appearance to the SER, composed of stacks of

"20s 85 Glycolipid attened, folded membranes. It process proteins made in the

· obld RER, collecting packaging and modifying them, and the

sor releasing them in vesicles for transport to various parts of the
.
cell or for secretion from the cell.
· Golgi body is membraned The cellular products that has been transported from
and only exists in eukaryotes endoplasmic reticulum may be modi ed by addition of various
groups, including carbohydrates, phosphates, and sulphate.
* the pancreas contains many secretory cells, which have large
areas of Golgi apparatus.

·
lysosome is a resicle that Lysosome
(

digests macromolecules and lysosomes are spherical organelles with little internal structure, which are made by the Golgi apparatus.
even cell parts. They contain hydrolytic enzymes for breaking down components of cells. They are important in cell
An death, in breaking down old organelles and, in white blood cells, digesting bacteria that have been
engulfed by phagocytosis. Plants cells do not normally contain lysosomes.

minimalismanian
these may be loaded into Vesicles to produce lysosomes to digest incoming materials
fl
fi
 The cytoskeleton
the cytoskeleton provides structure to the cell and helps it to mainatin its shape. In addition, it provides a
conduit for the transport of materials around the cell. there are some components of the cytoskeleton:
micro laments and microtubules, …..

Microtubules: cylinders of protein molecules present in cytoplasm,

centrioles, cilia, and agella.
● microtubules are much larger than actin lament (micro laments).
● each is a cylinder that contains rows of a protein called tublin.
● The regulation of microtubules assembly is under the control of a microtubule organising centre
called centrosome.
● during cell division, microtubules from spindle bres, which assist in the movement of chromosomes.
Micro lament (Actin lament): protein bres that play a role in movement of cell and organelles.
It made of a protein a protein called actin, are long, extremely thin bres that usually occur in bundles or
other groupings.

* cilia and agella, which contain microtubules, allow a cell to move.

Centrosome
The centrosome acts like an event planner.
The centrosome is found only in animal cells and is responsible for organizing cell
division. It is made up of two microtubule rings that are called centrioles.
The centrosome organizes the microtubules into position before duplicating or
dividing the cell.
Centriole: short, cylinders of microtubules.
fi
fi
fl
fl
fi
fi
fi
fi
fi
fi
The structure of a typical animal and plant cell
 organelles speci c to plant cells

Cell wall
a cell wall is a non-living, non- exible organelle that covers the membrane in some cells.
● Prokaryotes (bacteria) and most eukaryotes have the cell wall although these walls are made of
different materials.
● In plant cell they are made of cellulose, in fungi chitin, in algae glycoproteins
and in bacteria peptidoglycan
● the outer cell wall is composed of cellulose and other carbohydrates such as lignin and pectin, giving
plant cells further support and a more rigid structure than animal cells.

chloroplast plastid
The chloroplast are found in cells exposed to the light, as they
are the site of photosynthesis.
chloroplast have a double membrane and are about the same
Sizes bacteria. It has its own DNA and ribosomes, and are able
to reproduce independently of the cell.
*Exists in plant cells and green algeas. It is membraned and doesn’t exist in bacteria.

vacuole
Membrane-bound organelle
The large central vacuole contains water and salts.The membrane that surrounds it is under pressure
from within and exerts a force on the cytoplasm, which in turn exerts a force on the cell wall, making the
cell turgid and rm.

Difference between animal and plant cells

fi
fi
fl
 Prokaryotic cells are sp called because they have no nucleus. They also have no organelles ( internal
structure), so cell function do not take place in separate compartments within the cytoplasm.

● the cell wall surrounds the cell. It protects the

cell from bursting and is composed of peptidoglycan,
which is a mixture of carbohydrates and amino acids.

● the plasma membrane controls the movement of

materials into and out of the cell. Some substances are
pumped in and out using active transport.

● Cytoplasm inside the membrane contains all the enzymes for the chemical reactions of the cell. it
also contains the genetic material.
● The chromosomes is found in a region of the cytoplasm called the nucleoid. The DNA is not
contained in a nuclear envelope and it is also ‘naked’ - that is, not associated with any proteins.
Bacteria also contain additional small circles of DNA called plasmids. Plasmids replicate independently
and may be passed from one cell to another.
● Ribosomes are found in all prokaryotic cells, where they synthesise proteins.They can be seen in
very large numbers in cells that are actively producing protein. Prokaryotes have 70S ribosomes,
which are smaller than those found in eukaryotes.

● A agellum is present in some prokaryotic cells. A agellum, which projects from the cell wall,
enables a cell to move.

● Some bacteria have pili (singular pilus).These structures, found on the cell wall, can connect to
other bacterial cells, drawing them together so that genetic material can be exchanged between
them.
fl
fl
 Different types of microscopes

● Light microscope : 2D, black-white

● Transmission electron microscope ; 2D, black- white

The magni cation and resolution produced by a transmission electron

microscope is much higher than that of a light microscope.

● Scanning electron microscope: 3D, black-white

fluorescence microscopy micrograph

it provides three-dimensional view of the surface of an object
The resolution of transmission EM is larger than scanning EM

● Fluorescence microscope: 3D,

● Dissecting microscope : 3D, coloured .

fi