T H E

HUMAN CELL

GUASA, J. T., INOY,

PALAD, J. N. K.&
LIMUEL S. INOY, L. S.
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Introduction
➢ Fundamental unit of life
➢ Self-replicating structure
➢ The first cell was observed and named by Robert
Hooke in 1665 from a slice of cork
➢ Some organisms consist of a unicellular organism,
while others are multicellular
➢ Diameter 2 – 120 µm
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Introduction
➢ CELLS are often called the microscopic
building blocks of the body.

➢ They are active and dynamic, they

continually grow and specialize,
function, die, and replenish themselves
by millions every second.

➢ The whole body contains about 37.2

trillion (37,200,000,000,000) of cells

➢ There are 226 different kinds of body

cell
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Why are cells so small?

➢ Cells need sufficient surface area to allow adequate

transport of nutrients in and wastes out.
➢ As cell volume increases, so does the need for the
transporting of nutrients and wastes.
➢ However, as cell volume increases the surface area of
the cell does not expand as quickly.
➢ If the cell’s volume gets too large it cannot transport
enough wastes out or nutrients in. Thus, surface area
limits cell volume/size.
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➢ They also contain the body’s

hereditary material in the form
of DNA and make copies of
themselves.

➢ Cells are extremely small,

typically only about 0.01
millimeters (.0004 or 4 ten-
thousandths of an inch) across –
even our largest cells are no
bigger than the width of a
human hair.
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Parts of the Cell
➢Each living cell carries out the
tasks of taking food,
transforming food into energy,
getting rid of wastes, and
reproducing.

➢Most of our body cells have

three main parts:
•Cell outer Membrane
•Cytoskeleton structure inside
to keep its shape
•The nucleus
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Cell Membrane

➢maintaining the integrity of the

cell, regulating the passage of
substances, facilitating
communication, and
contributing to various cellular
processes essential for life.
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Cytoskeleton Structures

➢provides support, enables movement, and participates in a

wide range of cellular functions. Its organization and
activities are tightly regulated, contributing to the overall
integrity and functionality
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Nucleus

➢houses genetic material and

serves as the control center
for many cellular activities.
Its functions are vital for the
proper growth,
development, and
functioning of eukaryotic
cells.
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Cell Diversity – Internal Organization
➢ The Nucleus of each cell contains
DNA(deoxyribonucleic acid) which
directs the activity of the cell.

➢ Eukaryotes have a true nucleus,

where the genetic material (linear
DNA) is enclosed within a nuclear
membrane.

➢ Prokaryotes lack a distinct nucleus

and membrane-bound organelles.
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Structure and Function of Organelles

➢ An organelle is a tiny cellular structure that performs specific functions

within a cell.

➢ Organelles are embedded within the cytoplasm (liquid) of our cells and
are held in there by an outside membrane.

–Cell Membrane –Mitochondria

–Nucleus –Lysosomes
–Cell Wall –Peroxisomes
–Cytoplasm –Cilia and Flagella
–Cytoskeleton –Basal Bodies
–Ribosomes –Centrioles
–Endoplasmic Reticulum –Vacuoles
–Golgi Apparatus –Plastids
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Multicellular Organisms

➢Cells in multicellular organisms often specialize

(take on different shapes & functions)
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Specialized Human Cells
Muscle cells Red Blood Cells

Cheek cells
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History of Cell Theory

➢ mid 1600s – Anton van Leeuwenhoek

- improved microscope, observed many living cells

➢ mid 1600s – Robert Hooke

- observed many cells

➢ 1850 – Rudolf Virchow

- proposed that all cells come from existing cells
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History of Cell Theory

➢ Cells were discovered in 1665 by Robert Hooke.

➢ Early studies of cells were conducted by

- Mathias Schleiden (1838)
- Theodor Schwann (1839)

➢ Schleiden and Schwann proposed the Cell

Theory.
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The Cell Theory
Proposed by Matthais Schleiden and Theodor Schwann in 1839

1. All living things are composed of one or more cells.

2. Cells are an organisms’ basic units of structure and function.
3. Cells are the smallest working unit of all living things.
4. Each cell maintains homeostasis at the cellular level.
5. Homeostasis at the level of the tissue, organ, organ system, and
organism, reflects the combined and coordinated actions of billions
of cells.

Cell
Theory
Virchow
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Cell Size

1 nm = nanometer = 1 billionth of a meter

µm = 1 micron = 1 millionth of a meter
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Cell Size Diversity
Smallest cell Longest cell

Biggest cell
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Cell
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In passive processes
concentration or pressure
differences drive the movement.

In active processes the cell provides

energy (ATP) to power the transport
process.
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Membrane Transport
➢Passive
- doesn’t use energy
- molecules are moving from high concentration to low

➢Active
- requires energy
- molecules are moving from low concentration to high
- done with the help of proteins called pumps
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Types of Diffusion
➢Diffusion – helps in the movement of substances in and
out of the cells.

❖ Simple diffusion - ions or molecules diffuse from an

area of high concentration to an area of low
concentration.

❖ Osmosis– transport of solvent molecules (water)

❖ Facilitated diffusion – transport of solute with help

from membrane proteins: channels and transporters
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Factors that may affect Diffusion

➢Temperature

➢Molecular size

➢Distance

➢Pressure
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Diffusion
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Osmosis
➢ Osmosis is the diffusion of water molecules (solvent) until the
concentration of the solute is equal on both sides of the
membrane.
➢ Direction of water flow is:
- from a higher concentration of free water molecules to a low
- Or from a low concentration of solute molecules to a high
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Active transport
Active transport

➢Moving molecules Against their concentration gradient;

can be done only using energy (ATP).

➢Proteins in the membrane called pumps can use ATP to

push chemicals from low concentration to high
concentration.

➢Example: NA/K-pump
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Active transport

The sodium-potassium pump moves potassium and sodium ions across the plasma membrane.
credit: modification of work by Mariana Ruiz Villarreal)
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References

➢ Marieb, E. Human Anatomy & Physiology Laboratory

Manual. (11th edition). Illinois, USA: Pearson
Education, Inc. 2014.

➢ Marieb, E and Keller, S. Essentials of Human Anatomy

and Physiology. (12th edition). London, UK: Pearson
Education Ltd. 2018.
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