Biology Notes (Mr Jimmy Chiang)

Cells

Notes Cells

Name : …………………………….. Level: ……….. Date : …………………

1. 9 characteristics of an organism (a living thing):

• They are made of cells.
• They move.
• They reproduce.
• They can sense changes in the surroundings, and respond to these changes.
• They adapt to changes in the surroundings by adjusting themselves.
• They grow. (Growth = An irreversible increase in dry mass)
• They respire (Respire = Release energy from food by combining food with oxygen)
• They excrete (Excrete = Eliminate harmful wastes produced by chemical reactions)
• They need nutrition (food).

2. What is a cell?
The cell is the building block of structures in living things. (definition)

Note
The cell is the building block of structures in living things.
The cell is derived from other cells by division.
The cell contains information that is used as instructions for growth, development
and functioning.
The cell is where the chemical reactions of life take place.

3. Types of organisms
• A unicellular organism is a living thing made up of only one cell.
• A multicellular organism is a living thing made up of more than one cell.

Note
Organism

Prokaryotic cell Eukaryotic cell

(no distinct nucleus) (distinct nucleus)

unicellular unicellular multicellular

organism organism organism

has cell wall no cell wall

bacteria protists fungi plant animal

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 Biology Notes (Mr Jimmy Chiang)
Cells

4. A cell is made up of a material called protoplasm.

The nucleus, cytoplasm and cell surface membrane are all made of protoplasm.

Animal cell Plant cell

chloroplast starch grain

vacuole (contains chlorophyll) (glucose that has
nucleus nucleus
converted to starch)

cell surface
membrane
(pressed against cell
wall by cytoplasm)
vacuole
cell surface cell wall
cytoplasm membrane
tonoplast cytoplasm
(a membrane that encloses the vacuole)

5. The structure and function of each part of cell (organelles)

No Part of cell Structure Function

1 nucleus • it contains genetic material in • it controls protein synthesis in cytoplasm

the form of DNA • it controls all chemical reactions in cell
• it passes DNA to offspring during
reproduction

2 cytoplasm • it is a semi-fluid medium • it is a place in the cell where most

chemical reactions occurs.

3 cell membrane • it is made of protein and lipids
• it is partially permeable
• it controls the type of substance entering
or exiting the cell.
• it separates the chemical composition
and conditions between inside cell and
outside cell.

4 vacuole • it is a space filled with fluid • it stores dissolved sugars, salts and
• only plant vacuoles are amino acids for cell
enclosed in tonoplast • it pushes the cytoplasm against the cell
membrane, keeping it firm.

5 cell wall • it is a layer of cellulose • it keeps plant cells in regular shape.

• it is fully permeable • it protects cells from physical damage

6 chloroplast • it contains chlorophyll
• chlorophyll appears
under sunlight.
• it absorbs light energy from the sun, and
green converts it to chemical energy for
photosynthesis to occur.
• during photosynthesis, carbon dioxide
and water is chemically combined in the
presence of sunlight and chlorophyll,
producing glucose and oxygen.

7 mitochondria • rod-shaped structure • it enables the release of energy from

• bounded by double membrane glucose, by combining glucose and
oxygen.

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Cells

6. Compare animal cell vs plant cell (Similarities and Differences)

(a) Similarities
• both have cell surface membrane enclosing cell
• both cells have cytoplasm.
• both cells have a nucleus each
• both cells have mitochondria
• both cells contain endoplasmic reticulum and ribosomes
• both cells contain golgi bodies

(b) Differences
Animal cell Plant cell

No cell wall Has cellulose cell wall outside cell membrane

No chloroplast Has chloroplasts, containing chlorophyll

Numerous small and temporary vacuole One large and permanent vacuole

Vacuole not enclosed in tonoplast Vacuole is enclosed in tonoplast

Do not have starch granule Often have starch granules

Note
You may refer to the two diagrams below if you need more details.

Animal cell Plant cell

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Cells

7. Within a cell, each organelle has a specialised structure for a specialised

function. With different organelles, all the different specialised functions come
together to ensure the survival of the cell.
Note
This is the division of labour within a cell.

8. Within an organism, cells undergo a process of differentiation, to develop a

specialised structure for a specialised function. With different specialised cells,
all the different specialised functions come together to ensure the survival of
the organism.
Note
This is the division of labour within an organism.

9. A stem cell is a cell that can divide an unlimited number of times. When it divides,
each new cell has the potential to remain a stem cell or to develop (differentiate) into a
specialised cell, such as red blood cell (in animals), and root hair cells (in plants).

10. A specialised cell is a cell in a multicellular organism that has a specialised structure
for a specialised function.

11. 6 examples of specialised cell

(a) root hair cell in plants
(b) xylem cell in plants
(c) red blood cell in humans
(d) muscle cell in humans
(e) sperm cell in humans
(f) nerve cell in humans

Note
root hair cell xylem vessel red blood cell muscle cell sperm cell nerve cell

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Cells
12. 3 specialised cells (structure and adaptation)

Root hair cell Specialised structure How is this an adaptation?

• long and thin protrusion • large surface-area-to-volume ratio
cell wall cell surface • absorbs water and dissolved mineral
membrane
salts from the soil solution at faster rate.

• long and thin protrusion • able to pass between soil particles and
touch their thin coat of water.

vacuole • has no chloroplast • no chloroplast is needed for root hair cell

because root hair cell does not need to
protrusion

photosynthesise since it is not exposed

cytoplasm
to sunlight.

nucleus • has many mitochondria • with more mitochondria, energy is

released at faster rates to support the
absorption of mineral salts via active
transport

• large vacuole filled with cell
sap with high concentration
of sugar and dissolved
mineral salts
• water potential of cell sap < water
potential of soil solution.
• by osmosis, water moves more easily
from soil solution into cell sap, across the
cell membrane.

Xylem vessels Specialised structure How is this an adaptation?

• made of cells joined end-to- • with no end walls obstructing, this allows
end with the end walls continuous flow of water and dissolved
broken down. mineral salts up the plant.

• there are no cytoplasm in • with less resistance, this allows for faster
cell wall, with xylem vessel because the flow of water and dissolved mineral salts
lignin deposit cells are dead. up the plant
pits (holes) • there is a deposit of lignin on • prevent collapse of xylem vessels as
(no cytoplasm) the inner walls of the vessel water is drawn up the plant via
(lignin is a strong and transpiration pull
(no end walls)
waterproof substance) • provides mechanical support to help the
plant stand upright.

Red blood cells Specialised structure How is this an adaptation?

• it has a biconcave disc • large surface-area-to-volume ratio
shape (thinner at the centre) • oxygen can enter and exit the cell at
faster rates via diffusion
biconcave
• it does not have a nucleus • with no nucleus, there is space for more
disc
shape haemoglobin.
• with more haemoglobin, the oxygen
carrying capacity of the red blood cell
(no nucleus) increases.

• it is elastic • it is flexible to change shape and

squeeze through narrow capillaries.

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Cells
13. In a multi-cellular organism, cells are organised in 5 different levels.

Cells that specialise in the similar activity are found together.

A group of similar cells working together is called a tissue.
A group of tissues working together make up an organ.
A group of organs working together make up an organ system.
A group of organ systems working together make up an organism.

Note 1
Level Definition
1 cell A building block of structures in living things.

2 tissue A group of cells with similar structure and function,

working together to perform a specific function.
3 organ A group of tissues with different structures and functions,
working together to perform a body function.
4 organ system A group of organs with related functions,
working together to perform a body function.

5 organism An individual living thing.

Note 2
Level Examples
1 cell A building block of structures in living things.

2 tissue human connective tissue, muscle tissue, epithelial tissue, nerve tissue
plant meristematic tissue, dermal tissue, vascular tissue, ground tissue

3 organ human brain, heart, lungs liver, kidney, skin, stomach, mouth, oesophagus,
small intestine, large intestine, artery, vein, gall bladder, …
plant root, stem, leaf, flower
4 organ human nervous system, integumentary system, circulatory system,
system endocrine system, respiratory system, digestive system,
reproductive system, urinary system, muscular system, skeletal
system
plant vascular system
5 organism Human, plant

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Cells

14. 4 examples of unicellular organisms

(a) yeast (belongs to fungi kingdom)
(b) amoeba (belongs to protist kingdom)
(c) paramecium (belongs to protist kingdom)
(d) Escherichia coli (belongs to bacteria kingdom)

Note

cell wall cell membrane

storage mitochondrion
granules pseudopod
cytoplasm
contractile vacuole
nuclear
pore nuclear
envelope
nucleus food vacuole
mitochondrion
nucleus
vacuolar
vacuole granules endoplasm
cell
membrane
storage ectoplasm

tonoplast granules

yeast amoeba

cell wall
cytoplasm,
contractile containing
vacuole ribosomes
cytoplasm strand of DNA

cell
oral groove membrane
nucleus

flagellum
(tail)
food vacuole
cell capsule
membrane

cilia

plasmid

paramecium Escherichia coli (bacteria)

Note
All unicellular organisms must have a nucleus so that they can reproduce themselves.
Notice that bacteria cell has cell wall (like a plant cell), but it also has no chloroplast
(unlike a plant cell), and it has a tail to swim (like an animal cell).

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 Biology Notes (Mr Jimmy Chiang)
Cells

15. If we consider all life known to man, there are 2 main types of cells.
Prokaryotic cell Eukaryotic cell
Type of organism bacteria animal, plant, fungi, protists
Main differences smaller size larger size
DNA is circular DNA not circular
no distinct nucleus has distinct nucleus
few cell organelles many cell organelles
cell wall always present cell wall sometimes present

Note
Prokaryotic cell (eg. bacteria cell) Eukaryotic cell (eg. animal cell)