Eukaryotic

cells
Cell biology
Eukaryotic cells definition

 Eukaryotic cells include animal cells – including human

cells – plant cells, fungal cells and algae.
 Eukaryotic cells are characterized by a membrane-bound
nucleus. That's distinct from prokaryotic cells, which have
a nucleoid.
 Eukaryotic cells also have organelles, which are
membrane-bound structures found within the cell.
The Nucleus: The Control Center of the
Cell
 the nucleus, which holds most of the cell's genetic
material. Most of your cell's DNA is located in the nucleus,
organized into chromosomes.
 The nucleus is surrounded by a bilayer nuclear membrane
called the nuclear envelope. The envelope contains
several nuclear pores, which allow substances, including
genetic material and messenger RNA or mRNA, to pass into
and out of the nucleus.
 It's the site of transcription, which is the first step toward
protein synthesis and expressing a gene into a protein.
The Cytoplasm

 The cytoplasm in eukaryotic cells

contains a gel-like substance
called cytosol – a mix of water,
dissolved substances and
structural proteins – that makes
up about 70 percent of the cell's
volume.
 It is the fluid that fills up the
cells and contains all of the
organelles in eukaryotic cells.
 The Plasma Membrane: The
 The main function of the plasma
membrane is to protect the cell from its
Outer Boundary
surrounding environment. It is semi-
permeable and regulates the materials that
enter and exit the cell. The cells of all living
things have plasma membranes.
 The membrane is partially made up of
molecules called phospholipids, which
spontaneously arrange themselves into a
double layer with hydrophilic (“water
loving”) heads on the outside and
hydrophobic (“water hating”) tails on the
inside.
 Proteins are wedged between the
lipids Carbohydrates are also found in the
plasma membrane; specifically, most
carbohydrates in the membrane are part of
glycoproteins
The Cytoskeleton: The Cellular Support

 a cytoskeleton underneath to help maintain the cell's

shape. The cytoskeleton is made up of structural proteins
that are strong enough to support the cell, and that can
even help the cell grow and move.
 The major filament that make's the cytoskeleton:
 Microtubules
 Intermediate filaments
 Microfilaments
The Centrosome

 The centrosome functions as the main microtubule

organizing center (or MTOC) of the cell. The centrosome
plays a crucial role in mitosis
 The Cell Wall: The Protector:
 plant cells – have a cell wall for even more protection.
Unlike the cell membrane, which is relatively fluid,
the cell wall is a rigid structure that helps maintain the
shape of the cell.
The Endoplasmic Reticulum: The
Manufacturer
 In general, the ER is the manufacturing plant of the cell, and
it's responsible for producing substances your cells need to
grow. In the RER, ribosomes work hard to help your cells
produce the thousands and thousands of different proteins that
your cells need to survive.
 There's also a portion of the ER not covered with ribosomes,
called the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (or SER). The SER
helps your cells produce lipids, including the lipids that form
the plasma membrane and organelle membranes. It also helps
produce certain hormones, like estrogen and testosterone.

The Golgi Apparatus: The Packing Plant
and Lysosomes: The "Stomachs" of the
Cell
 The Golgi apparatus takes proteins newly produced in the
ER and "packages" them so they can function properly in
the cell. It also packages substances into small
membrane-bound units called vesicles, and then they're
shipped off to their proper place in the cell.
 The Golgi apparatus is made up of small sacs
called cisternae (they look like a stack of pancakes under
a microscope) that help process materials.
Lysosomes: The "Stomachs" of the Cell

 also play a key role in processing proteins, fats and other

substances. They're small, membrane-bound organelles,
and they're highly acidic, which helps them function like
the "stomach" of your cell.
 The lysosomes' job is to digest materials, breaking down
unwanted proteins, carbohydrates and lipids so they can
be removed from the cell.
The Mitochondria: The Powerhouse

 the mitochondria are the main sites of energy production.

Specifically, they're where the last two phases of cellular
respiration take place – and the location where the cell
produces most of its usable energy, in the form of ATP.
 Different cell types have different numbers of
mitochondria. Liver and muscle cells, for instance, are
particularly rich in them.
The Chloroplast: The Greenhouse

 Not every cell contains chloroplasts – they're not found in plant

or fungal cells, but they are found in plant cells and some algae
 Chloroplasts are the site of photosynthesis, the set of chemical
reactions that help some organisms produce usable energy from
sunlight and also help remove carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere.
 Chloroplasts are packed with green pigments called chlorophyll,
which capture certain wavelengths of light and set off the
chemical reactions that make up photosynthesis.
The Vacuole

 In plants, the central vacuole fills up with water and

dissolved substances, and it can become so large that it
takes up three-quarters of the cell.
 Other types of eukaryotic cells, like animal cells, have
smaller vacuoles.
Plant Cells vs. Animal Cells

 The vacuole: Plant cells contain at least one large

vacuole to maintain the cell's shape, while animal
vacuoles are smaller in size.
 The centriole: Animal cells have one; plant cells don't.
 Chloroplasts: Plant cells have them; animal cells don't.
 The cell wall: Plant cells have an outer cell wall; animal
cells simply have the plasma membrane.
