Basic and Applied Cell Physiology

Reference Books:
• G u y t o n A n d H a l l Te x t b o o k O f M e d i c a l P h y s i o l o g y .

• Marder's Understanding Human Anatomy And Physiology

• Human Physiology The Basic Of Medicine.

• Physiology (by Linda S. costanzo)

D r. J a m i l a R . K h a l i l
pharmacology and clinical pharmacy Department (Bsc & Msc)
2021.Autumn.
 Q. What Are We Going To Read And Understand?

An. Study of basic and applied cell physiology (General Introduction):

1. Cell structure and components: Receptors; cell products, cell types, cell
division, differentiation and apoptosis.

2. Transport mechanisms across cell membrane & AP.

 What Is Physiology?

• It is a study of how living organism work.

• I t is interested in function and integration.
Important Of Cell Physiology
Most Common Cell Structure
 Cell Membrane (CM)

It consists of:
1). Lipid bilayer: They are phospholipid [a head as glycerol (hydrophilic) and 2 tails FA (hydrophobic)],
lipid soluble substances [ e.g. Steroids,O2, CO2] , & water soluble substance [?].

2). The membrane proteins: They form 2% of content but 50% by weight. They are either Integral
proteins [receptors, ion channels, transport proteins, G proteins], or Peripheral proteins : electrostatic
attachment to CM.

3. Intracellular connections: a.) zonula occludens (tight junctions) [ it is usually between epithelial cells,
they are either permeable (leaky) as in proximal renal tubule or impermeable (tight) as in distal renal
tubule]. b.) Gab junctions: e.g. intercellular communications between myocardial cells by electrical
couple.
 Function Of Proteins At CM

1). Receptors: Communication and chemical bond formation.

2). Second messenger systems: Trigger cell’s changes.

3). Enzymes: Breakdown the second messenger molecule.

4). Channel proteins (Gate regulation):

a) ligand→ Response to chemical messenger.

b) voltage →Respond to changes electrical potential across the plasma protein.

c) mechanical→ Respond to physical stress on cells.

5). Carriers

6. Molecular motors

7. Cell-identity markers

8. Cell-adhesion molecules (cams)

Mosaic Structure Of Cell Membrane
 Endomembrane System

• Ribosomes

• Golgi apparatus

• Mitochondria

• Cytoskeletons

• Centrioles
 Golgi Apparatus

• It consists of a stack of 3-20 slightly curved saccules.

• One side is directed to the ER and the other is directed to CM.

• It receives protein and/or lipid filled vesicles, then Its enzymes modify them, e.g.

adding a chain of sugar to produce either glycoproteins or glycolipids.

• When modified and repacked vesicles leave it they move to other parts of the

cells, like going to the CM to discharge their load.

 Lysosomes

• They fuse with a vesicle then digest them by hydrolytic enzymes.

• Auto digestion as the fingers of a human embryo.

Mitochondria
Continue..
 Cytoskeleton

• Several filamentous protein structures.

• They helps in maintaining cell shape and either anchors the organelles or
assists their movement as appropriate.
• It includes:

a). Microtubules .

b). Intermediate filaments.

c). Actin filament
 Centrioles

• Are short cylinders with 9+0 pattern of microtubules (nine outer microtubule

triplets and no centre microtubule).

• Each cell has a pair of centrioles in the centrosome near the nucleus.

• They have role in :

- Formation of the spindle during cell division.

- Formation of cilia and flagella by rising of the basal bodies. (Cilia are shorter

than flagella, sperm cells which carrying genetic material move by flagella, while

the cell line of our respiratory tract are ciliated).

- Cell movement by themselves.

Cell Division
 Apoptosis

• Programmed cell death to control cell multiplicity and avoid neoplasia.

• Apoptosis pathways:

1). The intrinsic or mitochondrial-mediated pathway. it is activated by internal

factors such as DNA damage, the deprivation of growth factors, hypoxia or
oxidative stress.

2). The extrinsic pathway: it is caused by external factor such as the activation of
transmembrane receptors death such as a tumour necrosis factor (TNF).
 Cell Differentiation

• Transforming from unspecialized cell into specialized cell, and then cells migrate to
new locations and form selective adhesions with other cells to produce multi-cellular
structure. Similar structure of cells are aggregates to form tissue (nerve tissue, muscle
tissue...Etc.), Then different types of tissues combine to form organ (the heart, lungs...Etc.)
Which are linked together to form organ system. different cell types do not have identical
cell structure →because they are aggregate in different organs →to perform different body
function.

• Examples: all cells reuptake oxygen to produce the energy, while gametes (eggs/ sperm)
divided by meiosis, but other somatic cells is divided by mitosis. However, mitosis
division is not same in all somatic cells, where it is decreased in more specialised cells,
where muscle cells and nerve cells (specialized cells) are rarely go through the cell cycle,
on the other hand, stem cells are always immature and go through the cell cycle repeatedly.
 Continue..

• About 200 distinct kinds of cells can be identified in the body based on the
difference in function and structure. In total human body contains about 100
trillion cells.

• Human cells can be classified broadly into 4 main types depending on function;
epithelial cells, connective tissue cells, muscular cells, and nervous cells.

• However each main type has subtypes for example muscular cells differentiate
into skeletal muscular cells, smooth muscular cells and each differ in shape,
location and the mechanism controlling their function.
 Skeletal Muscle

• Muscle fibre consists of myofibrils bundles inviginated by T tubules & surrounded by SR.

• Myofibril consists of sarcomers, the sarcomer runs from z to z line, each has interdigitating thin
and thick filaments.

• T tubules: It is at the junctions between I bands and A bands. It carries the depolarization from
extracellular space ( sarcolemmal membrane) to the cell interior. Depolarization causes
conformational changes in dihydropyridine receptor (voltage sensitive protein in t tubules).

• SR: site of Ca2+ storage and release. Its membrane has - Ca2+ -ATPase [ keeping intracellular Ca2+
low], it has Calsequestrin [ bound loosely to Ca2+ ], & Ryanoidine [Ca2+ release channel].

• Thick filaments: it is at the centre of sarcomer, it contains myosine [ 6 polypeptide chains , 2 as

heavy and 4 as light], it has 2 heads with 1 tail, the head bind ATP & actin.

• Thin filaments: are exist in the I band at Z line. Consist of actin, troponin & tropomyosin. [ when
Troponin binds Ca2+ it permits cross bridge formation, troponin consists of 3 proteins (T, I, &C)T
for tropomyosin, I for inhibition of actin-myosin interaction, C for Ca2+ when lt bind Ca2+ permit
actin-myosin interaction.
 Smooth Muscle (SM)

• Appear as homogenous not striated ..why?

• Types:
1. Unitary SM: the most common type, in GIT, uterus, ureter & bladder,
controlled by hormones & NTM, sponteousely active & pacemaker
exhibition, has high electrical coupling communication between cells.

2. Multiunit SM: in lens at ciliary muscle, iris, & vas deferens. Has no
or little electrical couple between cells, is controlled by neural
innervation.

3. Vascular SM: has the both above 1&2 properties.

 The End

Thanks
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