THE TOUR OF THE CELL

• Dutch Microscopist Anton van Leeunwenhoek

– Observed the world in tiny drop of water
and explained with attractive drawings.
• Robert Hooke – studies dead cells of bark of
an Oak tree for the first time under
microscope.
• Cells show tiny organs - Organelles
• The small photograph through microscope -
Micrograph
 SIZE OF THE CELL
• With the minimum size,a cell must be able to
house enough DNA , protein molecules and
internal structures to survive and reproduce.
• At maximum, the size of the cell is influenced by
its requirement for enough surface area to
obtain adequate nutrition and oxygen and
dispose off the waste.
• A large cell has more surface area than a small
cell, but less surface area Relative to their
volume.
The well developed – Eukaryotic cells
• A eukaryotic cell comprise of many varied however,
interconnected structures.
• Such as Nucleus and the surrounding fluid - Cytoplasm.
• The outermost protective coverings are Cell Wall or
Plasma Membrane.
• The small organs suspended in the cytoplasm are called
as Organelles – Membranous organelles, making
compartments performing different activities.
• The chemical activities occurring in the cells – Cellular
Metabolism.
• The organelles forms their own membranes
giving additional benefit of surface area.
• This enhances formation of necessary proteins
such as enzymes or hormones.
• Cell Wall – Complex carbohydrate – Cellulose
Freely permeable.
• Plasma membrane – Fats / Lipids + proteins =
Lipoproteins.
Selectively permrable.
Eukaryotic cell
Size
Comparison
Nucleus – The controlling centre
• A separate compartment – Nuclear envelope –
Double membrane, perforated.
• Contains a highly coiled up- Chromatin- genetic
material – DNA ( De-oxyribose nucleic acid).
• At the time of cell division , it greatly coils uo
and dehydrates forming the countable
Chromosomes.
• Its own cytoplasm – Nucleoplasm
• Nucleolus – A dark body inside is the
production site for the protein factories of the
cell ie Ribosomes.
Endo-membrane system
a) Endoplasmic reticulum
 The Endomembranous system has many
cell organelles which are interconnected
• ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM : A network inside
the cytoplasm of the cell.
• In continuation with the nuclear envelope ,
rise of the reticulum is seen.
• RER – Transportation of proteins prepared by
the ribosomes.
• SER – Transportation and storage of fats/lipids.
Detoxification of body at regular basis
and under heavy medication.
 Endo-membrane system
b)Golgi bodies- The packaging & dispatching
units
Camillo Golgi –Golgi apparatus
 Endo-membrane system
c )Lysosomes –Cleaners and helpers
• Golgi apparatus produce many vesicles are
released containing different proteins.
• Some of them contains digestive enzymes and are
called as “ Lysosomes”. – Lytic/ breaking down ;
soma – body.
• Lysosomes digests the cell debris, excess materials
and organelles of the cell.
• Hence are known as “ Demolition squad”.
• When the cell is damaged or is about to die,
lysosomes burst open to digest the whole cell.
• Hence are alos known as “ Suicidal bags” of the
cell.
• The cytoskeleton is a network of filaments and tubules that
extends throughout a cell, through the cytoplasm, which is
all of the material within a cell except for the nucleus.
• It is found in all cells, though the proteins that it is made of
vary between organisms.
a) Microfilaments : forms a three dimensional network
supporting the cell’s shape.
Ex. Muscle cells, Amoeba and amoeboid movement shown by
some of the blood cells such as WBC.
b) Intermediate filaments : Fibrous proteins ,ropelike,
provides anchorage to certain organelles such as nucleus.
c) Microtubules : Tubulin proteins, providing rigidity and
shape to the cell . Also provides tracks for organelles to
move within the cytoplasm.
• Locomotary organs :
• Flagella : - A long tail like organ found in the
prokaryotic cells. In eukaryotes, human male
reproductive cells, show flagella.
• They also show small hair like organ such Pili
( singular Pilus).
• Cilia :- small hairy organs covering the animals
body surface or any organ inside an animal’s
body on the organs for better absorption.
CELL JUNCTIONS