Cell Physiology

1. Cells: The Fundamental Units of Life

Welcome! As you enter:

1. Say hi to your classmates! How

was your summer break?
Today’s Objectives

At the end of today’s lecture, students will be able to:

1. Know their classmates and instructor a little bit better.

2. Understand the format and course objectives of Cell Physiology.

3. Discuss ways to succeed in this class.

4. Start Ch 1. Cells: The Fundamental Units of Life

Who are all these people!?

Please log into Canvas and fill out the “Introduce yourself” assignment:
Who are all these people!?

Please log into Canvas and fill out the “Introduce yourself” assignment:

Your name, preferred pronouns, major, and year

1. What is one thing you’ve been trying to get better at over the break?
2. Why are you taking Cell Physiology? What is your favorite topic in biology?
3. What do you want to do after graduating from USF?
Cell Physiology (BIOL 212)

Cell Physiology
Chapter 1. Cells: The Fundamental Units of Life

Chapter Contents

1. UNITY AND DIVERSITY OF CELLS

2. CELLS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
3. THE PROKARYOTIC CELL
4. THE EUKARYOTIC CELL
5. MODEL ORGANISMS
1.1 UNITY AND DIVERSITY OF CELLS

Cell theory: All living things are composed of cells, and all cells come
from preexisting cells.
1.1 UNITY AND DIVERSITY OF CELLS
Cell theory: All living things are composed of cells, and all cells come
from preexisting cells.

Wait, but what exactly is a theory?

A. An explanation for a broad class of observed phenomenon

that is supported by a wide body of evidence.

B. A theory is not absolute fact (it can be disproved), but it is

more than an educated guess.
1.1 UNITY AND DIVERSITY OF CELLS
Cell theory
A. All living things are composed of cells.

Cell walls of cork, Living bacteria from mouth,

Robert Hooke 1665 Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 1683

Make a paper van Leeuwenhoek microscope

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o3Q2ueh6uI
1.1 UNITY AND DIVERSITY OF CELLS
Cell theory
A. All living things are composed of cells.
B. All cells come from preexisting cells.
Cell theory was preceded by the theory of spontaneous generation

Hypothesis / theory: Some life forms arise spontaneously from non-living

matter, without descent from similar organisms.

Evidence:
1. Maggots arise spontaneously in rotting meat.
2. Fleas arise from dust.
3. Tapeworms arise from unrelated living organisms (e.g. humans).
4. The recipe for mice: dirty underwear + wheat for 21 days = mice.

How would you disprove this theory?

1.1 UNITY AND DIVERSITY OF CELLS

The theory of spontaneous generation : Some life forms arise spontaneously from non-living matter, without descent from
similar organisms.

John Needham (1745)

Lazzaro Spallanzani (1768)

Still unresolved!
1.1 UNITY AND DIVERSITY OF CELLS

The theory of spontaneous generation : Some life forms arise spontaneously from non-living matter, without descent from
similar organisms.

John Needham (1745) vs Lazzaro Spallanzani (1768)

Louis Pasteur and the swan neck flask (1859)

Conclusion: Omne vivum ex vivo,

Latin for "all life [is] from life"
1.1 UNITY AND DIVERSITY OF CELLS

Ch. 2
Chemical
Reactions
Despite amazing diversity, living cells all have a similar basic chemistry.
– e.g. the Central Dogma.
1.1 UNITY AND DIVERSITY OF CELLS
Ch. 5-8
DNA, RNA,
Proteins

Life is an autocatalytic process.

Together, these feedback loops create the self-
replicating system that endows living cells with their
ability to reproduce.

Ch. 9 Viruses cannot self replicate

1.1 UNITY AND DIVERSITY OF CELLS

What are the defining characteristics of living things?

1.1 UNITY AND DIVERSITY OF CELLS

What are the defining characteristics of living things? Viruses?

1. Cells: The membrane of the cell regulates the passage of materials between
the exterior and interior spaces.

2. (Self) Replication: Almost everything an organism does is towards this goal.

3. Information: Information is encoded in units called genes, these genes
encode for molecules that keep organisms alive. √

4. Energy: To stay alive and reproduce, organisms have to acquire energy.

5. Evolution: Organisms are products of evolution, and their populations
continue to evolve today. √
1.2 CELLS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
1.2 CELLS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

Simple Microscope:
Hooke, van Leeuwenhoek

Make a paper van Leeuwenhoek microscope

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o3Q2ueh6uI
I. Modern Microscopes
A. Three parameters of microscopy
1. Magnification: the ratio of an object’s image size to its real
size.
2. Resolution: the measure of the clarity of the image, or the
minimum distance between two distinguishable points.
3. Contrast: the difference in brightness between the light and
dark areas of the image.
1.2 CELLS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

Simple Microscope:
Hooke, van Leeuwenhoek

Compound Microscope:
A compound microscope uses a lens close to the object
being viewed to collect light (called the objective lens)
which focuses a real image of the object inside the
microscope (image 1). That image is then magnified by a
second lens or group of lenses (called the eyepiece) that
gives the viewer an enlarged inverted virtual image of the
object (image 2).
1.2 CELLS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
1.2 CELLS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
1.2 CELLS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
I. Modern Microscopes
A. Three parameters of microscopy
1. Magnification: the ratio of an object’s image size to its real
size.
2. Resolution: the measure of the clarity of the image, or the
minimum distance between two distinguishable points.
3. Contrast: the difference in brightness between the light and
dark areas of the image.
1.2 CELLS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
1.2 CELLS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
1.2 CELLS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
Light Lasers and fluorescent probes

TEM SEM
1.3 THE PROKARYOTIC CELL

Gen Bio 1 Final

• Which of these two cells is eukaryotic, a or b?

• What are some ways you could tell this?

1.4 THE EUKARYOTIC CELL

Where did eukaryotes come from? Endosymbiont theory

1.4 THE EUKARYOTIC CELL

Where did eukaryotes come from? Endosymbiont theory

1.4 THE EUKARYOTIC CELL – Membrane-enclosed organelles

Ch. 15 Movement of molecules

1.4 THE EUKARYOTIC CELL – Cytoskeletons

actin filaments microtubules intermediate filaments

Ch. 17 Cytoskeleton
1.4 THE EUKARYOTIC CELL
1.5 MODEL ORGANISMS
1.5 MODEL ORGANISMS
Arabidopsis thaliana Drosophila melanogaster

Escherichia coli
Caenorhabditis elegans

Zebrafish

Saccharomyces cerevisiae
1.5 MODEL ORGANISMS

Kit mutations Neurons Cervical epithelial cells

Review: Chapter 1. Cells: The Fundamental Units of Life

• What is a cell? What is cell theory?

• How can we visualize cells? How do different types of microscopes enhance our ability to see
these cells?
• What structures exist in prokaryotic cells? In eukaryotic cells?
• Describe the major organelles of eukaryotic cells. How might these organelles interact with one
another and help the cell survive and reproduce?
• How did mitochondria and chloroplasts evolve? Why are these organelles significant in
eukaryotic cells?
• What are model organisms? Why are they useful to use as scientists?
• Remember to read the textbook chapters - there are self-check questions and quizzes to help
you study!