Grades: 6 - 8 CCSS, NGSS

The Study of Cell and

Molecular Biology
Lecture 1
 The Discovery of Cells

Karp, 2013
The Cell Theory
• All organisms are composed of one or more cells.
• The cell is the structural unit of life.

• Cells can arise only by division from a preexisting cell.

Basic Properties of Cells
Life – most basic property
of cells
• Smallest unit to exhibit
this property
• Can be removed from
Karp, 2013
organism and culture in
Cancerous HeLa cells –
the first human cells to the lab
be kept in culture inside
the lab.
Basic Properties of Cells
• Cells Are Highly Complex and Organized
• Each level of structure in cells has a great level of consistency
from cell to cell.
• Organelles have a particular shape and location in all individuals of
species – consistent appearance in the electron microscope
• Organelles have consistent macromolecules composition
arranged in a predictable pattern
• Cell structure is similar from organism to organism despite
differences in higher anatomical features.
Karp, 2013
Basic Properties of Cells
• Cells Possess a Genetic Program and the Means to
Use It
• The information to build a cell is encoded in its genes
• Genes - blueprints for constructing cellular structures
- give directions for running cellular activities
such as cell reproduction
• Changes in genetic information lead to variation
among individuals, after each generation.
Basic Properties of Cells
• Cells are Capable of Producing More of Themselves
• Mitosis and Meiosis

Cell reproduce by division

Before division, genetic material is copied – each

daughter cell get complete and equal share of genetic
information
Basic Properties of Cells
• Cells Acquire and Utilize Energy
• Photosynthesis
• Respiration
Basic Properties of Cells
• Cells Carry Out a Variety of Chemical Reactions
• Sum total of the chemical reaction in a cell represents
that cell’s metabolism
• All chemical changes that take place in cells require
enzymes – molecules that greatly increase the rate at
which a chemical reaction occurs.
Basic Properties of Cells
• Cells Engage in Mechanical Activities
• Materials are transported from place to place
• Structures assembled and disassembled
• Initiated by motor proteins
Basic Properties of Cells
• Cells Are Able to Respond to Stimuli
• Most cells have receptors that sense environment and
initiate responses.
• Receptors to bind
• Hormones
• Growth factors
• Extracellular materials
• Substances on the surfaces of other cells.
 Basic Properties of Cells
• Cells Are Capable of Self-Regulation
• Cell processes are a series of ordered steps
• The importance of a cell’s regulatory mechanisms
becomes most evident when they break down.
• Failure of a cell to correct error in DNA replication – mutation
• Breakdown in growth control – may lead to cancer cell (unable
to control)
Basic Properties of Cells
• Cells Evolve
• All living organisms have evolved from a single,
common ancestral cell
• Ancient cell known as the last universal common
ancestor (LUCA)
Classes of Cells
• Prokaryotic Cells
• Bacteria
• Eukaryotic Cells en.wikipedia.org

• Protists
• Fungi
• Plants
• Animals

cusabio.com
Pro = before, karyon = nucleus Eu = true, karyon = nucleus
Prokaryotic Eukaryotic
 Types of Prokaryotic Cells
Divided into 2 major taxonomic groups/domains
A. The Archaea/Archaebacteria
• Live in extremely inhospitable environment/extremophiles
• Methanogens, convert CO2 and H2 into CH4 methane gas
• Halophiles, extreme salty environment
• Thermophiles, extreme high temperature
B. The Bacteria/Eubacteria
• Present in every conceivable habitat on Earth
 Types of Eukaryotic Cells
• Protists (single-cell) - do everything an organism must
do to survive in a single cell
• Multicellular organisms (fungi, plants, animals) –
exhibit differentiation
• different activities conducted by
different types of specialized cells.
Specialized cells are formed by a process called
differentiation
Differentiation – process by which a relatively unspecialized cell
become highly specialized
Cells specialized for varied functions
Have distinctive appearance
Carry unique materials
Ex. Skeletal muscle, cartilage cells, red blood cells
Cells have similar organelles but their number, appearance and location
may differ and correlate with cell activities.
VIRUSES
• Nucleic acid encased in a protein shell which may be
surrounded by a lipid-containing membrane
• Obligatory intracellular parasites
• Replicate only in living cells
Host
Bacteria
Algae
Animals
Plants
• Viruses are not cellular; have no organelles, no protoplasm, no
locomotion of any kind; are large, complex molecules; may be
crystalline in form.

• A virus particle is composed of a nucleic acid core (DNA or RNA)

surrounded by a protein shell or capsid; combination called a
nucleocapsid; capsid is helical, or icosahedral in configuration;
many are covered by a membranous envelope containing
protein spikes; complex viruses have additional external and
internal structures.
Viroids
• Simplest type of infectious agents.
• Consist of small circular RNA molecule that totally lacks a
protein coat.
PT 1
Directions: Draw and label a prokaryotic cell and a
eukaryotic cell. Explain the different features of the two
types of cell.
PT 2

Directions: Provide a short essay. If you were to argue that

viruses are living organisms, what features of viral structure and
function might you use in your argument?