Characteristics,

Classification and
Organells of the Cell
Dr Le Minh Thong
Basic Properties of Cells
• Living is the most basic property of cells
• Cells are highly complex and organized
• Cells have a genetic program and the mean to use it
• Cell are capable of producing more of themselves
• Cell acquire and utilize energy
• Cells carry out a variety of chemical reactions
• Cells engage in mechanical activities
• Cell able to response to stimuli
• Cell are capable of self-regulation
• Cell evolve
• Cell can grow and reproduce in culture for extented period (primary
cell, cell line,..)
Adapted from book, Cell and Molecular Biology: Concepts and Experiments
Prokaryotes (karyotes = nucleus)

Figure 1-9
 Prokaryotes are the most diverse
and numerous cells on earth
• Small size
• Having cell wall
• No nucleus membrane
• Fast division (~ 20 min)
• Diverse characteristics in biology
• Adapt diverse environments in the Earth
• And used diverse materials as foods

Figure 1-10: E. Coli - TEM

 Prokaryotes is fundamental part of life

Figure 1-11
Anabaena cylindrica (A) and
Phormidium laminosum (B) Figure 1-12 Beggiatoa

Questions: plant can fix N2 ???

Prokaryotes also included
Archaea
Archaea form other distinct group compared with Bacteria or Eukaryote
Also present in hostile environments
Many characteristics differ from bacteria: having intron, complex RNA polymerase

Wikipedia Source: Science and Evolution

The Scientist Magazine

 Eukaryotes (Eu = Truly)
Prokaryotes Eukaryotes
Nucleus No Yes
Membraned organelles No Yes (many)
Size 1 – 10 um 10 – 100 um
Time evolved ~ 3 billion years ~ 2 billion years
Cytoplasm Yes Yes
Cell membrane Yes Yes
DNA Circle floating Multi chromosomes
Ribosome Yes Yes
Representative Bacteria, archaea Plant, animal cell, yeast,
fungi, protist
Representative Animal Cell

Source: Biology
Representative Plant Cell

Source: Biology
The yeast cell

Figure 1-13

Source: The Cell

Organelles
• Cellular machinery
• Two general kinds
• Derived from membranes
• Bacteria-like organelles
 Plasma Membrane
• Contains cell contents
• Double layer of phospholipids & proteins
Phospholipids

• Polar
• Hydrophylic head
• Hydrophobic tail

• Interacts with water

Movement Across the Plasma Membrane

• A few molecules move freely

• Water, Carbon dioxide, Ammonia, Oxygen

• Carrier proteins transport some molecules

• Proteins embedded in lipid bilayer
• Fluid mosaic model – describes fluid nature of a lipid
bilayer with proteins
Membrane Proteins
1. Channels or transporters
• Move molecules in one direction
2. Receptors
• Recognize certain chemicals
Membrane Proteins
3. Glycoproteins
• Identify cell type
4. Enzymes
• Catalyze production of substances
 Cell Walls
• Found in plants, fungi, & many protists
• Surrounds plasma membrane
Cell Wall Differences
• Plants – mostly cellulose
• Fungi – contain chitin
Cytoplasm
• Viscous fluid containing organelles
• components of cytoplasm
• Interconnected filaments & fibers
• Fluid = cytosol
• Organelles (not nucleus)
• storage substances
Cytoplasm is stuffed with organelles and crowded by
various molecules

Fig 1-25
Cytoskeleton
• Filaments & fibers

• Made of 3 fiber types

• Microfilaments
• Microtubules
• Intermediate filaments
• 3 functions:
• mechanical support
• anchor organelles
• help move substances
A = actin, IF = intermediate filament, MT = microtubule

Fig 1-26
Cilia & Flagella
• Provide motility
• Cilia
• Short
• Used to move substances
outside human cells
• Flagella Source: Florida State University

• Whip-like extensions
• Found on sperm cells
• Basal bodies like centrioles

Source: Socratic
Cilia & Flagella Structure
• Bundles of microtubules
• With plasma membrane
Centrioles
• Pairs of microtubular structures
• Play a role in cell division
Membranous Organelles
• Functional components within cytoplasm
• Bound by membranes
Nucleus

• Control center of cell

• Double membrane

• Contains
• Chromosomes
• Nucleolus
Nuclear Envelope
• Separates nucleus from rest of cell

• Double membrane

• Has pores
 DNA - chromosome
• Hereditary material

• Chromosomes
• DNA
Figure 1-15
• Proteins
• Form for cell division
• Chromatin
Nucleolus
• Most cells have 2 or more
• Directs synthesis of rRNA
• Forms ribosomes
Endoplasmic Reticulum
• Helps move substances within cells

• Network of interconnected membranes

• Two types
• Rough endoplasmic reticulum
• Smooth endoplasmic reticulum
Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum
• Ribosomes attached to surface
• Manufacture proteins
• Not all ribosomes attached to rough ER
• May modify proteins from ribosomes
Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum
• No attached ribosomes
• Has enzymes that help build molecules
• Carbohydrates
• Lipids
Golgi Apparatus
• Involved in synthesis of plant cell wall
• Packaging & shipping station of cell

Source: Biology book

Figure 1-22
Golgi Apparatus Function
1. Molecules come in vesicles

2. Vesicles fuse with Golgi membrane

3. Molecules may be modified by Golgi

Golgi Apparatus Function
(Continued)
4. Molecules pinched-off in separate vesicle

5. Vesicle leaves Golgi apparatus

6. Vesicles may combine with plasma membrane to

secrete contents

http://bcs.whfreeman.com/webpub/Ektron/Hil
lis
Principles of Life2e/Animated Tutorials/
pol2e_at_0402_The_Golgi_Apparatus/
pol2e_at_0402_The_Golgi_Apparatus.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD4z27ASN1M
 Lysosomes
• Contain digestive enzymes
• Functions
• Aid in cell renewal
• Break down old cell parts
• Digests invaders
 Vacuoles
• Membrane bound storage sacs
• More common in plants than animals
• Contents
• Water
• Food
• wastes
Animal sacs
 Bacteria-Like Organelles
• Release & store energy

• Types
• Mitochondria
(release energy)
• Chloroplasts
(store energy)
 Mitochondria
• Have their own DNA
• Bound by double membrane

Fig 1-17
Mitochondria
• Break down fuel molecules (cellular respiration)
• Glucose
• Fatty acids
• Release energy
• ATP
• Likely evolved from
engulfed bacteria

Figure 1-18
 Chloroplasts
• Derived form photosynthetic bacteria
• Solar energy capturing organelle

Figure 1-19
Source: Biology book
Photosynthesis
• Takes place in the chloroplast
• Makes cellular food – glucose
• Evolved from engulfed photosynthetic bacteria

Fig 1-20
Eukaryotic cells may have originated as predators

Protozoan

Figure 1-28

Fig 1-29
 Cell we extract/isolate cell organelles???
•Disruption of plasma membrane

•Ultracentrifugation

Source: B for Biology

Chemical Components
of Cells
Le Minh Thong, PhD.
The distribution of elements in the Earth’s
crust differs that in a living organism.
Chemical bond
Chemical Bonds Help Bring Molecules
Together in Cells

• Hydrogen Bonds Are Important Noncovalent

Bonds For Many Biological Molecules
• Hydrophilic
• Hydrophobic
Main small organic molecules in
cell
Main small organic molecules in
cell
Which is which?
Noncovalent Bonds Allow a Macromolecule to Bind
Other Selected Molecules