The Fundamental Unit of Life

Important points for reference

Cell discovery

1. In 1665, Robert Hooke discovered and named the cell.
2. The cell is the structural and functional unit of all living organisms.
3. Organisms may be unicellular or multicellular. A single cell constitutes a unicellular organism, whereas
many cells coordinately function in a multicellular organism.

Unicellular Organisms Multicellular organisms

1. Consists of a single cell.
1. It consists of a large number of cells.
2. The single cell performs all cell
activities.

Many cells are formed to carry out various
activities.


3. No division of labour.
Division of labour is seen , as cells are
specialized to perform different activities of
body
4. Single call is involved in production of
new organisms

Only germ cells or reproductive cells can take
part on reproduction.
Example: Amoeba

Example: Plants and animals
4. The size, shape and volume of cells are related to the specific function that they perform.
5. Depending on the presence or absence of membrane-bound cell organelles and nucleus, cells may be
prokaryotic or eukaryotic.
i. Prokaryotic cells lack a well-defined nucleus and membrane-bound cell organelles.
ii. Eukaryotic cells possess a proper nucleus with nuclear membrane and membrane-bound cell
organelles. The two types of eukaryotic cells are plant cells and animal cells.
Prokaryotes Eukaryotes

1. Measure about 1-10 microns Measure about 5-100 microns

2. Nucleiod: The genetic material is not
surrounded by nuclear membrane .
Nuclear material is surrounded by nuclear
membrane and is not in direct contact
with cytoplasm.

3. Contains a single chromosome. Contains more than one chromosome.
4. Nucleolus is absent.
Nucleolus is present.
5. Membrane bound organelles absent. Membrane bound organelles present.
Example: Lysosomes, golgi bodies,
endoplasmic reticulum

Example: Bacteria
Example: plants.

6. The three major functional regions of the cell are plasma membrane, nucleus and cytoplasm.
7. The plasma membrane is a thin, selectively permeable membrane, covering the cell and is made up of
lipids and proteins.

Fluid Mosaic Model

8. The plasma membrane separates the contents of a cell from its outside environment and regulates the flow
of substances to and from the cell through diffusion, facilitated diffusion, active transport and
endocytosis.




9. Osmosis is diffusion of water through a selectively permeable membrane. Three things can happen
when the cell is placed in three different types of solutions.

10. Cells of plants, fungi and bacteria contain both plasma membrane and cell wall.



11. The cell wall is a rigid, non-living and outermost covering, composed mainly of cellulose. It provides
mechanical strength to the cell and permits the cell to withstand huge changes in the surrounding
medium.



12. The nucleus is an important, spherical, usual a double-layered nuclear envelope. It controls all metabolic
activities of the cell.

13. The nucleus of a dividing cell shows rod non-dividing cell, the chromosomes elongate and take the form of
thread chromatin fibres.
1. Nuclear envelope: It surrounds the nucleus . The nuclear envelope separates the nuclear
contents from the cytoplasm. It is perforated by numerous , nuclear pores for the
movement of materials in and out of the cell.

2. Nucleoplasm :It is a clear fluid material present in the nucleus. This is called nucleoplasm. It
contains raw materials, enzymes, proteins and metal ions for synthesis of nucleic acids
(DNA and RNA).

3. Chromatin : These are fine filaments. Two or more thick ribbon like chromosomes appear
at the time of cell division. They are made up of DNA and proteins. The DNA has all the
information for the cell to function, grow and divide properly . The specific segments of
DNA are called genes. These are hereditary units.

4. Nucleolus: It is present in the cytoplasm. It is rich in RNAs and proteins.



14. The cytoplasm is the fluid content of the cell. It is present between the nucleus and plasma membrane.
It stores several vital chemicals and is the site of certain important metabolic pathways. Several
specialised cell organelles are present in the cytoplasm.

15. The various cell organelles include the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes,
mitochondria, plastids, vacuoles and centrosome.

16. The Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) is an extensive, interconnected, membrane-bound network of tubes and
sheets. It is of two types: Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (RER) and Smooth Endoplasmic
Reticulum (SER).

17. Functions of ER
i. RER helps making proteins and SER manufactures lipids.
ii. It provides a pathway for intracellular transport of materials.
iii. SER of liver cells is important for detoxification.



18. Ribosomes are attached to the surface of RER and are also found free in the cytoplasm. They are the
sites of protein synthesis.

19. The Golgi apparatus is a network of stacked, flattened, membrane-bound sacs and vesicles.

20. Functions of the Golgi apparatus
i. Its main function is secretory.
ii. It packages the materials synthesised in the cell and dispatches them to the target sites.
iii. It produces vacuoles or secretory vesicles.
iv. It is involved in the synthesis of cell wall, plasma membrane and lysosomes.



21. Lysosomes are spherical, sac-like structures that contain powerful digestive enzymes and are called
digestive bags. During the breakdown of cell structure, lysosomes may burst and the enzymes eat up
their own cells, so they are also known as suicide bags.

22. Mitochondria and plastids are each covered by two membranes and possess their own DNA and
Ribosomes.
23. Mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell as they provide energy for various metabolic activities.




24. Plastids occur in most plant cells. They are of three types: chromoplasts, chloroplasts and leucoplasts.



25. Chromoplasts are coloured plastids (except green colour). Chloroplasts are green coloured, contain
chlorophyll and carry out photosynthesis in plants. Leucoplasts are colourless plastids that store
starch, oil and protein granules.


26. The large central vacuole of mature plant cells provides turgidity to the cell and also stores important
substances. . Vacuoles have a membrane called tonoplast. It stores cell sap and all food and materials
synthesized in cells. In plans it occupies a major part where as in animals they are small.

27. The centrosome is found only in animal cells and consists of two centrioles. It helps in cell division.




Practice Questions

a. What is a cell? Why is a cell called the structural and functional unit of life?

b. State cell theory. Name the scientist who presented it.


c. Give two examples each of microscopic cells and cells visible to naked eye.

d. What is endocytosis? Give one example.


e. Though the basic unit of both a flower and leaf is cell, they are widely different in their
appearance. Why?

f. Give the differences between plant and animal cell.