The Universal Properties of Cells

DEFINITION
- basic structural and functional unit of all
organisms
- a small compartment bounded by a semi-
permeable membrane filled with
concentrated aqueous solution of
chemicals and non-living products of
its activities that is able to carry on
independently all the basic life functions

BASIC PROPERTIES OF CELLS

1. Cell structure is highly complex and
organized structurally.
The cell is complex
because of the great
number of parts that it
has to maintain but all of
these parts are put in
order and in their proper
places consistently. As a
consequence, less error is
tolerated in the nature
and interactions of the
parts placed in a system Photo from Lodish, Harvey et. al. 2004. Molecular
that is regulated and Cell Biology. 5th ed. W.H. Freeman and
Company, New York.
controlled.
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2. Cell possesses genetic information.

All the information - to build an

organism along with all its
structures, run all its activities
and make more of themselves –
are stored and encoded in the
collection of its genes packaged
into a set of chromosomes. The
information is hereditary and are
stored in the cell’s DNA.

3. Cell has the potential to reproduce.

Based on inherited instructions on its DNA, cells
reproduce by division on which the contents of a
“mother” cell, after faithfully duplicating its
genetic material (DNA) is distributed into two
“daughter” cells, usually equally.

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4. Cell acquires and utilizes energy.

Virtually, all of the energy

required by life on the
earth’s surface arrives in the
form of electromagnetic
radiation from the sun-which
photosynthetic cells trap by
their light-absorbing
pigments present in cell
membranes. The light
energy is converted by
photosynthesis into chemical
energy that is stored as
sucrose or starch.
chlorophytes

For animal cells, energy

comes in the form of
sugar glucose (usually
from the degradation of
starch or glycogen).
Glucose in cells are
metabolized in such a
way that it’s energy
content is stored in a
readily available form
choanoflagellates (such as ATP).

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5. Cell engages in metabolism.

Metabolism is the sum total

of all the chemical
reactions in the cell. The
chemical transformations
that proceeds require
enzymes that greatly
increase the rate at which
a chemical reaction occurs.

6. Cell engages in mechanical activities.

Dynamic, mechanical
changes are carried
out by the cell:
transport of materials
from place to place,
assembly and
disassembly of
structures or the cell
itself moves from one
site to another.

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7. Cell senses and responds to changes in the
environment.

Single-celled organisms usually move toward

a source of nutrients or move away from a
potential source of danger.
For multi-cellular organisms like plants
and animals, their cells have special
structures called receptors that “interact”
with substances in the environment. The
interaction is communicated to the interior of
the cell. The cell may respond by altering
some metabolic activities, prepare for cell
division, initiate movement or commit
suicide (apoptosis).

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8. Cell is capable of self-regulation.
The complex system of cells require that
they put proper order and organization
to all the materials that make up their
structure and, to all their mechanical
and metabolic activities especially in the
acquisition of energy to sustain
themselves and to reproduce.
The requirement is satisfied by
constant regulation. The importance of
regulation is greatly magnified by its
breakdown. The cell may lose many of
its important functions or becomes
aberrant that it is transformed into an
uncontrolled cell as in the case of cancer
cells.

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