A View of the Cell

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 Cells
 Are the smallest unit of life
 They are the building blocks
of life

 They are composed of

smaller units called
organelles
•Atoms are the fundamental unit
of all matter.

•Atoms contain electrons,

protons, and neutrons.
Elements are pure substance that contains only one type of
atom.

•92 naturally occurring elements are known

•only about 20 are found in organisms

•Four elements in this group: carbon, oxygen, hydrogen,

and nitrogen (remember: COHN) comprise 98% of the
atoms of all living things
The 7 signs of life
 Cellular Organization
 Cell
 Tissue – group of cells functioning
together.
 Organ – group of tissues
functioning together.
 Organ System – group of organs
functioning together.
 Organism – group of organ
systems functioning together. 6
 The History of the Cell
 The Cell
 The basic unit of an organism
 Discovery made possible by the
invention of the microscope

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 Microscopes and Cells
 1600’s.
 Anton van
Leeuwenhoek
first described
living cells as
seen through a
simple
microscope.
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Microscopes and Cells
 Robert Hooke used the first
compound microscope to
view thinly sliced cork cells.
•Compound scopes
use a series of lenses
to magnify in steps.
•Hooke was the first
to use the term
“cell”. 9
 Microscopes and Cells
 1830’s.
 Matthias Schleiden identified
the first plant cells and
concluded that all plants
made of cells.
- Theodor Schwann
made the same
conclusion about
animal cells. 10
 Microscope

 Instrument for
observing small
objects

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Different parts of a
microscope

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Revolving
Eyepiece
nosepiece
Body tube
Objective Course
adjustment
Clip Fine adjustment

Condenser Arm

Iris diaphragm Stage

Condenser
Mirror control knob
Base 13
 Parts of the Microscope
Light Source
 A bulb or reflection from a
mirror sends light up
through the object being
viewed
Coarse-Adjustment Knob
 Brings the image into focus;
used only with the low-
power objectives
Fine-Adjustment Knob
 Brings the image into
clearer focus; used with the
medium=power and high-
power objective lenses
Stage clips
 Holds the slide in place
Objective lens
 Magnifies the image
Tube
 Holds the eyepiece and the
objective lens at the correct working
distance from each other
Eyepiece
 Has a lens that enlarges the image
from the objective lens
Diaphragm
 Controls the amount of light that
reaches the object
Stage
 Supports the microscope slide
 Cell Theory:

 All organisms are made up of

one or more cells.
 The cell is the basic unit of
organization of all organisms.
 All cells come from other cells
all ready in existence.
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 Cells
 Basic unit of all living organisms
 Contain DNA
 Genetic information

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 Two Basic Cell Types
1) Prokaryote
 Lacks internal
compartments.
 No true nucleus.
 Most are single-celled
(unicellular) organisms.
 Examples: bacteria
 Cells with no nucleus
Originated over 3.5 billion years ago
Bacteria 17
18
2) Eukaryote
 Has several internal structures
(organelles).
 True nucleus.
 Either unicellular or
multicellular.
unicellular example: yeast
multicellular examples:
plants and animals
Originated 1.5 billion years ago
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 Cells are the basic units of organisms
 Cells can only be observed under microscope
 Two basic types of eukaryotic cells:

Animal Cell Plant Cell 20

 What is a cell?
While some cells do look different, all cells have three basic features.

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane
 Organelles
• Cells are able to carry out life
processes because of their
organelles.
• Organelles:
– Are structures within a cell that carry
out a specific function
– Some are common to both plant and
animals cells, others are specific to
either a plant or an animal cell.
 The Parts of the Cell-Cell
• Nickname: Membrane
– The Gate Keeper
• Function:
– It separates the inside of the cell from the
outer environment.
– It keeps everything together!
– It is a Semi-permeable membrane. This
means it is able to regulate what comes into
the cell, and what leaves. It allows things like
Cell
water and nutrients in but keeps out things
that may be harmful or unnecessary.
 Parts of the Cell- Nucleus
 Nickname:
 “The Control Center”

 Function:
 It controls all the activities in the cell

 Contains:
 DNA which holds hereditary instructions (eye
color, hair color...)
 Structure of the Nucleus
 Chromatin: DNA and proteins
 Nucleolus: Chromatin and ribosomal
subunits
 Nuclear envelope: Double membrane
with pores
 Nucleoplasm: semifluid medium inside
the nucleus.

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Nucleus and nuclear envelope

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 The nucleus controls the cell's activities
and contains all the genetic material (46
chromosomes in humans).
 The nucleolus is involved in the synthesis
of ribosomal RNA. It is a dark body inside
the nucleus.
 The nuclear membrane keeps DNA
inside the nucleus but allows mRNA and
proteins through. It is a double membrane
with large pores.
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 Parts of the Cell-Cytoplasm
• Nickname:
– “Cell Chowder”
• Function :
– holds all the organelles in
place. This jelly like
substance surrounds the
nucleus. It is not within the
nucleus.
Ribosomes are tiny organelles composed of a
large subunit and a small subunit where protein
synthesis occurs.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a system of

membranous channels and saccules.

Rough ER is studded with ribosomes and

is the site of protein synthesis and processing.
Smooth ER lacks ribosomes and is the
site of synthesis of phospholipids and the
packaging of proteins into vesicles, among
other functions.
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The endoplasmic reticulum

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 Parts of the Cell-Endoplasmic
• Nickname:
Reticulum (ER)
– “The Transporter”
• Function:
– It transports materials. Food,
water, and waste move around
and out of the cell through the ER
• There are two types:
– Rough ER
– Smooth ER
 Functions of Rough ER
 The rough ER
 Has bound ribosome
 Produces proteins and membranes, which are
distributed by transport vesicles
 Functions of Smooth ER

 The smooth ER
 Synthesizes lipids
 Metabolizes carbohydrates
 Stores calcium
 Detoxifies poison
The Golgi apparatus

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 The Parts of the Cell-Golgi Body
• Nickname:
– “The Shippers”
• Function:
– It packages and transports
proteins, and holds waste products
until the cell is ready to get rid of
them.
• This is a Specialized part of the
ER
 The Golgi apparatus
 The Golgi apparatus consists of a stack
of curved saccules.
 The Golgi apparatus receives protein
and also lipid-filled vesicles from the
ER, packages, processes, and
distributes them within the cell.
 This organelle may also be involved in
secretion.

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 Parts of the Cell- Lysosome
 Nickname:

 “The Destroyer” or Recycling Center

 Function:

 These are sacs within the cell that contain

strong chemicals that digest molecules

 They fuse with vacuoles to digest food, or

they can digest worn out parts of the cell.

 Lysosomes and vacuoles
 Lysosomes are vesicles produced by the
Golgi apparatus.
 Lysosomes contain hydrolytic enzymes
and are involved in intracellular digestion.
 Vacuoles (large) and vesicles (small) are
membranous sacs in the cell that store
substances.

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lysosomes

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 Parts of the Cell-Vacuole
• Nickname:
– “Storage facility”
• Function:
– Stores water, food, and waste that
the cell cannot use right away.
• Under the microscope this looks
like an empty sac.
• In plant cells these are very large
 Peroxisomes
 Peroxisomes are vesicles than contain
enzymes.
 Peroxisomes are abundant in the liver
where they produce bile salts and
cholesterol and break down fats.
 For detoxification

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 Peroxisomes: Oxidation
 Peroxisomes
 Produce hydrogen peroxide and convert it to
water
Chloroplast
Peroxisome
Mitochondrion

Figure 6.19
1 µm
 Part of the Cell-Mitochondria
• Nickname:
– “The Power House”

• Function:
– it releases energy in the
cell. It uses oxygen and
releases energy from
digested food.
 Mitochondria
 Mitochondria are found in plant and animal
cells.
 Mitochondria are bounded by a double
membrane surrounding fluid-filled matrix.
The inner membranes of mitochondria are
cristae.
 The matrix contains enzymes that break
down carbohydrates and the cristae house
protein complexes that produce ATP.
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Mitochondrion structure

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 The Cytoskeleton
 The eukaryotic cytoskeleton is a network of
filaments and tubules that extends from the
nucleus to the plasma membrane.
 The cytoskeleton contains three types of
elements responsible for cell shape,
movement within the cell, and movement of
the cell:
 Microfilaments
 Microtubules
 Intermediate filaments 47
 The cytoskeleton
 Is a network of fibers extending throughout the
cytoplasm
 Gives mechanical support to the cell
Microtubule

Figure 6.20 0.25 µm Microfilaments

Microtubule structure

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 Microtubules –small,hollow
cylinders.
 Microtubules
1) help maintain the shape of the cell
2) act as tracks along which organelles
and chromosomes can move.

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Structure of intermediate
filaments

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 Intermediate filaments -ropelike
assemblies of fibrous
polypeptides
1) support the plasma membrane
2) support the nuclear envelope.

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 Centrioles

 Centrioles are short cylinders may

be involved in anchoring the
spindle fibers during cell division

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Centriole structure

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 Cilia and flagella

 Cilia and flagella - Involved in

movement (cell, eggs, debris)

 Each cilium and flagellum has a basal

body at its base.

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Cell Membrane
Fig. 3.6

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 Parts of the Cell
 Both Plant and Animal Cells
contain the Organelles
 Nucleus
 Cytoplasm
 Mitochondrion
 Vacuole
 Endoplasmic Reticulum
 Golgi Body
 Cell Membrane
 Lysosomes
 Plant Cells contain 2 key
organelles that animal cells DO
NOT contain.
 The Parts of the PLANT CELL
 The Cell Wall
 Nickname:
 “Support System”

 Function:
 This provides protection
and strength for the cell.
This is a non-living part
and is found ONLY IN
PLANT CELLS
 The Parts of the PLANT CELL
 Chloroplast
 Nickname:
 “Sun Catchers”
 Function:
 They contain a pigment called
chlorophyll. It is this that gives
plants their color.

 They also collect sunlight for

photosynthesis. They use
sunlight to make sugar for our
cells to use as energy.

 It is only found in PLANT CELLS

Similarities between plant cells
and animal cells
Both have a cell membrane surrounding
the cytoplasm

Both have a nucleus

Both contain mitochondria

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Differences between plant cells
and animal cells
Animal cells Plant cells
Relatively smaller in Relatively larger in
size size
Irregular shape Regular shape
No cell wall Cell wall present
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 Differences between plant cells
and animal cells
Animal cells Plant cells
Vacuole small or absent Large central vacuole
Glycogen granules as Starch granules as
food store food store
Nucleus at the centre Nucleus near cell wall
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