The Cell

Learning Outcomes: List 3 main parts of the cell and describe its function Explain how the plasma membrane is selectively permeable Differentiate the various transport processes in a cell

Describe structural components of the cell

Describe the function of the various organelles in the cell

Overview of the cell

Part

Function

Plasma membrane Selective barrier, regulate movement of material, cellular communication Cytoplasm Houses all the organelles in a watery liquid called the cytosol Contains genetic material that controls cell structure and function

Nucleus

Plasma Membrane

Glycocalyx - the sugary coating surrounding the membrane made up of the carbohydrate portions of the glycolipids and glycoproteins

Functions of Membrane Proteins

Some integral proteins are ion channels Transporters - selectively move substances through the membrane Receptors - for cellular recognition; a ligand is a molecule that binds with a receptor Enzymes - catalyze chemical reactions Others act as cell-identity markers

Membrane Permeability
The cell is either permeable or impermeable to certain substances The lipid bilayer is permeable to oxygen, carbon dioxide, water and steroids, but impermeable to glucose Transmembrane proteins act as channels and transporters to assist the entrance of certain substances, for example, glucose and ions Selective permeability establishes gradients

Passive vs. Active Processes

Passive processes - substances move across cell membranes without the input of any energy; use the kinetic energy of individual molecules or ions. Active processes - a cell uses energy, primarily from the breakdown of ATP, to move a substance across the membrane, i.e., against a concentration gradient

Passive Processes

Channel-mediated Facilitated Diffusion of Potassium ions through a Gated K + Channel

Carrier-mediated Facilitated Diffusion of Glucose across a Plasma Membrane

Osmosis
Net movement of water through a selectively permeable membrane from an area of high concentration of water (lower concentration of solutes) to one of lower concentration of water Water can pass through plasma membrane in 2 ways: through lipid bilayer by simple diffusion through aquaporins, integral membrane proteins

1. 2.

Active Transport
Sources of energy: 1. Hydrolysis of ATP primary active transport 2. Ionic concentration gradient secondary active transport

Na+ gradient

Extracellular fluid Na+/K+ ATPase 3 Na+ expelled 2K+

Cytosol K+ gradient

3 Na+

P ATP

ADP

+ 4 2K

imported

Symporters: transporters move two substances in the same direction Antiporters: transporters move two substances in the opposite direction

Transport in Vesicles
Vesicle - a small spherical sac formed by budding off from a membrane Endocytosis - materials move into a cell in a vesicle formed from the plasma membrane three types: receptor-mediated endocytosis phagocytosis bulk-phase endocytosis (pinocytosis) Exocytosis - vesicles fuse with the plasma membrane, releasing their contents into the extracellular fluid

ReceptorMediated Endocytosis
Selective uptake of materials needed by the cell

Phagocytosis

Main way to get rid of large, solid particles Macrophages in tissues Neutrophils in blood

Pinocytosis

Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Exocytosis releases material from the cell, especially important for: 1. Secretory cells 2. Nerve cells

Surface area of plasma membrane is kept relatively constant by endocytosis versus exocytosis

Cytoplasm - 2 components
1. Cytosol - intracellular fluid, surrounds the organelles - the site of many chemical reactions - energy is usually released by these reactions - reactions provide the building blocks for cell maintenance, structure, function and growth The cytoskeleton - network of protein filaments throughout the cytosol -provides structural support for the cell -three types according to increasing size: microfilaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules

2. Organelles Specialized structures within the cell

The Cytoskeleton

Movement & mechanical support

Stabilise position of organelles and cell attachment

Determine cell shape and movement of organelles

Ribosomes - sites of protein synthesis

Endoplasmic reticulum - network of membranes in the shape of flattened sacs or tubules

-Rough ER - connected to the nuclear envelope, a series of flattened sacs, surface is studded with ribosomes, produces various proteins -Smooth ER - a network of membrane tubules, does not have ribosomes, synthesizes fatty acids and steroids, detoxifies certain drugs

Golgi Complex
consists of 3-20 flattened, membranous sacs called cisternae

Peroxisomes - smaller than lysosomes, detoxify several toxic substances such as alcohol, abundant in the liver Proteasomes - continuously destroy unneeded, damaged, or faulty proteins, found in the cytosol and the nucleus

Mitochondria - the powerhouses of the cell - Generate ATP More prevalent in physiologically active cells: muscles, liver and kidneys Self-replicate during times of increased cellular demand or before cell division

Nucleus

Nuclear envelope - a double membrane that separates the nucleus from the cytoplasm Nuclear pores - numerous openings in the nuclear envelope, control movement of substances between nucleus and cytoplasm Nucleolus - spherical body that produces ribosomes

P site

P site UAC UAC GG A U G G A U G G

Large Large subunit subunit Initiator Initiator tRNA tRNA

Amino acid Amino acid tRNA tRNA

Review of Translation

A site

A site C C

P Small Small site subunit subunit

P site
UAC UAC GG A U G G A U G G Anticodon Anticodon A site A site

2 Large and small ribosomal 2 Large and small ribosomal

Amino acid Amino acid (methionine) (methionine) Anticodon Anticodon UAC UAC GG A U G G A U G G

subunits join to form a functional subunits join to form a functional ribosome and initiator initiator tRNA mRNA mRNA ribosome and tRNA fits into P site. P site. fits into Codons Codons Initiator Initiator tRNA tRNA mRNA mRNA

3 Anticodon of incoming tRNA pairs pairs 3 Anticodon of incoming tRNA

with next mRNA codon at A site. A site. with next mRNA codon at

Small Small mRNA mRNA subunit subunit binding binding site site Start codon codon Start

1 Initiator Initiator tRNA attaches to a 1 tRNA attaches to a

start codon. codon. start

UAC U AC U GG A U G U A G G U A G GG A U

New New peptide peptide bond bond C U U G G A U G U AG C U G C GG U G

4 Amino acid on tRNAon tRNA at P site 4 Amino acid at P site

forms a forms a bond with peptide peptide bond with amino acid at A site. A site. amino acid at

Stop codon

mRNA mRNA movement movement

P site leaves ribosome, 5 tRNA5at tRNA at P site leaves ribosome, ribosome shifts by one codon; codon; ribosome shifts by one tRNA previously at A siteat A site is now tRNA previously is now at the P at the P site. site. Growing mRNA protein

6 Protein synthesis stops when

the ribosome reaches stop codon on mRNA. Key: Key: = AdenineAdenine = = GuanineGuanine = = Cytosine = Cytosine = Uracil = Uracil

Complete protein tRNA

Summary of movement of ribosome along mRNA

Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Review DNA Replication