Cell Structures

Discovery of the Cell

 Scientists did not start using simple compound
microscopes until the mid 1600’s
 Robert Hooke used an early compound
microscope to look at slices of cork

 Hooke named the ‘seemingly empty’ chambers

‘cells’
 Around the same time, Anton von Leeuwenhoek
was using a single-lens microscope to observe
unicellular organisms in pond water for the first
time
 Cell Theory
 Additional observations of cells in other
living things led scientists to 3 basic
conclusions, known as the cell theory
 Cell Theory states
– All living things are composed of cells
– Cells are the basic units of structure and
function in living things
– New cells are produced from existing cells
 There are two categories of
cells……
 Prokaryotes  Eukaryotes
– No nucleus
– Nucleus
– Few organelles (no
– Many membrane-
membrane-bound
bound organelles
organelles)
– Large
– Small
– Ex: Humans, plants,
– Ex: Bacteria,
fungi, etc.
Archaea, protozoa [Link]

[Link]
 Cell Structure
 All cells, both prokaryotes and
eukaryotes, have DNA and a cell
membrane
 Cells also contain organelles –
specialized structures within the cell
that perform certain tasks
 These organelles float around in the
cell’s cytoplasm, which is mostly
made of water
 Prokaryotes…They’re
 Prokaryotes
simple
only have a
few basic structures:
– DNA
– Cell/plasma membrane
– Cell wall
– Ribosomes
– Some use structures like
pili, cilia, and flagellum to
move in aquatic
environments
[Link]

-but they come in

many varieties
 Eukaryotes are more
complex
 Eukaryotes can be multicellular or
unicellular
 Eukaryotes contain many organelles
Cell Organelles?
 Cell (plasma) membrane
 Mechanical Structure
 Protection
The plasma membrane, or the
cell membrane, provides
protection for a cell
The cell membrane protects
the cell from some harmful
chemicals in its external
environment
 Active Transport
One is to transport nutrients
into the cell and to transport
toxic substances out of the
cell
 Bulk Transport
Exocytosis
Endocytosis
 Markers & Signalling
 Metabolic Activities
 Nucleus
 Control of cell division and
cell growth
 Controls most cell processes
and contains nearly all the
cell’s DNA
 Control of the genetical
information of the cell and
thus the heredity
characteristics of an
organism
 Storage of DNA, RNA and
ribosome
 Production of ribosomes
 Control of the protein and
enzyme synthesis
 Regulation of the
transcription of the mRNA to
protein
 Ribosomes
 The "rib" in ribosome comes from
ribonucleic acid (RNA) which provides
the instructions on making proteins
 Assemble proteins
– Some are free floating while others
are attached to the endoplasmic
reticulum
 Ribosomes are different from most
organelles in that they are not
surrounded by a protective
membrane
 Ribosomes are made inside the
nucleolus of the nucleus then receive
information from the cell nucleus and
construction materials from the
cytoplasm
 Ribosomes translate information
encoded in messenger ribonucleic
acid (mRNA)
 They link together specific amino
acids to form polypeptides and export
them to the cytoplasm
Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)
 There are two types
– Rough ER
chemically modifies
proteins that are
produced by the
ribosomes on its surface.
– Smooth ER
contains specialized
enzymes and makes
lipid components for the
cell membrane.
 Golgi Apparatus
 Sorts, modifies, and
packages proteins and other
materials from the ER for
storage or secretion from the
cell
 Its main function is the
packaging and secretion of
proteins
-Receives proteins from
Endoplasmic Reticulum
-Packages it into membrane-
bound vesicles
-Transported to various
destinations, such as lysosomes,
plasma membrane or
secretion
 Lysosomes and
Peroxisomes
 Breakdown/digestion of
macromolecules
-Lysosomes contain enzymes
that are specialized to
digest lipids, carbs, proteins
so they can be reused
 Responses against foreign
particles
-Peroxisomes contain enzymes
that are specialized to
digest toxic substances
 Repairing of cell
membrane
 Cytoskeleton
 Cytoskeleton network of
protein filaments
(microtubules &
microfilaments) that help the
cell move and maintain its
shape
 Cytoskeleton, the backbone of
a cell as it provides the cell its
shape and structure
 Microfilaments assist with cell
movement and are made of a
protein called actin. Actin
works with another protein
called myosin to produce
muscle movements, cell
division, and cytoplasmic
streaming
 Microfilaments keep
organelles in place within the
cell
 Mitochondria
 Mitochondria are
membrane-bound cell
organelles
(mitochondrion, singular)
 Generate most of the
chemical energy needed
to power the cell's
biochemical reactions
 Contains many folds
which increase surface
area for cellular
respiration reactions
How are Cells different?
Animal Cell
Plant Cell
 Plant cells have special
features…..
 Plants contain:
– Chloroplasts – create and store usable
energy through the process of
photosynthesis.
– Cell wall – provides the cell with rigid
structure.
– No Lysosomes
– One large vacuole – used for the storage
of water and some other materials
 Animal cells usually have many small vacuoles
Chloroplast &
Mitochondria