Unit III. Cell Structure & Function

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Cell- smallest unit of matter that is capable of performing the characteristics and function defined as life

A. Cell Theory-

нн 1. All life is composed of cells

нн 2. All cells are the basic organizational unit of life

нн 3. Allн cells come from other cells

 

B. Early Scientistsнн

1. Robert Hooke (1665)- first to describe a "cell". Used cork to identify tiny individual boxes

нн 2. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek (1673)- identified microorganisms in pond water; basic cellular structure

нн 3. Matthias Schleiden ( 1838) - stated that plants are multicellular organisms

нн 4. Theodor Schwann (1839)- stated animals are multicellular organisms

нн 5. Rudolf Virchow (1855)- examined cell reproduction in lower organisms

 

C. Regions of the cell

нн 1. Cell membrane- the outer barrier of the cell

ннннннн * regulates the passage of molecules in and out of the cell

нн 2. Cytoplasm - semi fluid medium and components inside the cell

нннн a. organelles- small bodies within the cytoplasm which have individualized structures and functions

нннн b. cytosol- semi- fluid medium of dissolved organic matter which supports the organelles

нн 3. Nucleus - specialized organelle which contains the genetic matter

 

D.н Types of Cells

1. Prokaryotic - "pre-nucleus" cell; doesn't contain a distinct nucleus

нннн - nucleoid region - region in cytoplasm where genetic information is found

нннн * Found primarily in the Monera Kingdom- Bacteria

2. Eukaryotic- "true" nucleus' contains a distinct nucleus with nuclear membrane

нннн - most forms of life contain eukaryotic cells

** Reference to cells will pertain to eukaryotic cell unless mentioned

 

E. Parts of the Cell

1. Cell membrane (Plasma membrane)н - fluid medium with the consistency of oil

нннн a. Components:

1. Phospholipid bilayer: н Two layers oriented so non-polar tails point inward -- forming

hydrophobic bonds

ннннннннн * Glycolipids are occasionally found in the outer layer in the place of the phospholipids

нннннннннннн glycolipids- fat with two fatty acid chains and 1 sugar chain where the phosphate is usually found

ннннннн нннн purpose- cell to cell recognition; different cells have different glycolipidsннннн

2. Cholesterol: found in one layer which lends to stability of the lipid layer:н keeps the membrane

fluid at lower temperatures

ннннннн 3. Proteins: either span the bilayer or found embedded in one single layer

ннннннннн a. transport- transports most molecules in and out of the cell

нннннннннннн i.н channel - allows for straight passage of molecules or ions

нннннннннннн ii. carrierн -н bonds with molecules or ions to facilitate passage

нн b. cell recognition

нннннннннннн i.н glycoprotein- finger prints the cell because of the sugar chain attached

c. receptor protein- has specific shape to bond with certain molecules (hormones) which cause a

certain chemical reaction within the cell

d. cell adhesion - bonds particular cells together

e. attachment - bonds filaments of the cytoplasm to the cell membrane

нн f.н enzymatic- perform chemical reactions with membrane and cytoplasm

нн g. more of which have to be explored (?)

нннн

b. Fluid- Mosaic Model - term used to describe the appearance and function of the cell membrane

ннннннн 1. phospholipids, glycolipids and cholesterol all assist in producing a fluid characteristic

нннннннннннн - molecules can move...

ннннннн 2. proteins, glycolipids and cholesterol give the mosaic pattern

 

c.н Membrane characteristics

ннннннн 1. selectively permeable- characteristic where membrane regulates the passage of particles

ннннннннн a. diffusion- movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to an

ннннннн нннн area of lower concentration. net movement- movement which changes concentrations

нннн b. factors that affect diffusion

нннннннннннн i. particle size and shape

нннннннннннн ii. temperature

нннннннннннн iii. concentration gradient- difference in concentrations

нннннннннннн iv. cytoplasmic streaming- continuous movement of materials in cytoplasm

 

d. diffusion in membranes

ннннннн 1. facilitated diffusion- using a protein to move particles down the conc. gradient

ннннннн 2. active transport- using a protein to move particles up the conc. gradient

ннннннннн *requires energy -н ATP - adenosine triphosphate

pump- proteins that use active transport to move particles between interior and exterior of cell

3. osmosis - diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane

- water moves from an area of high water conc.(low solute) to an area of low water conc. (high solute)ннн

нн ннннннн -osmotic pressure - internal pressure due to net movement of water into

ннннннн 4. osmotic conditions: cell concentration vs. environmental solution conc.

ннннннннн a. isotonic- solute conc. inside is the same as outside-- no net movementн of water

нннннннннннн нн animal cell ё normal ннннннннннннн plant cell -н flaccid

ннннннннн b. hypotonic- solute conc. outside is less than cell conc.

нннннннннннннн animal cell- lysedннннннннннннн plant cellнн - turgid

ннннннннн c. hypertonic- solute conc. outside is greater than cell conc.

нннннннннннннн animal cell ё crenatedн ннннннн plant cell -нн plasmolyzed

нннн

e movement of particles larger than transport proteins

нн 1. endocytosis- cell membrane indents around molecules and forms a vesicle

нннн н нн нa. pinocytosis- uptaking fluid molecules

нннн н нн нb. phagocytosis- uptaking solid molecules

нн 2. exocytosis- vesicles fuse with cell membrane and release materials

 

2. Cytoplasm- the region of the cell inside the cell membrane

a. cytosol- solution

ннннннн - contains amino acids, monosaccharides, water and other essential molecules

ннннннн (All basic building blocks for the macromolecules)

нннн b. Organelles - membraned bodies housed within the cell: Each has a specialized design and function

нн 1. Ribsome- organelle having 2 subunits made from proteins which function to produce proteins

ннннннннн a. "free"- found suspended in cytosol

ннннннннн b. "bound"- found attached to endoplasmic reticulum

нннн Membranous canals and vacuoles

ннннннн 2. Endoplasmic reticulum- membraned canals that connect the nucleus with the cell membraneн

ннннннннн a. "rough" - contains ribosomes on outer membrane surface

нннннннннннн - responsible for assistance in protein synthesis and transport to exterior of the cell

ннннннннн b. "smooth" - no ribosomes; but contains specialized enzymes

нннннннннннн -various functions depending upon location in the body

нннннннннннн -lipid synthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, detoxification of drugs

ннннннн 3. Golgi Apparatus- similar in appearance to smooth E.R.

ннннннннн - works in conjunction with the E.R. where it modifies, stores and routes products of the E.R. н н

нннннн нн - uses vesicles to transport molecules between E.R., Golgi and other parts

4. vesicle- membrane storage compartment used in endo & exocytosis mechanism

ннннннн 5. Vacuole- membraned organelle used primarily for storage

ннннннннн a. food vacuoles - store food for reserve usage's

ннннннннн b. contractile vacuole- stores water and pumps out excess when necessary

ннннннннн c. central vacuole- plant vacuole which has a variety of functions

нннннннннннн - stores molecules, deposit for metabolism by-products, contain pigments

ннннннн 6. Lysosomes- "suicide organelles"- membrane bound organelles that contain enzymes whose

responsibilities are macromolecule and organelle digestion

ннннннннн - formed from the Golgi apparatus

нн нн Energy-related organelles

ннннннн 7.н Mitochondria- double membraned organelle that is responsible for respiration

ннннннн 8. Plastid- organelle found in plants that are responsible for food production (carbohydrates)

-  chloroplasts- plastids which contain chlorophyll

 

3.н Cytoskeleton- scaffolding structure of the cytoplasm (mesh netting)

ннннннн - maintains cell's shape, anchors organelles, allows cell and contents to move within cell

нннн a. consists of 3 different protein tubules

ннннннн 1. microtubules- largest- usually in the form ofн cilia and flagella & also moves organelles

ннннннн 2. intermediate filaments- assistance in cell division ( cleavage furrow)

ннннннн 3. microfilaments- smallest- assists in support of the cell

 

4. Nucleus

нннн - double membraned organelle which contains chromosomal material

a. Components

1. nuclear envelope ( membrane)- double membrane which surrounds the nucleus & is continuous

with the endoplasmic reticulum

-nuclear pores- holes in the envelope formed from embedded protein which allow certain molecules to pass from cytoplasm to nucleoplasm

ннннннн 2. nucleolus- dense area which function in the synthesis of ribosomesнннн

нннн нн 3. chromatin- regions where genetic material is found

нннннннннннн - long chains of DNA molecules -- Deoxyribonucleic acids

нннннннннннн -chromosome - condensed chromatin

 

F. Cell Division & Mitosis

нн 1. DNA replication- production of identical DNA double helices

a. Binary Fission- (Asexual reproduction)-н Prokaryotic organisms

b. Eukaryotic cell division (Asexual repro of single-celled Eukaryotes)

1. chromosome structure

a. chromatin- н histoneн

b. chromosome

-homologous chromosome- нн centromere

нннннннннннн -kinetochore

нннннннннннн -sister chromatids

-karyotype- 46 chromosomes- 23 pairs

c. Cell Cycle

1. parent cell

2. daughter cell

3. 5 phases:нннн G1§ S § G2 § M § C

Interphaseн (G1 § S §G2)

нннннннннннн a. G1 - (Primary Growth Phase) a.k.a. (G = gap)

нннннннннннн b. S - нн (Genome Synthesis, DNA replication)

нннннннннннн c. G2 - (Secondary Growth Phase)

нннннннннннн d.н M- (Mitosis) - 4 stages

i. prophase-н centrioles, poles, spindle fibers, asters

ii. metaphase-н equator (metaphase plate)

iii. anaphase

iv. telophase

v. Cytokinesis ( C)нннннннннннннннн

ннннннннннннннннннн -animal cells- cleavage furrow

ннннннннннннннннннн -plant cells - cell plate

**The 5 phases are sometimes condensed to IPMAT, where interphase is the time between daughter cell formations.