Lesson 3 – Cells

1. Explain the concept of cell theory and the composite cell.

 Cells vary in size, shape and function

 Share commonalities
 Traits that support metabolic activity
 3 major parts: nucleus, cytoplasm
 Regardless of type and structure cells are the foundation of all tissues and organs
 To understand cells a composite or generic cell is utilized

2. Describe the structure of the cell membrane and explain its purpose.

 Outermost limit of the cell

 Active role in cellular metabolism since many vital metabolic activates take place
on cell membrane

3. Describe the structure and function of cilia.

 Motile – like processes extending from the surface of some cells

 Found sometimes on free surface of some epithelial cells
 Tiny hairlike structures that are attached beneath some cell membranes
 To and fro movements, wavelike motion that sweeps over the ciliated surface
 Allows fluids to move across the lining of the tissues (respiratory passages)

4. Describe and locate cytoplasm.

 Clear
 Liquid with specks scattered throughout
 Most cellular activates (metabolism) occur in the cytoplasm

5. Describe the function and structure of cell organelles.

1. Ribosomes
- Tiny round bodies
- Site of protein synthesis
- Float freely in cytoplasm
- Can attach to membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum
2. Centrioles
- Paired rod spindle shaped bodies
- Lie at right angles to each other
- Located close to nucleus
- Function: reproduction of the cell
 3. Lysosomes - Phagocytosis
- Suicide sacs
- Membranous sacs found in cytoplasm
- Contains powerful enzymes that engulf or digest any worn out structures or
foreign substances that enter the cell
4. Mitochondria
- “powerhouse of the cell”
- Sausage shaped bodies with double membranous walls
- Move slowly about cytoplasm
- Reproduce by dividing
- Enzymes within carry out reactions in which oxygen breaks down food (cellular
respiration)
- Energy is stored as ATP molecules

6. Differentiate between active and passive transport mechanisms

Both move oxygen, water, and nutrients into cells and remove waste products.

1. Passive
- High to low
- No energy
- Dependent on molecular size, speed and temp
2. Active
- Low to high
- Need energy
- Carrier molecule

7. Explain and give examples of diffusion, osmosis and filtration

1. Diffusion (high to low)

 Transport mechanism responsible for the movement of CO2 and O through the cell
membrane
 O goes in and CO2 exits
 Responsible for O/CO2 exchange between the air/blood in the lungs and the various
tissues

Facilitated Diffusion (carrier molecule)

 Substances are transported across cell membrane by means of protein carrier

molecule
 Either too large or insoluble to move by themselves
  Rate of diffusion depends on amount of carrier molecules available

2. Osmosis (pulled)
 Pertains to water molecules
 High to low which occurs through a selectively permeable membrane
 OSMOTIC PRESURE – holds or pulls water into it, directly related to the
concentration of the solutes in the solution
 Higher solute the greater the osmotic pressure therefore higher tendency of
water to move into the solution
 Water moves towards area with greater osmotic pressure

3. Filtration (pushes)
 Force called hydrostatic pressure
 Move molecules from high to low
 Blood pushing through our kidneys allows substance to be filtered out through
the pores
 Large molecules cant pass through

8. Explain the process and importance of the sodium/potassium pump and phagocytosis

Engulfs a solid particle by the cell membrane. ACTIVE TRANSPORT

1. Binding of cytoplasmic Na+ to the pump protein stimulates phosphorylation by ATP

2. Phosphorylation causes the protein to change its shape
3. The shape change expels Na+ to the outside and extracellular K+ binds
4. K+ binding triggers release of the phosphate group
5. Loss of phosphate restores the original conformation
6. K+ is released and Na+ sites are read to bind Na+ again; cycle repeats

9. Explain the relationship between solute, solvent, osmotic and hydrostatic pressure.

Solute : substance dissolved in a solution

Solvent: a liquid portion of a solution in which a solute is dissolved

Osmotic Pressure (pulling water)

- Amount of pressure of a solution

- Presence of non diffusible solute particles in a solution
- Tendency of a solution to hold water or pull water into the solution
- Pressure is higher as the amount of solutes increase in the solution
 Hydrostatic Pressure: (water pushing)

- Force at which water and solutes are forced through a membrane

- Exerted by the blood
- Move from high pressure gradients to lower pressure
- Ex. Kidneys filter water and solutes out of the blood

10. Differentiate between the isotonic, hypertonic and hypotonic solutions and describe
their effect on body cells.

Isotonic (cell normal)

- Equal solutes on both sides of the membrane

Hypertonic (cell shrinks)

- Increased concentration of solutes than the one compared to

- Pulls water toward it because of pressure

Hypotonic (cell expands)

- More dilute, less solute than the one compared to it

- Water is pulled away, towards an area of higher pressure

11. Define osmolality

- Pressure of the solution
- How thick is it
- Total concentration of all solute particles in a solution

12. Describe the general structure and explain the general function of the nucleus

 Nuclear Envelope : Bounds the nucleus by a double layered membrane

 Porous: allows movement of substances between the nucleus and cytoplasm
 Nucleoplasm (little nucleus): Colloid fluid that suspends the contents of the nucleus
 Protein synthesis occurs from round bodies being assembled and produced which leave the
nucleus to the cytoplasm
 Headquarters since contains genetic material which is the blueprint for building our body
proteins

13. Explain the relationship between chromosomes, DNA and genes.

 DNA and protein combine and form loose network of bumpy threads called chromatin
 They are scattered around the nucleus
 Cells divide chromatin collects and condenses to form chromosomes
 Genes are a portion of DNA which is in the chromosomes containing information for protein
synthesis which directs cell parts to carry on life processes. Also carry inherited traits
14. Identify the number and characteristics of human chromosomes.

 Sperm = 23 chrom
 Ovum = 23 chrom
 Product of fertilization = 46 chrom
 Chromosomes store hereditary material in segments called genes

15. Explain how the ova/sperm and the 23rd male chromosome differ from the norm.

 Spermatogenesis : produces 4 sperm cells each having 23 chromosomes

 Oogenesis : produces one egg, and polar babies which get degenerated

Each parent supplies 23 chromosomes to give a zygote that has 46 chromosomes. 22 of the pairs
match in size and shape and 23rd differs depending on the sex of the baby which the father
determines

16. Differentiate between mitosis and meiosis.

Mitosis : cells divide to form 2 identical daughter cells

Meiosis : cell division by which egg and sperm cells are formed

17. Discuss the concept of differentiation.

 All cells are formed from the union of a sperm and ovum
 Continue to divide through mitosis
 Eventually need to specialize to become different cells
 Portion of DNA is expressed to activate different types of cells (bone, muscle, blood) while
repressing that part of DNA in other cells