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Cell Structure

Cells are the basic unit of structure and function in living organisms, with human cells varying greatly in size, shape, and function depending on their role. Cells contain specialized internal structures called organelles that carry out specific functions necessary for the cell to survive, such as genetic material storage and expression in the nucleus or protein production in ribosomes. Cell membranes regulate what enters and exits the cell through passive diffusion, facilitated transport, and active transport powered by ATP.

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12 views

Cell Structure

Cells are the basic unit of structure and function in living organisms, with human cells varying greatly in size, shape, and function depending on their role. Cells contain specialized internal structures called organelles that carry out specific functions necessary for the cell to survive, such as genetic material storage and expression in the nucleus or protein production in ribosomes. Cell membranes regulate what enters and exits the cell through passive diffusion, facilitated transport, and active transport powered by ATP.

Uploaded by

2W10
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CELL STRUCTURE

Human Physiology
A “simple” cell consists
of trillions of atoms
packed into a space less
than a millionth the size
of a grain of sand. By
the way -- between
10,000 and 100,000
microorganisms live on
each single grain of
sand
on Earth.
In multicellular organisms, cells specialize. Heart cells, red blood
cells, white blood cells, liver cells, neurons… Each cell type has the
right combination of organelles to carry out its specific role.

There are over 200 types of cells in the human body and about 30-40
trillion total cells.
Typical bacteria are 1- 5 µm in diameter, while eukaryotic cells are
between 10 – 100 µm.

Metabolic requirements impose theoretical upper limits on the size for


a single cell.

The ratio of surface area to volume is critical. As a cell increases in


size, its surface area grows proportionately less than its volume.
Genetic Expression
 In eukaryotic cells, genetic information is stored in
DNA molecules.

 Each long molecule is wrapped around special


proteins called histones, creating a structure called
as chromatin.

 The chromatin is further structured and bundled


into chromosomes.
Genetic Expression
 Almost all the cellular DNA is
separated in the nucleus –
which is enclosed by a double
membrane, perforated by
several nuclear pores.

 The membrane structure


allows continuous attachment
to the endoplasmic reticulum.
Ribosomes are the protein-building factories of the
cell. They are largely built in the nucleolus –
making it a factory for factories.
Unlike many other organelles, ribosomes are not
bound by a membrane.
Endomembrane System

The Endomembrane System


is a network of membranes
throughout the inside of the
cell – that play roles in the
synthesis, storage, and
transport of many types of
biomolecules.
Endomembrane System
The Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) is an interconnected network of
membranes throughout the cell – that is the major site of biosynthesis in the
cell. There are 2 types of ER:
 Rough ER – has ribosomes embedded within its membrane
 Smooth ER – phospholipids and steroids are synthesized.
Endomembrane System

 The purpose of the Golgi Apparatus is to modify, package,


and transport proteins.

 A vesicle is an enclosed membrane that serves to transport


molecules.
Endomembrane System

 Vacuoles serve as small storage


containers for water. They take up
most of the space in a plant cell –
making the plant rigid. With a lack
of water, plants will wilt.

 In animal cells, lysosomes are


membrane-bound sacs of digestive
enzymes.
Energy Production

The cell uses chemical potential energy (energy stored in the chemical
bonds of molecules)to drive its processes.
Talk with your Table Partner

Prokaryotes
&
Eukaryotes
Talk with your Table Partner

Cell Size
Limitations
Talk with your Table Partner

Genetic Expression
(DNA/Chromosomes/
Genes, Codons)
Talk with your Table Partner

Ribosomes
&
Nucleolus
Talk with your Table Partner

Endomembrane
System
(E.R./Golgi Apparatus/
Vesicles/Vacuoles/
Lysoosme)
Talk with your Table Partner

Energy
(Phosphorylation
& Dephosphorylation)
Energy Production

Chloroplasts (present in plant and many types of algal cells) are the
solar power plants of the cellular world – harnessing energy (in the
form of electromagnetic radiation) from sunlight and converting
atmospheric carbon dioxide it into the simple sugar glucose.
Energy Production

The energy stored in glucose must be transformed into a molecule


called adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

Many of the energy-converting chemical reactions take place in an


organelle called the mitochondrion.
Energy Production

Mitochondria are present in nearly all cells. As with chloroplasts, they


have their own DNA (because egg cells contain mitochondria and
sperm cells do not – you inherited all your mitochondrial DNA from
your mother.
Energy Production

The presence of DNA in both the chloroplast and the mitochondrion is


evidence that supports the endosymbiont theory – that at some point
in the past, a prokaryotic cell became engulfed within another, larger
cell, and began to coexist in a symbiotic relationship
in which both benefitted.
Animal cells rely on the cytoskeleton (protein fibers that form a network
across the entire cell) for structure and strength.

In contrast, plant and prokaryotic cells incorporate a cell wall.

In plants, the cell wall is composed largely of the carbohydrate cellulose.


Fungal cell walls are composed of chitin. Bacterial cell walls are typically
made of peptidoglycan.
Do you think the United States should have actual, controlled, and
enforced borders?
Why or why not?
Please talk it over with your table partner.
The cell membrane controls what enters and exits the cell. The major
property of the plasma membrane is its semi-permeability.

It is composed of many phospholipid molecules lined up side-by-side in a


double layer – the lipid bilayer.
The phospholipids in the lipid bilayer is referred to as a
fluid-mosaic.

Some small, nonpolar molecules can pass directly through the membrane,
whereas larger or more polar molecules tend to require a special protein
channel.
Transport across the cell membrane
can occur in either of 2 modes – with
the use of energy to power the
process, or without the use of energy.

Transport that requires no energy


input is passive transport –
molecules travel from an area of high
solute concentration to low solute
concentration (down a concentration
gradient).
There are 3 types of passive
transport:
1. Simple Diffusion – the process
by which small, nonpolar
molecules (e.g., O2 and CO2)
travel directly through the
plasma membrane.

2. Facilitated Diffusion – the


transport of larger and more
polar molecules through special
protein channels specific to
them.
3. Because water is the solvent in biological systems – it has its own type
of passive transport known as osmosis. Water molecules seek to
equalize the concentration of solutes on either side of semipermeable
membrane.
Tonicity is
the ability of a
Osmolarity is
solution to
the number of
modify the
solute
volume of
particles per 1
cells by
L of solvent
altering their
water content.
When cells must transport molecules against the concentration
gradient, they must spend energy in the form of ATP. There are 3
forms of active transport:

1. Primary Active Transport – uses ATP to pump sodium ions


out of the cell and potassium ions in (both against their
concentration gradients).
2. Secondary Active Transport – energy input comes from
molecules being transported down an electrochemical gradient
rather than a concentration gradient.
3. Bulk Transport is for structures that
are too big or too numerous to use a
transmembrane protein channel.

There are 2 types:


 Exocytosis – the fusing of a vesicle with
the plasma membrane and release of
contents to contents to the outside of the
cell.
 Endocytosis – transporting molecules
from the outside of the membrane to the
inside.
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