BIOLOGY 1
CELL THEORY
Cells are the basic building blocks of all CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS
living things.
Organelles make up the subunits of a
Biotic and abiotic are the two essential cell. There are numerous each with their
factors responsible for shaping the own function.
ecosystem. The biotic factors refer to the
living components of an ecosystem, and the Plasma membrane (cell membrane)
abiotic factors refer to the non-living, is the organelle that encapsulates
chemical and physical components of the the contents of the cell. Apart from
ecosystem. Therefore, both abiotic and encapsulating cell contents, the
biotic resources affect survival and plasma membrane also plays a vital
reproduction processes. role in regulating the movement of
substances in and out of the cell. As
There are three parts of the cell theory in such, it is actively involved in such
which are: both passive and active
transportation to and from the cell.
All organisms are composed of one
These processes also help maintain
or more cells.
balance even when conditions
The cell is the basic unit of structure outside the cell change. The plasma
and organization in organisms. membrane is made up of two layers
All cells come from pre-existing of phospholipids (phospholipids
cells. bilayer).
Anton Van Leeuwenhoek - discovered
bacteria and called them “animalcules” as
what we know as bacteria now.
Robert Hooke - discovered and coined the
term “cell”.
Matthias Schleiden - a botanist that stated
all plants are made up of cells.
Theodore Schwann - he said that animals
are made up of cells.
Rudolph Virchow - he said that all cells
come from pre-existing cells.
The additional 3 parts in the cell theory are:
Nucleus/DNA - In eukaryotic cells,
Energy flow occurs within the cell.
the nucleus is enclosed in a nuclear
DNA is passed from one cell to membrane. It is the organelle that
another. controls the hereditary traits of an
All cells have the same basic organism by directing such
composition. processes as protein synthesis and
A few exceptions to the theory exist and cell division among others.
these are:
For prokaryotes, the DNA lacks a
Virus is considered as a non-living nuclear membrane. The genetic
thing because they cannot material is therefore bound in the
reproduce despite having DNA. nucleotide region.
The very first cell did not arise from
a precursor cell. DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the
Mitochondria and chloroplasts, hereditary material in humans and
although present within the cell, almost all other organisms.
have their own genetic material and
can reproduce independently from
the cell they are present in.
BIOLOGY 1
Vacuoles may be described as a
space inside the cell that does not
Ribosomes are tiny organelles that contain cytoplasm. It is surrounded
contain RNA and specific proteins by a membrane and filled with a
within the cytoplasm. Ribosomes are fluid. Vacuoles store various
special because they are found in molecules including enzymes, waste
both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. products of the cell, water, and even
Since there are no membrane-bound food material depending on the type
organelles in prokaryotes, the of cell.
ribosomes float free in the cytosol.
In plant cells, the vacuoles are much
larger than in animal cells. Plants
may also use vacuoles to store
water. Those tiny water bags help to
support the plant.
Mitochondria, also known as the
power house plays an important role
in respiration where they generate The cytoskeleton is composed of at
ATP (adenosine triphosphate) from least three different types of fibers:
substrates in the presence of microtubules, microfilaments, and
oxygen. Mitochondria are shaped intermediate filaments. These fibers
perfectly to maximize their are distinguished by their size with
productivity. microtubules being the thickest and
microfilaments being the thinnest.
They are made of two membranes. The cytoskeleton is also involved in
The outer membrane covers the anchoring the nucleus and
organelle and contains it like a skin. supporting cell contents.
The inner membrane folds over
many times and creates layered Microtubules are hollow rods
structures called cristae. The fluid functioning primarily to help support
contained in the mitochondria is and shape the cell and as "routes"
called the matrix. along which organelles can move.
Microtubules are typically found in all
ATP stores energy in the form of eukaryotic cells. They vary in length
chemical bonds and is released and measure about 25 nm in
whenever it is needed for various diameter.
cell functions. Microfilaments or actin filaments are
thin, solid rods that are active in
muscle contraction. Microfilaments
are particularly prevalent in muscle
cells.
Intermediate filaments can be
abundant in many cells and provide
support for microfilaments and
microtubules by holding them in
place. These filaments form keratins
found in epithelial cells and
neurofilaments in neurons.
BIOLOGY 1
well as transportation of proteins into
the smooth ER
Plastids are a type of organelle
found in plant cells and algae. Like Lysomes are commonly referred to
mitochondria, plastids are as sacs of enzymes. They are
membrane-bound organelles that membranous organelles that contain
contain nucleoids. Like acidic enzymes that serve to digest
mitochondria, plastids are various macromolecules in the cell.
membrane-bound organelles that Lysosomes are single-membrane
contain nucleoids. There are organelles.
different types of plastids that
include chloroplasts, chromoplasts,
gerontoplasts, and leucoplasts.
Chloroplasts contain the pigment
chlorophyll that captures energy
from sunlight for photosynthesis.
Therefore, the chloroplast is the site
of photosynthesis The Golgi apparatus or Golgi
Chromoplasts are present in certain complex is found in most cells. It is
photosynthetic eukaryotes. They are another packaging organelle like the
primarily involved in the production endoplasmic reticulum (ER). It was
and storage of pigments (carotenoid named after Camillo Golgi, an Italian
pigments). These pigments are biologist. Golgi apparatus are found
involved in absorbing light energy as in eukaryotic and are highly folded
well as protecting chlorophyll in into cisternae (flattened sacs). They
some plants. are enclosed in a membrane that
Gerontoplasts are a type of plastid varies in thickness from different
that develops from the chloroplasts regions.
during senescence in foliage plants.
It plays an important role in
salvaging important materials as a
cell dies.
Leucoplast are unpigmeted
organelles and is specialized for
such functions as the storage of
starch, lipid, and proteins.
Found in eukaryotic cells, In some books, cell wall is not
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the considered as an organelle. The cell
organelle that forms an wall surrounds the cell membrane
interconnected network of flattened and serves to strengthen and protect
sacs (cisternae). The ER is divided the cell.
into two regions that vary in structure Cytoplasm is also not considered as
and function; organelle. Cell cytoplasm is
Smooth ER which is involved in the composed of protoplasm in which all
synthesis of lipids (e.g. the other cell organelles are
phospholipids) and carbohydrates suspended. Many of the cell
that are used to build the cell processes (protein synthesis,
membrane. respiration etc.) take place in the
Rough ER which is involved in the cytoplasm. The cytoplasm also plays
production of antibodies, insulin as
BIOLOGY 1
an important role in the movement of
various materials around the cell.
