Cell- Structural

and Functional
unit of Life
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FUNDAMENTAL UNIT OF LIFE = CELL
It is the structural and functional unit
of life.

They are known as the “building blocks

of life.”

All living organisms in this universe

are made up of cells. They either exists
as unicellular (single cell) or
multicellular (many cells) organisms.
 Discovery of Cell
Cells were too small to be
observed with the help of naked
eye.
The discovery of microscope
made it possible to observe
cells and study them in detail.

Discovered By What did they

discovered?

Robert Hooke (1665) Observed cork cells under

microscope and coined the
term “cells”

Robert Brown (1831) Discovered nucleus in the

cell
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Types of Organisms- Based on number of Cells

Unicellular Multicellular

Single cell. Many cells.

 Unicellular Multicellular
1. A single cell 1. Multicellular
constitutes the whole organisms are
organism. composed of more
than one cell.

2. Simple body 2. Complex body

organization. organization.

3. A single cell carries 3. Multiple cells

out all necessary life perform different
processes. functions

4. A lifespan of a 4. Multicellular
unicellular organism organisms have a
is usually short. comparatively
longer lifespan

5. Eg., amoeba, 5. Eg., Fungi, plants,

paramecium, animals, human.
bacteria, etc.
 Shape & Size of Cells
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Cells vary in shape and size.

They may be oval, spherical, rectangular, spindle shaped, or

totally irregular like the nerve cell.

Size of cell also varies in different animals and plants.

Most of the cells are microscopic in size like red blood cells
(RBC) while some cells are fairly large like nerve cells.

Average size of cells varies from 0.5 to 20 μ.

CELL STRUCTURE
 What is a Cell made up of?
Cell consists of individual components
that perform specific functions essential to
carry out life’s process.

Following are the three basic features that

every cell possess:

1)Cell membrane 2)Cytoplasm 3)Nucleus

 1. CELL MEMBRANE
It is the outermost covering of the
cell which separates the cell from
its external environment.

Also known as plasma membrane.

Cell membrane is flexible

and composed of
bilayer
of lipids
and
proteins.
Youtube : Shubham Pathak 1. The plasma membrane has the capability to decide
which material should enter or leave the cell and
which should not.

2. It also prevents movement of some other materials,

therefore it is a “selectively permeable membrane.”

3. It also helps in the process of diffusion and osmosis,

due to which movement of substances takes place
into the cell.

Door of the cell

 ENDOCYTOSIS
The process by which plasma membrane
engulfs food and other materials inside the
cell.

E.g. Amoeba acquires its food through such

process.
 Movement Across Plasma Membrane-
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DIFFUSION

It is the process of
movement of
substances from its
high concentration to
low concentration.
Movement Across Plasma Membrane-
OSMOSIS

It is the process of
movement of water
from its high
concentration to its low
concentration through
semi-permeable
membrane.
TYPES OF SOLUTION BASED ON TONICITY
● The concentration of water is
lower inside the cell than
outside.
Hypotonic Solution ● Therefore, there is more water
1) (Hypo = less) outside which causes the cell
to gain water inside the cell.
● This results in swelling of the
cell .

● If the concentration outside

the cell is same as inside the
Isotonic Solution cell, then there will be no net
2) (Iso = same)
●
movement of water.
Therefore, the cell will stay the
same in size.

● The concentration of water is

higher inside the cell than
outside.
Hypertonic Solution
3) (Hyper = more)
● Therefore, there is more water
inside the cell which causes it
to lose the water.
● As a result , the cells shrink.
 CELL WALL
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In addition to plasma membrane,

plants cell has another rigid outer
covering known as cell wall, made up of
cellulose.
It provides structural support to the
plant cells.
It determines the shape and rigidity of
the plant cell.
Plasmolysis: When a living plant cell
loses water through osmosis there is
shrinkage of the contents of the cell
away from the cell wall, it is known as
plasmolysis.
 2. CYTOPLASM
Cytoplasm is the fluid content inside
the plasma membrane.

It contains several organelles that

performs distinct functions of the
cell.

Viruses lack any membranes and

hence they do not show any
characteristic of life until they enter a
human body and use its machinery to
multiply.
Youtube : Shubham Pathak
FUNCTIONS OF CYTOPLASM

It helps in the exchange of material between

cell organelles.

It acts as a storehouse of vital molecules such

as amino acid, glucose, vitamin, etc.

It acts as the site for certain metabolic

pathways such as glycolysis, etc.
 CELL ORGANELLES

The cell performs various functions.

Every cell has a membrane around it to

keep its own contents separate from the
external environment.

An organelle is a membrane bound

structure found within a cell.

The organelles are useful because they

allow separations of various functions that
are performed by the cell.
Youtube : Shubham Pathak
 3. NUCLEUS
Nucleus is the controlling
centre of all the activities
of the cell.

It has a double layered

covering known as
nuclear membrane.

There are pores present

on the nuclear membrane
that allows the movement
of substances from the
membrane to the
cytoplasm.

Nucleus plays a central

role in cellular
reproduction and
controls the metabolic
activities in the cell.
There are chromosomes (rod shaped
structures) present in the nucleus which
contains genetic information.

The chromosomes contains two types of things:

- DNA : organizes and constructs new cell

- Proteins : helps in packaging and

condensation of DNA

Functional segments of DNA are called genes.

Based on complex Nucleus- Types of Cells

Prokaryotic Eukaryotic
Cells Cells
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Prokaryotic cell Eukaryotic Cell

Size: Generally small Size: Generally large

(1-10 μm) (5-100 μm)

Nuclear region is poorly Nuclear region is well

defined due to absence of defined and surrounded by
nuclear membrane and a nuclear membrane.
known as nucleoid.

Presence of single More than one

chromosome chromosomes

Absence of membrane Presence of membrane

bound cell organelles bound cell organelles
 ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM (ER)

The structure of ER membrane is quite similar to that of

plasma membrane.

It has a large network like structure made of membrane

bound tubes and sheets.

It acts as a channel for the transport of materials between

the cytoplasm and the nucleus or between the various
regions of the cytoplasm.
Youtube : Shubham Pathak
Types of Endoplasmic
Reticulum (ER)

Rough Endoplasmic Smooth Endoplasmic

Reticulum Reticulum
(RER) (SER)

It has ribosomes It does not have

attached to its surface ribosomes on its
so it appears rough. surface.

Ribosomes are the site It helps in the

for protein manufacturing of fat
manufacture. molecules, or lipids
important for cell
functioning.
 Functions of Endoplasmic Reticulum

SER is responsible for the synthesis of essential lipids

such as phospholipids and cholesterol.

SER is also responsible for the production and

secretion of steroid hormones.

SER plays a crucial role in detoxification of poisons &

drugs in liver cells of vertebrates.

The majority of the functions of RER is associated with

protein synthesis.

Endoplasmic Reticulum gives mechanical support to

cells.

ER helps in transport of various substances from

nuclear membrane to plasma membrane or vice versa.
 GOLGI APPARATUS

Golgi Apparatus was described by Camillo Golgi for

the first time.

It contains a system of membrane bound vesicles

that are arranged parallel in stacks. These stacks are
called cisterns.

It is involved in the formation of Lysosomes and

complex sugars.
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It carries the material synthesised near the
ER to various parts of the cell.

The significant function of Golgi Apparatus

includes storage, modification and
packaging of products in vesicles.
Lysosomes

● Structure : Sac like structure filled with

digestive enzymes (HYDROLYTIC ENZYMES)
in a cell surrounded by a membrane.

● These enzymes break the complex materials

and digests them.

(These enzymes are synthesized by RER and

packaged by Golgi body)

● Sort of waste disposal system of cell.

● Lysosome has a typical feature - when the

cells get damaged, lysosome mostly bursts
out and the released enzymes digests their
own cell, it is because of this reason, they are
known as “suicide bags of the cell.”
 Mitochondria : Powerhouse of
the cell
Double membrane bound cell organelle.
Shape and Size = Oval & 0.5 um

s
The two membranes of mitochondria:

● Outer membrane - porous in nature

● Inner membrane - deeply folded to form
cristae
Why are they called as power house?

They convert O2 (from respiration) and

food into energy currency (ATP)

ATP (Adenosine triphosphate)

This energy is required by cell to carry

out various activities.

Mitochondria have their own DNA and

ribosomes which enable them to make
their own proteins.
 Functions of Mitochondria

Regulates the metabolic activity of the cell.

It is also involved in various cellular

activities like cellular differentiation, cell
signalling, cell senescence, controlling the
cell cycle and also in cell growth.

Helps in maintaining an adequate

concentration of calcium ions within the
compartments of the cell.
 PLASTIDS

Present only in plant cells.

Just like mitochondria, it is also

double membraned organelle
and contains its own DNA and
ribosome.

The internal structure of

chloroplast contains numerous
membrane layers which are
embedded in a material called
stroma.
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CHROMOPLASTS
(coloured plastids)
Chromoplasts which
contains the pigment
chlorophyll are known
as chloroplasts.

PLASTIDS
Chloroplasts - site for
photosynthesis process

Storage of materials
LEUCOPLASTS
such as starch, oils and
(white or protein granules
colourless
plastids)
 VACUOLES

Storage sacs that contains solid/liquid

materials.

They are prominent and large in plant

cells while in animal cell, they are either
absent or if present they are small and
temporary.

Amino acids, sugars, various organic acids

and some proteins are stored in vacuoles
that are present in plant cell.

Vacuoles provide rigidity and turgidity to

the plant cell.
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Similarities between
Animal cell and Plant cell

Both, animal cell and plant cell consists

of : Nucleus, Cytoplasm,Cell membrane,
Golgi Apparatus, MItochondria,
Endoplasmic Reticulum and Ribosomes