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MLB 111 - Lecture Unit 1 Tutorial

1. The document provides a tutorial on cell theory and cell biology concepts. It discusses how bacterial cells can grow overnight in sterile broth due to cell theory principles. 2. Cells have an upper and lower size limit due to constraints on transporting materials across the cell membrane as cell size increases. The percentage of cell surface occupied by glucose transport proteins must change with cell size to meet metabolic needs. 3. Homeostasis allows cells to maintain stable internal conditions despite external changes. Characteristics like a nucleus, organelles, and cell membrane identify eukaryotic cells under a microscope.

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64 views3 pages

MLB 111 - Lecture Unit 1 Tutorial

1. The document provides a tutorial on cell theory and cell biology concepts. It discusses how bacterial cells can grow overnight in sterile broth due to cell theory principles. 2. Cells have an upper and lower size limit due to constraints on transporting materials across the cell membrane as cell size increases. The percentage of cell surface occupied by glucose transport proteins must change with cell size to meet metabolic needs. 3. Homeostasis allows cells to maintain stable internal conditions despite external changes. Characteristics like a nucleus, organelles, and cell membrane identify eukaryotic cells under a microscope.

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nonosimaps
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Tutorial 2 : Lecture Unit 1 – 4-8 March 2024

1. If you place sterile broth that contains no cells in a bowl out on a table overnight, by
morning it will contain a growing population of bacterial cells.

1.1. How could this be explained according to cell theory?

1.2. Which principle of cell theory explains the phenomenon?

1.3. How do you think the invention of the microscope contributed to the development of
cell theory?

2. Discuss why cells have an upper and lower limit in terms of size?

3. Consider four spherical cells with the diameters given in the table below. Based on
estimates from the scientific literature, the cytoplasm in cells can require 100,000
molecules of glucose per µm3 per second. These cells use a transmembrane protein called
the glucose transporter (Glutr) to transport glucose from the outside of the cell into the
cytoplasm. Scientific measurements indicate that under normal conditions each Glutr has
a transport rate of around 400 molecules per second. Each Glutr occupies approximately
12 nm2 of membrane surface.

3.1. What percentage of each cell’s surface area will be occupied by Glutr in order to supply
the cell with enough glucose?

3.2. Does this percentage change as cell diameter increases? If so, why?

3.3. If phospholipids occupy at least 25% of the membrane surface, which of these cells,
if any, would be unable to meet their cellular need for glucose?

Surface of a sphere: 4πr2 Volume of a sphere: 4/3πr3

Since these are estimates, use a value of 3 for π. This greatly simplifies the calculations.

1 nm = 1x10-9 m ; 1 µm = 1x10-6 m ; 1 mm = 1x10-3 m


Surface Glucose % of SA
Cell Volume # of Glutr Area of Glutr
area SA:Vol required covered by
diam. (μm3) needed (μm2)
(μm2) per S Glutr

20 μm

200 μm

2.0 mm

2.0 cm

4. Describe “homeostasis” and explain how cells are able to maintain this process.

5. You are presented with a living cell in the laboratory. Describe 3 characteristics of the cell
that would help you verify if this is a prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell.

6. Study the diagram and answer the questions

A B C

6.1. Which figure represents active transport? Give the two ways you are able to tell.

6.2. Which figure shows facilitated diffusion? How do you know it is facilitated diffusion?

6.3. What do we call the process in A? How would you modify Figure A to indicate
equilibrium?
7. Study the following diagram and answer the questions

7.1. By what process are the hydrogen ions (H+) being moved from the cytoplasm to the
extracellular fluid in this figure?

7.2. Based on the figure, how can the rate of sucrose movement into the cell be increased?

8. Describe what the effect on secondary active transport of glucose would be if the
transport protein in the Na+/K+ pump were inserted into the membrane in the opposite
orientation (the glucose/Na+ transporter is shown below). Explain your answer.

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