CELL STRUCTURES AND FUNCTIONS

Cell
➢ the basic unit of organism
➢ can be observed under the microscope

Three Basic Types of Cell

➢ Animal Cell
➢ Plant Cell
➢ Bacterial Cell

Number of Cell
Although ALL living things are made of cells, organisms may be:
➢ Unicellular – composed of one cell

➢ Multicellular- composed of many cells that may organize into tissues, etc.

Organelles
➢ “little organs”
➢ specialized structures in cells which operate like organs by carrying out specific tasks
➢ embedded within the cytoplasm of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells
➢ in more complex eukaryotic cells, organelles are often enclosed by their own membrane
➢ have wide range of responsibilities that include everything from generating energy for a
cell to controlling the cell's growth and reproduction

GENERAL BIOLOGY 1: CELL STRUCTURES PREPARED BY: KENNETH G. LUGTU

Organelles and Other Structures

CELL MEMBRANE
➢ also known as the plasma membrane
➢ a double layer of phospholipids and proteins that surrounds a cell and separates the
cytoplasm from its surrounding environment
➢ it is selectively permeable, which means that it only lets certain molecules enter and exit.
➢ it can also control the amount of some substances that go into or out of the cell
➢ all cells have a cell membrane.

➢ heads contain glycerol & phosphate and are hydrophilic (attract water)
➢ tails are made of fatty acids and are hydrophobic (repel water)
➢ make up a bilayer where tails point inward toward each other
➢ can move laterally to allow small molecules

GENERAL BIOLOGY 1: CELL STRUCTURES PREPARED BY: KENNETH G. LUGTU

 Cell Membrane Proteins
Proteins help move large molecules or aid in cell recognition
• Peripheral proteins - are attached on the surface (inner or outer)
• Integral proteins - are embedded completely through the membrane

CELL WALL
➢ this rigid outer wall is positioned next to the cell membrane in most plant cells
➢ not found in animal cells
➢ helps to provide support and protection for the cell
➢ found in plants, fungi, & bacteria
• made of CELLULOSE in plants
• made of PEPTIDOGLYCAN in bacteria
• made of CHITIN in fungi

CYTOPLASM
➢ it is a jelly-like substance and it is made up of
eighty percent water
➢ usually clear and colorless
➢ a thick gel-like substance
➢ it is referred as cytosol, which means substance
of the cell
➢ where all the cellular organelles are suspended
and are bound together by a lipid bilayer
membrane

GENERAL BIOLOGY 1: CELL STRUCTURES PREPARED BY: KENNETH G. LUGTU

NUCLEUS
➢ it controls all cellular activity and contains the cell’s genetic information
➢ controls the cell's growth and reproduction
➢ it is commonly the most prominent organelle in the cell

Nuclear Envelope (Nuclear Membrane)

• a membrane that surrounds the nucleus
• its job is to create a room within the cell to both protect the genetic information and
to house all the molecules that are involved in processing and protecting that info
• contains nuclear pores for materials to enter & leave nucleus
• connected to the rough ER
Nucleolus
• whose primary function is to assemble ribosomes, is the largest structure in the cell
nucleus.

CYTOSKELETON
➢ a system of filaments or fibres that is present in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells
➢ maintains the cell’s shape
➢ responsible for the locomotion of the cell itself and the movement of the various organelles
within it

• Microfilaments are threadlike & made of ACTIN

• Intermediates are composed of PROTEINS
• Microtubules are tube-like & made of TUBULIN

GENERAL BIOLOGY 1: CELL STRUCTURES PREPARED BY: KENNETH G. LUGTU

CENTRIOLES
➢ cylindrical structures found in animal cells, but not plant cells
➢ help to organize the assembly of microtubules during cell division
➢ Help to pull chromosome pairs apart to opposite ends of the cell

MITOCHONDRIA
➢ “Powerhouse of the Cell”
➢ convert energy into forms that are usable by the cell
➢ they are the sites of cellular respiration which ultimately generates fuel for the cell's
activities
➢ more active cells like muscle cells have MORE mitochondria
➢ surrounded by a DOUBLE membrane
➢ has its own DNA
➢ folded inner membrane called CRISTAE (increases surface area for more chemical
reactions)
➢ interior called MATRIX

GENERAL BIOLOGY 1: CELL STRUCTURES PREPARED BY: KENNETH G. LUGTU

 Mitochondria Come from cytoplasm in the EGG cell during fertilization
Therefore …
You inherit your mitochondria from your mother!

ROUGH ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM (ROUGH ER)

➢ its surface is studded with ribosomes
➢ continuous with the nuclear envelope, and looks like a series of canals near the nucleus
➢ proteins are made by ribosomes on ER surface
➢ they are then threaded into the interior of the Rough ER to be modified and
transported

SMOOTH ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM

(SMOOTH ER)
➢ smooth ER lacks ribosomes on its surface
➢ attached to the ends of rough ER
➢ makes cell products that are USED INSIDE the cell
➢ makes membrane lipids (steroids)
➢ regulates calcium (muscle cells)
➢ destroys toxic substances (Liver)

GENERAL BIOLOGY 1: CELL STRUCTURES PREPARED BY: KENNETH G. LUGTU

 ENDOMEMBRANE SYSTEM
Includes nuclear membrane connected to ER connected to cell membrane (transport)

RIBOSOMES
➢ this organelle is assembled of a small and large subunit each composed of ribosomal RNA
molecules and proteins
➢ may either be free in the cytoplasm or embedded on the outer surface membrane of the
rough ER
➢ their function is to act as the platform for protein synthesis from their constituent amino
acids

GOLGI BODIES
➢ stacks of flattened sacs
➢ have a shipping side (trans face) and
receiving side (cis face)
➢ receive proteins made by ER
➢ transport vesicles with modified proteins
pinch off the ends
➢ modify, sort, & package molecules from
ER for storage OR transport out of cell

GENERAL BIOLOGY 1: CELL STRUCTURES PREPARED BY: KENNETH G. LUGTU

LYSOSOMES
➢ contain digestive enzymes
➢ break down food, bacteria, and worn out cell parts for cells
➢ programmed for cell death (AUTOLYSIS)
➢ lyse (break open) & release enzymes to break down & recycle cell parts
➢ cells take in food by phagocytosis
➢ digest the food & get rid of wastes

PEROXISOMES
➢ a spherical organelle responsible for destroying its contents
➢ unlike the lysosome, which mostly degrades proteins, the peroxisome is the site of fatty
acid breakdown

VACUOLES
➢ these fluid-filled, enclosed structures are found most commonly in plant cells and fungi
➢ responsible for a wide variety of important functions in a cell including nutrient storage,
detoxification, and waste exportation.

GENERAL BIOLOGY 1: CELL STRUCTURES PREPARED BY: KENNETH G. LUGTU

CHLOROPLAST
➢ this chlorophyll containing plastid is found in plant cells, but not animal cells. Chloroplasts
absorb the sun's light energy for photosynthesis.

Organelle Function Factory part

Room where the blueprints are

Nucleus DNA Storage kept

Mitochondrion Energy production Powerplant

Smooth Endoplasmic Lipid production; Accessory production - makes

Reticulum (SER) Detoxification decorations for the toy, etc.

Rough Endoplasmic Protein production; in particular Primary production line -

Reticulum (RER) for export out of the cell makes the toys

Golgi apparatus Protein modification and export Shipping department

Lipid Destruction; contains

Peroxisome oxidative enzymes Security and waste removal

Lysosome Protein destruction Recycling and security

GENERAL BIOLOGY 1: CELL STRUCTURES PREPARED BY: KENNETH G. LUGTU