CHAPTER- 5

FUNDAMENTAL UNIT OF LIFE

• Cells are the smallest unit of life that can exist independently and are the basic
functional unit of all living things. Each living cell has the capacity to perform certain
basic functions that are
characteristic of all living forms
• The study of cells is known as cytology and is possible with the help of a microscope.
• Microscopes mainly perform two functions-
i- Magnification
ii- Resolution
The given table illustrates the contribution of various scientists-
Anton Von Leeuwenhoek First saw and described a live cell.

Robert Hook (1665) Discovered cell in cork slice with the help of a
primitive microscope.

Robert Brown (1831) Discover nucleus.

Schleiden and Schwan Proposed cell theory

Purkinje (1839) Coined the term protoplasm

Rudolf Virchow (1855) Omnis cellula-e cellula

TYPES OF CELLS

 Unicellular – Single-celled organisms like Amoeba

 Multicellular – Have many cells like Human
 Plant cell- Have cell walls Like Mango plant
 Animal cell- Do not have cell wall like Human
 Prokaryotic cell- Do not have nuclear membranes like Bacteria
 Eukaryotic cell – Have nuclear membranes like Human
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PLANT CELL AND ANIMAL CELL

UNICELLULAR ORGANISMS MULTICELLULAR ORGANSIMS

Composed of single cell Composed of many cells

All function occur in single cell Different cells perform different

function

Example: Bacteria Example: Plant, Animals

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROKARYOTIC CELL AND EUKARYOTIC CELL

CELL ORGANELLES

PLASMA MEMBRANE

➢ It is the outermost covering of the cell.

➢ It plants another covering (cell wall) that is present which is absent in animal cells.
➢ It is a selectively permeable membrane (it only allows specific molecules to pass)
➢ The plasma membrane is made up of lipids and proteins.
➢ The plasma membrane acts as a mechanical barrier to protect protoplasmic structures.
➢ Across the plasma membrane the transport of the molecules occurs in the following
manner-
a- Diffusion
b- Osmosis
a- Diffusion- The movement of solutes or ions from a higher concentration to a lower
concentration is called as diffusion.
b- Osmosis- The movement of solvent/ water from their higher concentration region to a
region with lower concentration through a semipermeable membrane is called osmosis
 Osmosis is a biological process and is slower than diffusion.
c- Plasmolysis: When a living plant cell loses water through osmosis there is shrinkage or
contraction of the contents of the cell away from the cell wall. This phenomenon is
known as plasmolysis.

CELL WALL
➢ It is the outermost rigid layer in plant cells, fungi and bacteria.
➢ Plant, bacterial and fungal cell wall is composed of cellulose, peptidoglycan and chitin
respectively.
➢ Cell walls provide rigidity, protect from pathogens, and help in transport.
NUCLEUS
➢ The nucleus is a small and round structure.
➢ It may be covered by a nuclear membrane
(in eukaryotes) or without a nuclear
membrane (in prokaryotic cells). The
prokaryotic nucleus is known as a nucleoid.
➢ In eukaryotic cells, the nucleoplasm of the
nucleus contains nucleolus and nucleic acid
(genetic material) in it.
➢ The nucleus contains chromosomes.
Nondividing chromosomes are known as chromatins. The chromosomes contain
genetic information in the form of DNA (Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid) molecules.
➢ Chromosomes are composed of DNA and protein.
➢ The functional segments of DNA are called genes.
Function-
• Nucleus is the control centre of the cell
• It is responsible for the transmission of hereditary traits.
• In cell division
• It controls all the metabolic activities of the cell.
CYTOPLASM

➢ The cytoplasm is the fluid content inside the plasma membrane

➢ It jelly-like substance in which cell organelles are situated.
➢ It contains various cell organelles like the Endoplasmic reticulum, Mitochondria, Golgi
complex, Ribosome, Vacuoles, Lysosome, Plastids etc.
ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM (ER)
➢ ER are absent in prokaryotic cells and RBCs
of mammals.
➢ It is the network of membranes present in the
cytoplasm.
➢ It continues with the outer nuclear membrane.
➢ It has three main components- Cisternae, Vesicles and tubules.
➢ Some of these proteins and lipids synthesized with the help of ER are helpful in
building the cell membrane. This process is known as membrane biogenesis
➢ ER is to serve as a channel for the transport of materials (especially proteins) between
various regions of the cytoplasm or between the cytoplasm and the nucleus.
➢ ER also functions as a cytoplasmic framework providing a surface for some of the
biochemical activities of the cell.
➢ In the liver cells of vertebrates, SER helps in the detoxification of poisons and drugs.
GOLGI APPARATUS
➢ It is first observed by Camillo Golgi (1898).
➢ The Golgi apparatus consists of many flat, disc-shaped sacs or cisternae.
➢ These structures are situated parallel to each other. The cisternae have interconnected
- cis (convex or farming face) and trans (maturing face) faces.
➢ The Golgi apparatus remains in close association with the endoplasmic reticulum.
• The Golgi body is involved in packaging materials, modification of proteins, and
formation of glycoproteins and glycolipids.
• The material synthesized near the ER is packaged and dispatched to various targets
inside and outside the cell through the Golgi apparatus. Its functions include the storage,
modification, and packaging of products in vesicles.
• It is also involved in the formation of lysosomes
LYSOSOMES

➢ When a cell gets damaged, then the lysosomes burst and release digestive enzymes.
These enzymes digest their own cell leading to the death of that cell. Therefore,
lysosomes are also known as suicide bags of the cell.
MITOCHONDRIA
PLASTIDES
➢ These are present only in plant cells.
➢ Chloroplasts are the main chromoplast and are
the main pigment for photosynthesis in plants.
➢ Chloroplast is a double membrane containing
organelles.
➢ It has a stroma in which numerous membrane
layers are embedded.
➢ Plastids also have their own DNA and
ribosomes.
VACUOLES
➢ Vacuoles are storage sacs for solid or liquid contents.
➢ Vacuoles are small-sized in animal cells while plant cells have very large vacuoles.
➢ Vacuoles are storage sacs for solid or liquid contents.
➢ Remove and store nutrients as well as waste produced
CELL DIVISION
 IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
MCQs and Very Short Answer Questions
1- Which plastid has no colour –
a- Chromoplast b- Chloroplast c- Leucoplast d- Chlorophyll
Ans: c
2- In the formation of male gamete sperm which type of cell division occur-
a- Mitosis b- Meiosis c- Amitosis d- Both a and b
Ans: b
3- Which of the following movement is a biological process-
a- Brownian movement
b- Diffusion
c- Osmosis
d- None of these
Ans: c
4- ATP synthesis takes place in-
a- Mitochondria
b- Chloroplast
c- Ribosome
d- SER
Ans: a
5- The function of expelling excess water and some wastes from the cell is takes
place by
a- RER
b- Vacuole
c- Lysosome
d- All of these
Ans: b
6- What are the components of the plasma membrane?
Ans: Lipid and protein
7- Write one role of the Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum.
Ans: SER plays a crucial role in detoxifying many poisons and drugs.
8- What is the component of the cell wall of plants and fungi?
Ans: Plant- cellulose, Fungi- Chitin
9- Who coined the term protoplasm?
Ans: Purkinje
10- Give two examples of unicellular organisms except bacteria.
Ans: Amoeba, Paramecium
Short Answer Questions
1- Mention the name of different types of cell division. Also, write one difference in
these.
Ans: Cell divisions- Mitosis and Meiosis
Difference- In mitosis 2 daughter cells are formed while in Meiosis 4 daughter cells
are formed
2- Which cell organelles are termed suicidal bags and why?
 Ans: Lysosomes are known as suicidal bags.
These contain digestive enzymes. When a lysosome bursts the digestive enzymes
digest the cell.
3- What are the two basic properties of microscopes?
Ans: i- Magnification ii- Resolving power
4- Write the full form of DNA and ATP.
And: Deoxyribose nucleic acid, Adenosine triphosphates
5- What is the function of chromosome?
Ans: Chromosome contains DNA it it. DNA is the main genetic material.
Chromosomes carries these genetic materials from one generation to the other.
Long Answer Questions
1- Write five differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell.
Ans:
Prokaryotic cell- nuclear membrane absent, Unicellular, Double membrane cell
organelles are absent, Ribosome – 70 S types, DNA- Circular
Eukaryotic cell- nuclear membrane present, mostly multicellular, Double membrane
cell organelles are present, Ribosome – 80 S types, DNA- Linear
2- Daw well labelled diagram of plant cell and describe roles of mitochondria, rough
endoplasmic reticulum.
Ans: Fig. 5.6: Plant cell, Page 56 NCERT
Mitochondria- ATP synthesis
Rough endoplasmic reticulum- Protein synthesis
3- a- Write two differences between diffusion and osmosis.
b- How plasma membrane differs from cell wall?
Ans: a- Diffusion- It occurs in any medium, Diffusing molecules may be solid, liquid
or gaseous solutes.
Osmosis- It occurs in liquid medium only; it involves movement of solvent molecules
only.
b- It holds cellular contents and controls passage of materials in and out of cell.
It gives protection, strength and rigidity to the cell.
4- Describe the structure of Golgi body. Also mention two roles of the Golgi body.
Ans:
It is membrane-bound fluid-filled vesicles, vacuoles and cisternae.
Plant cell has more Golgi apparatus than animal cells.
It is made of tubular structures.
Functions:
i- transport and modification of protein, lipids as well as carbohydrates.
ii- formation of cell plate during cell division.
iii- Transport of materials
5- Draw a neat labelled diagram of an animal cell and compare it with animal cell and
prokaryotic cell.
Ans: : Fig. 5.6: Plant cell, Page 56, NCERT
Fig. 5.5: Animal cell., Page 55, NCERT
Fig. 5.4: Prokaryotic cell, Page 54, NCERT
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