WHAT IS CELL?

 All living organisms are made of cells and it is the smallest unit of life, it
helps in carrying out functions such as respiration, nutrition, digestion,
and excretion, so it is called the structural and functional unit of life.
 In Biological terms, an animal cell is a typical eukaryotic cell that lacks a
cell wall, and it is enclosed by the plasma membrane including the cell
nucleus which contains the DNA.
 Since Animal cell lacks a rigid cell wall, it allows them to develop a great
diversity of cell types, tissues and organs.

Cell --- tissues --- organ ---systems --- organisms

 In 1665, Robert Hooke studied and discovered the cell from a thin slice
of cork but that was the ‘dead cell’. Later Anton Von Leeuwenhoek was
the first person who observe a few living cells like bacteria, red blood
cells etc.
In 1833, Robert Brown discovered the nucleus of the cell.

WHAT IS CELL THEORY?

 In 1838, Matthias Schleiden and Theodore Schwann gave the cell theory
and in their study, they concluded that the cell is the basic unit of life,
Schwann who was a British zoologist studied different types of cells and
reported that cells had thin outer layers which is known as the Plasma
Membrane.
In 1855, Rudolf Virchow gave the cell lineage theory which says that new
cells are formed from the Pre-existing cells.
 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PLANT AND ANIMAL CELLS?

S.NO. PLANT CELL ANIMAL CELL

1 Usually, they are larger than animal Animal cells are generally smaller
cells

The plasma membrane of plant cells is

2 surrounded by a rigid cell wall made The cell wall is absent
up of cellulose.

3 Plastids are present. Plastids are absent.

4 Vacuole large and permanent Vacuole small and temporary

5 Tonoplast present around vacuole Tonoplast absent.

6 Plasmodesmata present Plasmodesmata absent

7 Plant cells have many units of Golgi Have a single highly complex and
apparatus, called dictyosomes. prominent Golgi apparatus.

8 Almost all plant cells lack Animal cell have centrosomes and
centrosomes and centrioles. centrioles.

9 Nucleus present along the periphery of The nucleus is present at the centre
the cell. of the cell.

10 Lysosomes are rare. Lysosomes present.

11 Storage material is starch grains. Storage material is a glycogen

granule.
ANIMAL CELL ORGANELLES

 PLASMA MEMBRANE
 The term Plasma membrane was given in 1855 by C. NIGELI and
C. CRAMER.
 It is a thin semi-permeable protein membrane that surrounds an
animal cell
 The plasma membrane was made up of three layers: - A middle
double molecular layer of phospholipids and two protein layers on
either side perforated by a small hole.
This design was first proposed by James Danielli and Hugh
Davson.
 FUNCTIONS
 To enclose and protect the cell content.
 To regulate the molecules that pass into and out of the cell, through
the plasma membrane, therefore it controls homeostasis.
 The plasma membrane plays a vital role in anchoring the
cytoskeleton to provide shape to the cell and also maintain the cell
potential.
 Types of plasma membrane based on permeability: -
 Impermeable – Does not allow anything to pass through it.
 Semi-permeable – allows the solvent but not the solute.
 Selectively permeable membrane- Allows water, certain
selected ions, and small molecules.
 Dialysing – Hydrostatic Pressure forces water molecules and
crystalloids across the membrane down their concentration gradient
and restricts the passage of colloids.
NUCLEUS

 This is a spherical structured organelle found majorly at the centre of a

cell surrounded by a double-layered nuclear membrane separating it from
the cytoplasm.
 It holds other cells' organelles including the nucleolus, nucleosomes, and
chromatins.

Functions

 To regulate cell activities of growth and maintain cell metabolism, and it

carries the genes that have heredity information.

Major parts of the nucleus

 Nuclear membrane
 It is semi–permeable.
 Involves in the formation of mitochondria.
 It binds the chromatin material.
 Helps in the exchange of material between nucleus and cytoplasm in
the form of ions and macromolecules.
 Nuclear sap
 It is the fluid part of the nucleus
 In the matrix of nuclear sap, nuclear components like chromatin threads
and nucleus are embedded, nucleo-proteins like protamine and histone.
 Ribosomal RNA combines with proteins and then it is believed to migrate
out of the nucleus into the cytoplasm, where it is organised as a ribosome.
 Chromatin fibre
 Chromatin is the genetic material which is visible in a dividing cell,
between periods of active cell division, the genetic material of the cell
nucleus is found in the form of chromatin thread or granules consisting of
DNA combined with proteins.
 Nucleolus
 It is an important organelle found in every cell of higher organisms; it
may be a single. Spherical, colloidal body, it can be observed at
interphase, during cell division it disappears at late prophase and
reappears at telophase.
Functions
 Site of ribosome manufacture and store all the proteins of ribosome and
RNA.
 It may be the site of histone synthesis.
 Collects freshly produced mRNA for cellular protein synthesis.
 Provides energy for nuclear activity.
 Plays an important role in cell division.
Mitochondria (Mito = Thread, Chondria =Granules)

It was recognised by Kollikar in 1880 and described by R. Altman in 1900.

These are membrane-bound organelles located in the cytoplasm of all eukaryotic
cells.

Functions

 Their primary function is to generate energy for the cell i.e. they are the
power generators or powerhouse, producing energy in the form of ATP
(Adenosine triphosphate), where ATP provides energy for cellular
activity.
 It also stores calcium which assists in cell signalling activity, generating
cellular and mechanical heat and mediating cell growth and death.

Cytoplasm
 This is a gel-like material that contains all the cell organelles, enclosed
within the cell membrane.
These organelles include mitochondria, ribosomes, endoplasmic
reticulum etc.
 It also assists in metabolic activities.
 Provides shape to cell
GOLGI APPARATUS

 Discovered by Camillo Golgi in 1890, they observed a series of flattened

sacs of vesicles around the nucleus of the cell.
 These are membrane-bound organelles found in the cytoplasm, next to the
endoplasmic reticulum and near the nucleus.

Functions

 Their primary function is to transport, modify and pack proteins and

lipids into the Golgi vesicles to deliver them to their target sites.
 The high amount of Vitamin C is present which prevents the oxidation of
synthetic material when the metabolism of cells increases.
 It is an important site for the formation of glycoproteins and glycolipids.
Endoplasmic Reticulum

 Keith R. Porter, Albert Claude, and Ernest F. Fullam discovered the

endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in 1945 using electron microscopy.
In 1953, Porter named the structure "reticulum", which means "network
 This is a continuous folded membranous organelle found in the
cytoplasm, it is made up of a thin network of flattened interconnected
compartments that connects from the cytoplasm to the cell nucleus.

Functions

 Manufacturing, Processing and transporting proteins for cell

utilization both in and out of the cell. This is because it is directly
connected to the nuclear membrane providing a passage between the
nucleus and the cytoplasm.
 The endoplasmic reticulum has more than half the membranous cell
content, hence it has a large surface area where chemical reactions take
place, and it is the site for lipid synthesis.
Types of Endoplasmic Reticulum

There are two types of endoplasmic reticulum based on their structure and the
functions they perform:-

Rough Endoplasmic reticulum

 It is called rough because its surface is covered with ribosomes, the

function of ribosomes is protein synthesis.
 The second most important function after protein synthesis and protein
folding is protein sorting.

Smooth Endoplasmic reticulum

 It is not associated with ribosomes and their function is a synthesis of

lipids (cholesterol and phospholipids.)
 Smooth ER is also responsible for the production and secretion of steroid
hormones.
 It is also responsible for the metabolism of carbohydrates.
RIBOSOME

 Ribosomes were discovered by George Palade in 1953 in animal cells.

 They are small organelles not surrounded by any membrane, majorly
made up of 60% mRNA cytoplasmic granules and 40% proteins.

Functions

 Ribosomes are the site of protein synthesis. The free ribosome synthesizes
non-secretory proteins, while ER-bound ribosomes synthesize secretory
proteins.
 Free ribosomes synthesise structural and enzymatic proteins for use inside
the cell.

VACUOLES
 These are fluid-filled cell organelles enclosed by a membrane.
 Their primary function is to store food, water, and carbohydrates in the
form of sugar and waste materials.
 They also remove toxic substances and waste material from the cell as a
protection strategy.
LYSOSOME
 Lysosomes are simple tiny spherical sac-like structures evenly distributed
in the cytoplasm. These are formed by the process of packaging in the
Golgi apparatus.
They are bound by a single membrane.
 As they contain digestive enzymes, they break down macromolecules into
simple forms.
 Lysosomes can digest the whole cells with the help of lytic enzymes they
contain, and thus are called “suicidal bags”.
 They also help in protein synthesis.
 They are also responsible for cleaning cells, as they remove the waste
product from cells.