CELL

The Fundamental Unit Of Life

What is Cell?

Cell is the basic Structural

and functional
unit of living organisms.

In other words, cells make

up living things and carry
out activities that keep a
living thing alive.
Cell All known l iving things are
Theory 1 made up of one or more
cells.
Cell theory is a
collection of ideas and All l iving cells arise from
2 pre- existing cells by
conclusions from
division.
many different
scientists over time The cell i s the basic unit
that describes cells 3 of structure and function
and how cells operate. in all l iving organisms.
 Hans and Zacharias Jansen

Reproduction of first compound microscope

made by Hans and Zacharias Janssen, circa
1590. From the National Museum of Health
and Medicine, Washington, D.C. (Image
credit: Public domain.)
 Cell Theory Timeline

1673
Anton Van Leeuwenhoek
Observed living cell

1665 1883
Robert Hooke
Robert Brown
Discovered cell
Discovered nucleus
 Cell Theory Timeline
1835 1839
Felix Dujardin J. E. Purkinje
Discovered fluid Named fluid content of
content of cell cell as protoplasm
1838
Matthias Schleiden
Proposed all plants
are made up of cells
 Cell Theory Timeline
1845
Carl Heinrich Braun
Proposed cell is the basic
unit of life
1839 1855
Theodor Schwann Rudolf Virchow
Proposed all animals Proposed all cells arise
are made up of cells from pre-existing cells
 Unicellular Organisms
An organism that is made up of only one cell is called as
unicellular organism.

Euglena Paramecium Yeast

 Multicellular Organisms
An organism that is made up of more than one cell is called as
multicellular organism.

Plants Animals Fungus

Multicellular Organisms Under Microscope

Leaf cells Muscle cells

 Size of • Smallest cell

Cells • Mycoplasma
• Size: 0.1 µm
Cells vary in size.
Most cells are very small
(microscopic), some may be
very large (macroscopic). • Largest cell
The unit used to measure size • Ostrich egg cell
of a cell is micrometer. • Size: 18 cm
1 µm = 1 / 1000 millimeter
 Size of Cells in Humans

Smallest cell Largest cell Longest cell

Sperm cell Ovum cell Nerve cell
Size: 120
Size: 5 µm Size: 1 m
µm
 Human RBCs are
circular biconcave for
Shape of easy passage through
human capillaries.
Cells
Nerve cells are
Cells vary in shape. branched to conduct
impulses from one
Variation depends mainly point to another.
upon the function of cells.
Human WBCs can
Some cells like Euglena and change their shape to
Amoeba can change their engulf the
shape, but most cells have a microorganisms that
fixed shape. enter the body.
 Structure
Compound
Of Cell microscope
Magnification
The detailed structure of a
2000X
cell has been studied under
compound microscope and
electron microscope.

Certain structures can be Electron

seen only under an microscope
electron microscope.
Magnification
The structure of a cell as seen 500000X
under an electron microscope is
called ultrastructure.
 Animal Cell 11
12
1
1. Nucleus 10

2. Golgi body
9
3. Vesicle
4. Plasma membrane
8
5. Mitochondria
6. Cytoskeleton
7. Centriole
2
8. Lysosome
7 3
9. Cytoplasm
10. Rough endoplasmic reticulum 4
11. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum 6
5
12. Nucleolus
 Plant Cell 11
12
1
10
1. Nucleus
2. Golgi body
3. Vesicle 9
2
4. Lysosome
5. Plasma membrane
8 3
6. Mitochondria
7. Chloroplast
8. Cell wall 4

9. Vacuole 5
7
10. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum
11. Rough endoplasmic reticulum 6

12. Nucleolus
Bacterial 10

Cell
9

8
1. Capsule
2. Cell wall 7

3. Plasma membrane
6
1
4. Cytoplasm
5. Flagellum
6. Food granule 2

7. Plasmid (DNA)
3
8. Ribosomes 4
5
9. Nucleoid
10. Pili
 Structure 1. Plasma Membrane
Of Cell 2. Nucleus
3. Cytoplasm
If we study a cell under a
A. Cytosol
microscope,
we would come across three B. Cell Organelles
features a) Endoplasmic reticulum
in almost every cell: plasma b) Golgi body
membrane, nucleus and cytoplasm. c) Lysosomes
d) Vacuoles
All activities inside the cell e) Mitochondria
and interactions of the cell f) Plastids
with its environment are g) Centrosome
possible due to these
h) Cytoskeleton
features.
 • Extremely delicate, thin , elastic, living
and semi-permeable membrane
Plasma Membrane • Made up of two layers of lipid
molecules
Carbohydrates in which protein molecules are floating
• Thickness varies from 75-110 A˚
• Can be observed under an electron
microscope only

Functions:

• Maintains shape & size of the cell

• Protects internal contents of the cell
Proteins Lipids • Regulates entry and exit of substances
in and out of the cell
• Maintains homeostasis
 Nucleus • Dense spherical body located near
the centre of the cell
• Diameter varies from 10-25 µm
Nucleus
• Present in all the cells except red
blood cells and sieve tube cells
• Well developed in plant and animal
cells
• Undeveloped in bacteria and blue-
green algae (cyanobacteria)
• Most of the cells are uninucleated
(having only one nucleus)
• Few types of cells have more than
one nucleus (skeletal muscle cells)
 • Nucleus has a double layered covering
Nucleus called nuclear membrane
• Nuclear membrane has pores of diameter
Nuclear about 80-100 nm
Nucleolus
pores • Colourless dense sap present inside
the nucleus known as nucleoplasm
• Nucleoplasm contains round shaped
nucleolus and network of chromatin
fibres
• Fibres are composed of
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and
protein histone
Chromatin
• These fibres condense to form
Nuclear chromosomes
envelope Nucleoplasm
during cell division
 • Chromosomes contain stretches of
Nucleus DNA called genes
Gene DNA • Genes transfer the hereditary
information
from one generation to the next
Chromatin Functions:
• Control all the cell activities like
metabolism, protein synthesis,
Histone
growth and cell division
• Nucleolus synthesizes ribonucleic
Chromatin fibre acid (RNA) to constitute ribosomes
Chromosome • Store hereditary information in
genes
 • Jelly-like material formed by 80 % of
Cytoplasm water
• Present between the plasma
Organelles membrane and the nucleus
• Contains a clear liquid portion called
cytosol and various particles
• Particles are proteins, carbohydrates,
nucleic acids, lipids and inorganic ions
• Also contains many organelles with
distinct structure and function
• Some of these organelles are visible
only under an electron microscope
Cytoplasm
• Granular and dense in animal cells and
thin in plant cells
 • Network of tubular and vesicular
structures which are interconnected
Endoplasmic with one another
Reticulum • Some parts are connected to the
nuclear membrane, while others are
connected to the cell membrane
• Two types: smooth(lacks
ribosomes) and rough(studded
with ribosomes)
Functions:
• Gives internal support to the cytoplasm
Rough ER • RER synthesize secretory proteins and
membrane proteins
Smooth ER • SER synthesize lipids for cell membrane
Ribosomes • In liver cells SER detoxify drugs & poisons
• In muscle cells SER store calcium ions
 • Discovered by Camillo Golgi
Golgi body • Formed by stacks of 5-8 membranous sacs
• Sacs are usually flattened and are called
Incoming
the cisternae
Cis face transport
Cisternae vesicle • Has two ends: cis face situated near the
Lumen endoplasmic reticulum and trans face
situated near the cell membrane
Functions:
• Modifies, sorts and packs materials
synthesized in the cell
• Delivers synthesized materials to various
targets inside the cell and outside the
Outgoing
Newly Trans face
transport
cell
forming
vesicle vesicle • Produces vacuoles and secretory vesicles
• Forms plasma membrane and lysosomes
 Nucleus
Smooth ER

Lysosomes

Golgi Body
At Work
Rough ER

Golgi body

Plasma
Vesicles
membrane
 • Small, spherical, single membrane
sac
Lysosomes
• Found throughout the cytoplasm
• Filled with hydrolytic enzymes
Hydrolytic enzymes Membrane • Occur in most animal cells and in
few type of plant cells

Functions:
• Help in digesting of large molecules
• Protect cell by destroying foreign
invaders like bacteria and viruses
• Degradation of worn out organelles
• In dead cells perform autolysis
 • Single membrane sac filled with
liquid or sap (water, sugar and ions)
Vacuoles • In animal cells, vacuoles are
temporary, small in size and few in
number
Tonoplast • In plant cells, vacuoles are large and
more
in number
• May be contractile or non-contractile
Functions:
• Store various substances including
waste products
• Maintain osmotic pressure of the cell
Vacuole
• Store food particles in amoeba cells
• Provide turgidity and rigidity to plant
cells
 • Double membrane-bound organelles found
mainly in plant cells
Chloroplasts • Usually spherical or discoidal in shape
• Shows two distinct regions-grana and stroma
Outer
Inner • Grana are stacks of thylakoids (membrane-
membrane
membrane
bound, flattened discs)
• Thylakoids contain chlorophyll molecules
Thylakoid
which are responsible for photosynthesis
• Stroma is a colourless dense fluid

Functions:
Stroma • Convert light energy into chemical
energy in the form of food
Granum • Provide green colour to leaves, stems
and
vegetables
 • Small, rod shaped organelles bounded by
two membranes - inner and outer
Mitochondria • Outer membrane is smooth and encloses
the contents of mitochondria
Ribosomes • Inner membrane is folded in the form of
Matrix shelf like inward projections called cristae
• Inner cavity is filled with matrix which
Cristae
contains many enzymes
• Contain their own DNA which are
responsible
DNA for many enzymatic actions
Functions:
• Synthesize energy rich compound
Outer membrane ATP
Inner membrane
• ATP molecules provide energy for
the vital activities of living cells
 • Non-living and outermost covering of a
cell (plants & bacteria)
Cell wall • Can be tough, rigid and sometimes
flexible
Pectin Cellulose • Made up of cellulose, hemicellulose
and pectin
• May be thin or thick, multilayered
structure
• Thickness varies from 50-1000 A˚

Functions:
• Provides definite shape, strength &
rigidity
Plasma membrane Hemicellulose • Prevents drying up(desiccation) of cells
• Helps in controlling cell expansion
• Protects cell from external pathogens
 • Centrosome is the membrane bound
Centrosome organelle present near the nucleus
• Consists of two structures called
Centrosome centrioles
matrix
• Centrioles are hollow, cylindrical
structures
Microtubules
made of microtubules
• Centrioles are arranged at right angles
to each other
Functions:
Centrioles
• Form spindle fibres which help in the
movement
of chromosomes during cell division
• Help in the formation of cilia and
flagella
 • Formed by microtubules and
Cytoskeleton microfilaments
• Microtubules are hollow tubules
Cell membrane made up of protein called tubulin
• Microfilaments are rod shaped thin
filaments
made up of protein called actin

Functions:
• Determine the shape of the cell
• Give structural strength to the cell
Microtubules
Microfilaments • Responsible for cellular movements
Prokaryotic cell Eukaryotic cell
1. Nucleus is undeveloped 1. Nucleus is well developed
2. Only one chromosome is present 2. More than one chromosomes are
present
3. Membrane bound organelles are
absent 3. Membrane bound organelles are
present
4. Size ranges from 0.5-5 µm
4. Size ranges from 5-100 µm
5. Examples: Bacteria and blue green
algae 5. Examples: All other organisms
Animal cell Plant cell

1. Generally small in s i ze 1. Generally large in s i ze

2. Cell wall i s absent 2. Cell wall i s present
3. Plastids are absent 3. Plastids are present

4. Vacuoles are smaller in 4. Vacuoles are larger in

s i ze and less in number s i ze and more in number

5. Centrioles are present 5. Centrioles are absent

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