CELLS

CELL: a basic unit of life.

Unicellular organisms: those made of one cell e.g bacteria, amoeba etc.
Multicellular organisms: those made of many cells e.g human beings, donkey, dog etc
CELL STRUCTURE
❖ Usually a cell consists of a living matter called protoplasm. Protoplasm includes cell
membrane, cytoplasm and nucleus. Within the cytoplasm, there are other parts with
a particular structure and function and are referred to as ORGANELLES e.g.
mitochondria, ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum etc. The nucleus is the largest
organelle in a cell.

PART DESCRIPTION FUNCTIONS

Cell surface membrane A thin, flexible, selectively/ It controls movement of

partially permeable which substances into and out of
encloses cell contents. cells i.e. controls what
enters or leaves the cell.
Nucleus This is a rounded organelle Regulates cellular activities
which contains the genetic e.g. cell division, protein
Plu- nuclei material. synthesis etc.
The membrane of the
nucleus is called nuclear
envelope. Within the
nucleus there is a structure
called nucleolus.
Cytoplasm A jelly-like material which Site for chemical reactions
contains cell organelles.
Contains water & dissolved
substances e.g. glucose,
minerals, vitamins
Ribosomes These are dot-like Responsible for protein
structures in the cytoplasm, synthesis
some may be attached to
certain membrane
structures called
endoplasmic reticulum.
They are produced by
nucleolus.
Mitochondria These are small structures Site for aerobic respiration
in a cell which have folded
Sing- mitochondrion inner membrane.
They have various shapes,
some may be spherical or
rod shaped.
 Cell wall A freely/fully permeable, 1. It supports the cell and
rigid structure made of a gives it a permanent shape.
carbohydrate called 2. It protects the cell
cellulose. against mechanical damage
e.g. preventing it from
bursting when water enters
it by osmosis
Chloroplasts A structure which contains Site for photosynthesis
the green pigment called
chlorophyll. This pigment
traps light energy which is
necessary for
photosynthesis.
Vacuole This is a fluid filled cavity 1. It contains some
bonded by a single dissolved substances which
selectively permeable act as food store.
membrane called 2. Act as temporary store
tonoplast. for waste products.
The fluid is called cell sap. 3. In a typical plant cell,
This is a concentrated vacuoles provide structural
solution containing sugars, support since the
salts, amino acids, oxygen, concentrated cell sap
pigments and some waste contributes to entry of
products of metabolism. water by osmosis.
Mature plant cells have
large, central and
permanent vacuoles.
N.B smaller, temporary
vacuoles may occur in
animal cells e.g food
vacuoles, contractile
vacuoles etc.

Other parts of a cell are endoplasmic reticulum, golgi apparatus, lysosomes etc.
Due to presence or absence of nucleus in some cells, two types of cells exist which are:

❖ Prokaryotic cell: this is a cell which does not have a true nucleus i.e the genetic
material is not surrounded by a nuclear membrane.

❖ Eukaryotic cell: this is a cell with a true nucleus i.e the genetic material is surrounded
by a nuclear membrane.

Components of Prokaryotic Cells

The prokaryotic cells posses four main components:

⮚ Plasma/cell surface membrane

⮚ Cytoplasm

⮚ Deoxy Ribo Nuleic Acid (DNA) - It is the genetic material of the cell. The DNA is
located in an area called nucleoid.

⮚ Ribosomes

Some prokaryotic cells may also have other structure, such as:

⮚ Capsule– It is an outer protective covering found in some bacteria. It helps in

moisture retention hence protecting the cell from drying out, and helps in the
attachment of cells to surfaces.
⮚ Pili– These are hair-like outgrowths that attach to the surface of other bacterial
cells.
⮚ Flagella– These are long whip- like structures, that help in the locomotion of a
cell.
⮚ Plasmids–small, circular pieces of DNA. They carry additional genes that may
provide advantageous traits such as antibiotic resistance.
⮚ Cell wall- It is a layer located outside the cell surface membrane.
N.B A prokaryotic cell lacks membrane bound organelles like mitochondria, endoplasmic
reticulum, Golgi bodies e.t.c.
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DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PROKARYOTIC AND EUKARYOTIC CELL

FEATURE PROKARYOTIC CELL EUKARYOTIC CELL

Size Smaller larger

type of cell always unicellular unicellular or multicellular

nucleus Absent present

mitochondria Absent present

cell division binary fission mitosis(for somatic cells)

meosis(for gametes)

reproduction Asexual both sexual and asexual

examples - Bacteria e.g Escherichia coli, Plant cells, animal cells, fungi, protists etc.
 Streptococcus, and
Streptomyces
Animal cell
- Archaea e.g methanogens,
halophiles, and thermophiles

Bacterium

Plant cell

Archaea

SIMILARITIES

They both have;

 o Cell surface membrane

o Cytoplasm

o Ribosomes

o Genetic material in form of DNA

The differences between Eukaryotic cells and prokaryotic cells

1. Eukaryotic cells have a true nucleus, bounded by a double membrane,

Prokaryotic cells have no nucleus , most primitive , earlies form of life.

2. Eukaryotic DNA is linear , prokaryotic DNA is circular , it has no end.

3. Eukaryotic DNA is complex with proteins called “ histones ” and is

organized into chromosomes , prokaryotic DNA is simple and “ necked”

meaning that it has no “ histones ” associated with it and is not formed into

chromosomes .

4. Eukaryotic cell contains a number of chromosomes “ multiple” , a

prokaryotic cell contains only one (single) circular DNA molecule and

assortment of much smaller circlet of DNA called “ plasmids ” the smaller

simpler prokaryotic cell requires for fewer genes to operate than the

eukaryotic cell .

5. Eukaryotic cells have many ribosomes , (80s) layer and more complex than

those of prokaryotic cell (70s) (sedimentation constant) .

6. Eukaryotic ribosomes is composed of five (5) kinds of rRNA and about

eighty (80) kinds of proteins , prokaryotic ribosomes are composed of only

three (3) kinds of rRNA and about fifty (50) kinds of proteins .

7. Eukaryotic cells either have a plasma membrane or a cell wall in addition to

the plasma membrane , prokaryotic cells have a plasma membrane in

addition to bacteria cell wall .

8. Eukaryotic cells are largest cells while prokaryotic cells are smaller than

eukaryotic cells , have not organelles . eukaryotic cells contain organelles

with membrane bounded .

9. Eukaryotic cells reproduce by sexually with use of meiosis while prokaryotic cell don’t undergo of
meiosis , reproduce sexually by transfer of DNA fragments of DNA through conjugation “ plasmids ”.
10. Eukaryotic cells have a complex cytoskeletal structure while prokaryotic cells have a primitive or
don’t have a cytoskeletal at all .