The Cell: Structure and Function
The Cell: Structure and Function
The Cell: Structure and Function
a
History of Cells
Zaccharias Janssen and son Hans Janssen
1590
Robert Hooke was the 1st to view cells. Piece of
cork 1665
1674 – Anton van Leeuwenhoek built a simple
microscope with only one lens to examine
blood, yeast, insects and bacteria.
Electron scope 1931, STM 1981
Isolating Organelles by Cell
Fractionation
Cell fractionation
isolate
(fractionate) cell components, based on size
and density.
Blend and centrifuge cells at various speeds
Homogenization
Tissue
cells
1000 g Homogenate
(1000 times the
force of gravity)
10 min Differential centrifugation
Supernatant poured
into next tube
20,000 g
20 min
80,000 g
Pellet rich in 60 min
nuclei and
cellular debris 150,000 g
3 hr
mitochondria
(and chloro-
plasts if cells
are from a (pieces of
plant) plasma mem-
branes and
Pellet rich in
cells’ internal
ribosomes
membranes)
Cell Theory
All living things are composed of cells
They are the smallest units of life
Cells come only from pre-existing cells
A view of the Cell
Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
All cells have: plasma membrane, cytosol,
DNA, ribosomes.
Cell Size:
Most bacteria are 1-10 microns in diameter.
Eukaryotic cells are typically 10-100 microns in
diameter.
Animal Cell
Plant Cell
Bacterial or Prokaryotic Cell
Pili: attachment structures on
the surface of some prokaryotes
Nucleoid: region where the
cell’s DNA is located (not
enclosed by a membrane)
Ribosomes: organelles that
synthesize proteins
Plasma membrane: membrane
enclosing the cytoplasm
Cell wall: rigid structure outside
the plasma membrane
Capsule: jelly-like outer coating
Bacterial of many prokaryotes
chromosome 0.5 µm
Food vacuoles
Contractile vacuoles
Central vacuoles
Mitochondria
Desmosome
Gap junctions
Plants: Plasmodesmata
Cell walls
Interior
of cell
Interior
of cell