RECOMMENDED READINGS

1. Ganong W.F.(2005). Review of Medical Physiology. McGraw Hill. ISBN00712482.

2. Koeppen B.M; Stanton B.A.(Editors)(2010). Berne & Levy Physiology. Mosby Elsevier. ISBN

9780808924265277.

3. Guyton A.C; Hall E.H;(1997). Human Physiology and Mechanisms of Disease. W.B.Saunders

Company. ISBN 0721632998

DR. S Phiri
 CELL PHYSIOLOGY

• Defn: a cell is a basic structural unit of all living organism.

• Two major types of cells
 Prokaryote e.g Bacteria
 Eukaryote e.g Animal cell

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 INTRODUCTION
• Revolutionary advances in the understanding of cell structure and
function have been made through use of the techniques of modern
cellular and molecular biology.
• However, a basic knowledge of cell biology is essential to an
understanding of the organ systems in the body and the way they
function.
• The specialization of the cells in the various organs is very great, and
no cell can be called "typical" of all cells in the body. However, a
number of structures (organelles) are common to most cells.
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ANATOMICAL/MORPHOLOGICAL STRUCTURE OF
EUKARYOTIC CELL

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 CELL MEMBRANE
• The membrane that surrounds the cell is a remarkable
structure, It is made up of proteins, lipids and carbohydrates
• It is semipermeable, allowing some substances to pass through
it and excluding others.
• It is generally referred to as the plasma membrane
• The nucleus is also surrounded by a membrane of this type, and
the organelles are surrounded by or made up of a membrane.
• 6-10 nm thick

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 Functions(TRICEPS)
 Compartmentalization
 Scaffold for biochemical activities
 Providing a selectively permeable barrier
 Transporting solutes
 Responding to external signals
 Intercellular interaction
 Energy transduction

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 Components of plasma Membrane

• Phospholipid
(phosphatidylcholine,Phosphatidylethanolamine, Sphingomyelin
and Phosphatidylserine)
• Other lipids (Cholesteral and Glycolipids)

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 Sphingolipids
Sphingosine = amino alcohol
Ceramide = sphingosine + fatty acid
Sphingomyelin = Phosorylcholine + ceramide
Glycolipid = carbohydrate + ceramide
Cerebroside = simple sugar + ceramide
Galactocerebroside = galactose + ceramide
Ganglioside = small cluster of sugars + ceramide
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• Proteins
Integral proteins
Peripheral proteins
• The amount of protein varies with the function of the membrane but makes up on average
50% of the mass of the membrane
• Functions;
 cell adhesion molecules that anchor cells to their neighbors or to basal laminas.
 pumps, actively transporting ions across the membrane.
carriers, transporting substances down electrochemical gradients by facilitated diffusion.
 others are ion channels, which, when activated, permit the passage of ions into or out of
the cell.
 Proteins also function as enzymes, catalyzing reactions at the surfaces of the membrane
 Proteins in another group function as receptors that bind neurotransmitters and
hormones, initiating physiologic changes inside the cell
Self recognination e.g on RBCs
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 CYTOPLASM

• Fluid filled space where the cell organelles are suspended and its size varies
according to the specialization of the cell
• Cytoplasm houses the intracellular fluid.
• The clear fluid portion of the cytoplasm in which the particles are dispersed is called
the cytosol; this mainly contain proteins, electrons and glucose.

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 CELL ORGANELLES

• Membrane bound
oNucleus
oMitochondria
oEndoplasmic reticulum (rER and sER)
oGolgi apparatus
oVesicles (peroxisosomes and lysosomes)

Non membrane bound

Ribosomes
Cytoskeleton DR. S Phiri
 NUCLEUS
• Nucleus is enveloped by a double layered membrane, known as the nuclear
membrane.
• A clear fluid called nucleoplasm or karyolymph is enclosed in the membrane.
• There is a network of fine thread-like matter, called chromatin network, which
contains the DNA molecules and histones arranged in a particular manner.
• At the time of cell division, condensation of chromatin takes place in the
nucleus, resulting in formation of distinct structures called chromosomes.
• Inside the nucleus, there also exists a round spherical body called nucleolus,
amidst the chromatin mesh, and it has Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) and ribosomes
in abundance, which is involved in protein synthesis.
• In plants, nucleus also controls the process of photosynthesis which is the main
nucleus function in plant cells.
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 Functions of Nucleus
• Nucleus stores the genetic entropy necessary for reproduction, growth and
metabolism of not only the cell it controls, but also of the organism on the
whole.

• It controls the transfer and replication of hereditary molecules (DNA and RNA)
between the parent cell and the child cell.

• Nucleus ensures equal distribution and exact copying of the genetic content
during the process of cell replication. This is the main function of nucleus in
animal cells.

• The nucleus sustains and controls the cell growth by orchestrating the
synthesis of structural proteins in the cell.
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• Nucleus is the place for DNA transcription in which messenger RNA
(mRNA) are produced which synthesize protein. The nucleus contains
various types of proteins which can either directly control transcription or
are indirectly involved in regulating the process.
• The process of energy and nutrient metabolism in the cell is regulated by
the nucleus, by directing the synthesis and functioning of enzymes, which
is a type of protein.
• The selective diffusion of cell's regulatory and energy molecules through
the pores in the nuclear membrane is presided by the nucleus.
• Nucleus is responsible for the secretion of ribosomes(Ribosomes are
assembled in the nucleolus). The ribosomes, in turn gets the credit for
synthesizing all types of proteins.
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 ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM

• Two types
1. Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum (sER)
2. Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (rER)

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• The endoplasmic reticulum is a complex series of tubules in the
cytoplasm of the cell
• The tubule walls are made up of membrane. In rough or granular
endoplasmic reticulum, granules called ribosomes are attached to
the cytoplasmic side of the membrane, whereas in smooth or
agranular endoplasmic reticulum, the granules are absent.
• Free ribosomes are also found in the cytoplasm.
• The granular endoplasmic reticulum is concerned with protein
synthesis and the initial folding of polypeptide chains with the
formation of disulfide bonds.
• The agranular endoplasmic reticulum is the site of steroid synthesis
in steroid-secreting cells and the site of detoxification processes in
other cells. DR. S Phiri
 RIBOSOMES
• measure approximately 22 by 32 nm.
• Each is made up of a large and a small subunit called, on the basis
of their rates of sedimentation in the ultracentrifuge, the 60S and
40S subunits.
• The ribosomes are complex structures, containing many different
proteins and at least three ribosomal RNAs .
• They are the sites of protein synthesis.
• The ribosomes that become attached to the endoplasmic reticulum
synthesize all transmembrane proteins, most secreted proteins, and
most proteins that are stored in the Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, and
endosomes. DR. S Phiri
 GOLGI APPARATUS
Structure:
• The Golgi apparatus is a huge network of membranous stacks called cisternae.
• These are divided into four structural and functional components called cis-Golgi, medial-Golgi, endo-Golgi and
trans-Golgi.
• Each component carries a specialized set of enzymes and proteins.

Function:
The Golgi apparatus is responsible for modifying the polypeptide chains synthesized in the ER
by ribosomes to get the final, effective protein molecules.
These modifications include the addition of sugar molecules, lipid moieties, functional groups
etc.
 It is also the site for breakdown of proteins to get functionally active forms of the protein.
Through its ability to form and fuse with membrane-bound vesicles, it serves to package and
distribute macromolecules to other parts of the cell, and also facilitates the release of
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molecules, especially enzymes and hormones outside the cells.
 LYSOSOMES

Structure:
These are spherical organelles with a highly acidic interior that contains degradative or lytic
enzymes called hydrolases.
Lysosomes are polymorphic and exist as primary, secondary, autophagic and secretory
lysosomes.

Function:
 Lysosomes serve as the waste disposal system of the cell, and the lytic enzymes present inside
them are capable of digesting any type of macromolecule including proteins, lipids,
carbohydrates and nucleic acids.
They can digest unwanted molecules, aged or damaged organelles as well as foreign bodies like
bacteria, viruses and other pathogens.
They play a vital role in processes central to protection against pathogens as well as in cell
membrane repair, fertilization and self-destruction (Autolysis).
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 PEROXISOME

Structure:
 These are small spherical organelles morphologically similar to lysosomes.
 They consist of a central crystalloid core that is enclosed within a phospholipid
bilayer.
The central crystalline core consists of a variety of enzymes that are essential for
several metabolic activities of the cell.
Function:
 Peroxisomes are the site for breakdown/oxidation of fatty acids to hydrogen
peroxide, which is then decomposed by catalase.

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