Chapter 3: Cells

Cell Theory
● All living organisms are composed of cells. It is the basic structural and functional unit of life.
● The cell theory is made up of 3 ideas:
1. Cells are the basic unit of life.
2. All organisms are made up of cells
3. Cells arise from other living cells.

Robert Hook
- Accidentally discovered cells in a cork cell. Part coming from the plant. He didn't name it cell “it is
something that is compartmentalized.”

Leeuwenhoek
- Performed observation to cells.

Johsen Brothers
- Double lenses

Formulated the Cell Theory:

Matthias
- Botanist
Theodore
- Zoologist

Virchow
- Another scientist who studied cells.

Variations of Cells
● Cells vary widely in both shape and size. The shape of a cell depends on its function.
● In animal cells, cytoskeleton (microtubules and microfilaments) maintain the shape of cells.
● Cells also vary in sizes. Microscopic; not visible by the naked eye, Macroscopic; too large, Unicellular;
one-celled organism, Multicellular; everal cells like us.

Sex cells = Gametes

Body cells = Somatic
Primitive Cells = Prokaryotic Cells
New Generation Cells = Eukaryotic Cells

Major Cell parts And functions

- The generalized cell has 3 major regions: Nucleus, cytoplasm and plasma membrane.

Plasma membrane
- Its major component is phospholipid. The phosphate group interfaces with the water both inside and
outside the cell. The phosphate group interfaces with the water both inside and outside the cell. The
 lipid “tails” of the molecule face each other creating a lipid bilayer. This layer is embedded with proteins.
Some proteins. Some proteins have carbohydrate components, which act in cellular recognition.
- Phospholipids permit diffusion of lipid-soluble materials.
- Cholesterol provides stability.
- Proteins form channels, transporters, self-antigens and receptor sites for hormones or other signaling
molecules.
Function:
- Encloses cell contents, mediates exchanges with the extracellular environment, and plays a role in
cellular communication.
- The cell membrane is selectively permeable. It permits some substances to pass more readily than
others.

Transport Processes across the Plasma Membrane

- Membrane transport is a process by which cells take in or secrete or excrete materials through the
selectively permeable cell membrane.
- Substances move across the plasma membrane by passive, which depend on kinetic energy of
molecules or on pressure gradients and by active processes, which depend on the use of cellular
energy (ATP).

Transport of Materials into and out of the Cells:

1. Diffusion - movement of molecules (driven by kinetic energy) down a concentration gradient. Ex.
Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide are exchanged in the lungs and tissues.

2. Facilitated Diffusion - The passive movement of certain solutes across the membrane either by their
binding with the membrane carrier protein or by their moving through a membrane channel. It is driven
by kinetic energy, but the carriers and channels are selective. Ex. Most cells take in Glucose.

3. Osmosis - diffusion of a solvent, such as water, through selectively permeable membrane. Ex. Small
intestine absorbs water from digested food.

4. Filtration - movement of substances from an area of high hydrostatic to an area of lower fluid pressure.
In the body, the driving force of filtration is blood pressure.
5. Active Transport (Solute pumping) - movement of substances from an area of lesser concentration to
an area of greater concentration. A cell uses ATP. Ex. Nerve and Muscle Cells have sodium pumps to
return N ions.

6. Bulk Transport - packaging of substances too large to pass through a cell membrane; the substances
are then transported through the cell.

7. Exocytosis - plasma membrane ejects substances (hormones, wastes, secretions) from the cell.

8. Endocytosis - movement of substances into cell vesicles.

9. Phagocytosis - ingestion of solid particles by cells. (Cell eating) ex. WBC

10. The engulfing of extracellular fluid by cells. (Cell Drinking) Ex. Kidney Tubules

Cytoplasm and Organelles

- Consist of all the cellular contents between the plasma membranes and the nucleus.
 - It consists of the cytosol (fluid cytoplasmic environment), inclusions (nonliving nutrient stores-lipid
droplets, glycosomes-pigment granules, crystals, etc.) and cytoplasmic organelles.
- It is the major functional area of the cell. These functions are mediated by cytoplasmic organelles.
It is divide into:
Cytosol - fluid portion of the cytoplasm that consists mostly of water plus dissolved solutes and suspended
particles.
- It is the medium in which many cell metabolic reactions occur.
- It is composed of water, solutes, suspended particles, lipid droplets, and glycogen granules.
Within the cytosol are several different types of organelles. Each of which has a characteristic structure and
specific functions.

Cell Organelles and Function

Mitochondria - ATP production

Ribosomes - Synthesis of proteins

Rough ER - act as sites of protein modification;

Smooth ER - synthesizes lipid and steroid molecules; fat metabolism and reticulum in drug detox.; calcium ion
depot.

Golgi Apparatus - packages protein secretions for export, packages enzymes.

Lysosomes - sites of intracellular digestion; degrade worn-out organelles, tissues that are no longer useful.
Scavengers

Peroxisomes - protect the cell from the destructive effect of free radicals and other toxic substances by
converting them first to hydrogen peroxide and then water.

Microfilaments - structural support; involved in cell movement

Microtubules - SS, involved in cell divisions, cell movement and transport.

Centrioles - form the mitotic spindle and are the basis of cilia and flagella.

Nucleus
- Large organelle of a cell. Acts as the control center because it contains the genes which control cellular
structure and most cellular activities.
- Consist of a nuclear envelope with pores, nucleoli and chromosomes.
Nucleolus- forms ribosomal RNA.
Chromosomes - made of DNA and protein.
- DNA is the genetic code for the structure and functioning of the cell.
- A gene is a segment of DNa that is code for one protein. Human cells have 46 chromosomes, and their
genetic information is called the genome.
Storage of genetic material; controls cellular structure and directs cellular function.
Most cells have a single nucleus. Without it, cell cannot divide or synthesize more proteins.

Cell Growth and reproduction

Cell Cycle
- series of changes that a cell goes through from the time it is formed until it divides.
Interphase - non dividing phase of the cell life cycle. Consist of G.S, and G2 subphases. During G1 the cell
grows and centriole replication begins; during the S phase, DNA replicates and during G2 the final
preparations for division are made.

- Cell division is essential for body growth and repair, occurs during the M phase.
- Stimulated by certain chemicals (including growth factors and some hormones) increasing cell size.
- Cell division is consist of 2 distinct phases; Mitosis(Somatic) and Cytokinesis

First Growth phase (G1) - Synthesis (S) - Second growth (G2) - Mitotic (M) *Telophase, Ana, Meta, Prophase*

Mitosis
- one cell with the diploid number of chromosomes divides once to form 2 cells. Each diploid number of
chromosomes (46 for humans)
- DNA replication forms 2 sets of chromosomes during interphase.
- Stages of mitosis: Prop,Meta, Ana, Telophase.
- Cytokinesis is the division of cytoplasm following telophase.
Meiosis
- one cell with the diploid number of chromosomes divides twice to form for cell, each with the haploid
number of chromosomes (23 for humans)
- Oogenesis in the ovaries forms egg cells.
- Spermatogenesis in testes form sperm cells.
- Fertilization of an egg by sperm restores the diploid number in the fertilized egg.