The Animal Cell

A report for Integrated Science

Vivek Pooran 1H 3/7/22 Integrated Science

 Table of Contents.

Item Page Number

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Group Members.

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 Introduction.

The introduction to cells occurred in the year 1655 when a revolutionary observation
was made by an English scientist Robert Hooke. This observation made by him was
so huge that it went on to change the basic biological theory and research forever.

Robert Hooke 1635–1703, English physicist, mathematician, and

inventor. He became curator of experiments for the Royal Society (1662),
professor of geometry at Gresham College (1665), and city surveyor of
London after the great 1666 fire. Considered the greatest mechanic of his
age, in 1684 he devised a practicable system of telegraphy. He invented
the spiral spring in watches and the first screw-divided quadrant and
constructed the first arithmetical machine and Gregorian telescope. He
also stated Hooke's law and in his pioneering book Micrographia (1665)
he described his microscopic observations of plant tissues and coined the
term cell.

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Robert Hooke was examining a dried section of the cork tree using a crude light
microscope. In this analysis, he observed multiple small chambers which he named
the “cells”. Thereafter, over the next 175 years, several kinds of research were made
which led to the formation of the cell theory that we know today.

Scientist Theodor Schwann and Matthias Jakob Schleiden

contributed greatly to the development of cell theory as well as Rudolf
Virchow.

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What is a Cell?

In all the living beings, cells are the basic structural units. We can compare the

presence of cells in our body to the bricks in a building. All the bricks are assembled

to make a building. So, to all the cells are assembled to make the body of an

organism.

The basic structural and functional unit of life and all the organisms are made up of

cells. As for the size of the cell, it is variable and maybe anything from 1 to 100

micrometer.

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Every cell is produced by the division of a cell that is already existing in our body.

This is possible because of the genetic material contained in the cell. The genetic

material is passed down from one cell to another during the reproduction process.

Unlike the non-living things like bricks, the cells of the living organisms are rather

complex living structures. Therefore, the cells can divide the genetic material and

form two new cells.

Cell Theory

The classical cell theory was proposed by Theodor Schwann in 1839. There are

three parts to this theory.

1. The first part states that all organisms are made of cells.

2. The second part states that cells are the basic units of life. This was

based on a conclusion made by Schwann and Matthias Schleiden in

1838, after comparing their observations of plant and animal cells.

3. The third part, which asserts that cells come from preexisting cells that

have multiplied, was described by Rudolf Virchow in 1858.

In conclusion:

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  The cell is the basic functional and structural unit of life. All the living

organisms are composed of cells.

 All cells are formed by the division of the already existing cells which in

terms of biology means reproduction.

 All the basic physiological and chemical functions i.e. the growth, repair,

movement, communication, immunity and digestions are performed

inside the cells.

 All the activities of the cell depend mainly on the activities of the

subcellular structures that lie within the cell. These subcellular structures

comprise of the plasma membrane, organelles and if present, the nucleus.

The Structure of An Animal Cell.

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What Is an Animal Cell?

An animal cell is a eukaryotic cell that lacks a cell wall, and it is enclosed by the
plasma membrane.
 All living things are made of cells

 Animal cells come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, with their size ranging

from a few millimeters to micrometers.

 Animal cells are smaller than the plant cells and they are generally

irregular in shape taking various forms of shapes, due to lack of the cell

wall.

 Animal cells are specialized. They have different shapes depending on

what job they do within an animal’s body.

 All animal cells AND plant cells are eukaryotic cells.

 Eukaryotic cells contain a nucleus and other organelles.

 Eukaryotic cells are bigger and more complex than prokaryotic cells.

 Animal cells lack the hard cell wall and chloroplasts that are present in

plant cells. They also lack the large, single vacuole present in plant cells.

The Two Main Types of Cells

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There are two main types of cells:

1. eukaryotic cells and

2. prokaryotic cells.

Eukaryotic Cells
Eukaryotic cells are bigger and more complex than prokaryotic cells. The cells that

make up animals, plants and fungi are eukaryotic cells.

Therefore, animals, plants and fungi can be described as being ‘eukaryotic’.

Prokaryotic Cells

Prokaryotic cells are smaller and simpler than eukaryotic cells. Single-celled

organisms such as bacteria are made up of a single prokaryotic cell. These

organisms can be described as being ‘prokaryotic’.

A labelled picture of an animal cell.

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What Are Organelles?

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Organelles are specialized structures that perform various jobs inside cells. The
term literally means “little organs.”

In the same way organs, such as the heart, liver, stomach, and kidneys, serve
specific functions to keep an organism alive, organelles serve specific functions to
keep a cell alive.

An organelle is a structure within the cytoplasm of a eukaryotic cell that is

enclosed within a membrane and performs a specific job. Organelles are involved
in many vital cell functions.

Cell organelles can be divided into three types

1. General cell organelles: they are present in both animal and plant cells all the
time – cell membrane, cytosol, cytoplasm, nucleus, mitochondrion, rough and
smooth endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, peroxisome, lysosome, and the
cytoskeleton.

2. Temporal cell organelles: they are only found at specific stages of the cell’s
life cycle – chromosome, centrosome, autophagosome, and endosome.

3. Cell type specific cell organelles: they only exist in the plant cells –
chloroplast, central vacuole, and cell wall.

Cell Organelle Biological Function

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Nucleus DNA Storage
Mitochondrion Energy production
Ribosome Protein synthesis
Rough ER Protein production and modification
Smooth ER Lipid production and Detoxification
Golgi apparatus Protein transportation and export
Peroxisome Lipid breakdown; redox reactions
Lysosome Protein destruction
Cytoskeleton Cell movement; intracellular transportation
Cell membrane Define the inside and outside of a cell
Cell wall Structural support and protection (plant cell)
Cytosol Cellular fluid
Chloroplast Photosynthesis (plant cell)
Vacuole Storage and water regulation (plant cell)

Reflection
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Conclusion

Bibliography:
- Cell theory weebly
https://cellltheory.weebly.com/robert-hooke.html

- Brainly -
https://brainly.com/question/18165233

- Introduction to cell: discovery, cell theory, parts, types, videos.

https://www.toppr.com/guides/biology/cell-structure-and-function/introduction-to-
cell/

- National Geographic
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/cell-theory/#:~:text=The
%20classical%20cell%20theory%20was,the%20basic%20units%20of%20life.

- Active wild

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https://www.activewild.com/animal-cells/

- MicrobeNotes
https://microbenotes.com/animal-cell-definition-structure-parts-functions-and-
diagram/

R’s Science
https://rsscience.com/cell-organelles-and-their-functions/

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