Eukaryotic Cell

Structure
 The Cell
 ESSENTIAL to the
study of biology
 Simplest form of life
 Every organism’s basic
unit of structure and
function
 Named by Robert
Hooke in 1665 after
observing cork cells
(cell walls) under
microscope.
The Cell Theory (Schleiden,
Schwann, & Virchow)
1. All living things are composed of
cell(s).
2. Cells are the structural & functional
units in living organisms.
3. Cells come from other living cells.
(Virchow added after Pasteur
disproved the idea of spontaneous
generation/abiogenesis.)
Microscopes

 The discovery of cells corresponds

with the advancement of technology
 Microscopes!
 Simplest light microscope was
invented by Anton van Leeuwenhoek
in the 1600s (observed & drew
“animalcules”
 Microscopes
 2 major types of microscopes
 Light microscope
• Visible light is passed through the specimen and
then through glass lenses
 Electron microscope
• Focuses a beam of electrons through the
specimen/ cannot be used to observe living cells.
• Transmission EM:
• Used mainly to study the internal structure of cells
• 2D image
• Highest magnification (200,000 x)
• Scanning EM:
• Used mainly for detailed study of the surface of a
specimen
• 3D image (100,000 x)
TEM & SEM
 Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic
Cells
 Prokaryote
 “before” “nucleus”/ NO
NUCLEUS/few organelles
 Bacteria
 DNA is concentrated in
nucleoid (non membrane-
bound)
 Eukaryote
 “true” “nucleus” / many
membranous organelles
 Protists, plants, fungi,
animals
 Nucleus with nuclear
membrane holds DNA
Why so small?
 Metabolism requires
that cells stay small
 As a cell grows, its
volume grows
proportionately more
than its surface area
 Cells need a high
surface area to
volume ratio to
exchange materials
with their
environment through
plasma membrane.
Compartmental Organization of
Cells
 Compartments (ORGANELLES)
provide different local environments
(pH, etc.)
 Incompatible but equally important
processes can occur next to each
other in different “rooms”
 Cellular
Organelles
 Nucleus:
 “control center” of the cell
 Surrounded by a nuclear
envelope
 Contains DNA
 Nucleolus: site of ribosome
synthesis
 Cellular Organelles

 Ribosomes
 Site of protein assembly
 Free and bound ribosomes
• Free: float through cytoplasm (make proteins for use inside
that cell)
• Bound: attached to Rough ER (make proteins to be
transported out of the cell)
 Cellular Organelles
 Endoplasmic Reticulum:
 Made up of membranous tubules and
cisternae (sacs)
 Smooth ER: NO ribosomes attached
• Synthesis and transport of lipids
• Controls glucose glycogen conversion in
liver & muscles
• Detoxification of drugs and other poisons
• Sarcoplasmic reticulum (muscle ER) stores
calcium needed in muscle contraction.
 Rough ER: ribosomes attached
• Synthesis & transport of proteins
Endomembrane System

 Smooth and
Rough ER
 Endomembrane System

 Golgi Apparatus:
 Products of the
Endoplasmic
Reticulum are
modified and
stored here
 Modifies &
packages
proteins
 Endomembrane System
 Lysosomes:
 Used by cells to
digest
macromolecules
 Sac of hydrolytic
enzymes
 Apoptosis:
• Programmed cell
death
 Usually found only
in animal cells
 Endomembrane System
 Vacuoles:
 Food vacuoles
(storage)
 Contractile vacuoles
(pump extra water out
of cells in freshwater
protists)
 Central vacuole (plant
cells)
• Stores organic
compounds, inorganic
ions (K+, Cl-), and
water
• Surrounded by
tonoplast
Endomembrane System

 Peroxisomes:
 Contain enzymes that transfer
hydrogen from various substances to
oxygen, producing H2O2 as a
byproduct
 Various functions:
• Break fatty acids down into smaller
molecules for cellular respiration
• Detoxify alcohol in liver
 Energy-related organelles
 Mitochondria
 Site of cellular
respiration (Energy
from the breakdown of
organic molecules is
used to phosphorylate
ADP to produce ATP)
 “powerhouse of the
cell”
 More metabolic
activity = more
mitochondria
 Energy-related organelles
 Mitochondrial
Structure:
 Outer membrane
 Inner membrane:
• Cristae = large
surface area
makes more
efficient at
producing energy
 Intermembrane space
 Mitochondrial matrix
 Energy-related organelles

 Chloroplasts:
 Found in plants and
eukaryotic algae
 Site of photosynthesis
 Contain the green
pigment chlorophyll
Energy-related organelles
 Chloroplast
Structure
 Thylakoids
• Grana = stacks of
thylakoids
• (Light Dependent
Phase)
 Stroma
• Fluid outside the
thylakoids
• (Calvin Cycle)
 Cytoskeleton & Related
Organelles
 Cytoskeleton
 Maintains shape of cell
 Responsible for
movement of cell and
movement of
organelles within cell
 Made of three types of
protein fibers:
 Microtubules,
microfilaments, &
intermediate filaments
Cytoskeleton & Related
Organelles
 Components of Cytoskeleton:
 Microtubules – 25 nm diameter
 Intermediate Filaments – 8 – 12 nm
diameter
 Microfilaments – 7 nm diameter
 Cytoskeleton & Related
Organelles
 Microtubules
 Hollow tubes
 Made up of A- and B-
tubulin
 Responsible for:
• Cell motility
• cilia/flagella
• Chromosome
movements (mitosis)
• centrioles
• Movement of
organelles
• Maintenance of cell
shape
 Cytoskeleton & Related
Organelles
 Intermediate Filaments
 Made up of fibrous
proteins
 Made up of keratin
 Responsible for:
• Structural support
• Maintenance of
cell shape
• Anchors nucleus &
certain organelles
Cytoskeleton & Related
Organelles
 Microfilaments
 Made up of 2 intertwined strands of
actin
 Responsible for:
• Muscle contraction
• Cytoplasmic streaming
• Cell motility (pseudopodia)
• Cell division (cleavage furrow)
• Maintenance of/changes in cell shape
 Centrioles
 Only found in animal
cells
 Visible only during cell
division
 9+0 arrangement of
microtubules
 May give rise to cilia &
flagella
 May be involved in
formation of spindle
fibers in animal cells, but
not plants!
 Flagella and Cilia
microtubule
 Structures for cell
motility
 Flagella (long & few in
#)
 Cilia (short &
numerous)
 9 + 2 internal structure
 Basal body has 9+0
Figure 4.25 dynein
Page 73
structure like centrioles
 Cellular
Organelles
 Cell Wall
 Found only in plant cells
 Protects the cell Maintains
cell shape
 Prevents excessive
uptake of water
 Holds plant up against
gravity
 Primary Cell Wall-thin;
cellulose
 Secondary Cell Wall-
thicker; found in woody
plants
Cellular Organelles
 Extracellular Matrix:
 Found in animal cells
 Made up of
glycoproteins (collagen)
& proteoglycans
• Proteins + carbohydrates
 Provides support and
anchorage for cells
 Differs from one cell
type to another
 Intercellular Junctions
 Neighboring cells are
connected to one
another
 Plant cells:
 Plasmodesmata:
• Channels in the cell
wall through which
strands of cytoplasm
pass through and
connect the living
contents of adjacent
cells
 Intercellular Junctions (Animal Cells)

 Tight junctions-
membrane proteins
interlock
 Desmosomes,
(anchoring junction)-
intermediate
filaments “sew”
membranes together
 Gap junctions-
channels align
allowing materials to
flow between cells
Intercellular Junctions
 Tight junctions:
 Membranes of
neighboring cells are
fused
 Form a continuous
“belt” around a cell
 Example: junction
between epidermis of
the skin
 Intercellular Junctions
 Desmosomes
 Anchoring
junctions
 Act as rivets
 Muscle cells
are held
together by
desmosomes.

 What happens
when a
muscle is
torn?
 Intercellular Junctions
 Gap junctions
 Communicating
junctions
 Cytoplasmic
channels
between adjacent
cells
 Salts, sugars,
AAs, etc. can
pass through