What are cells? What is a cell? Where do we find cells? Cell: a cell is a basic unit of structure and function of life. In other words, cells make up living things and carry out activities that keep a living thing alive
Unicellular Organisms: An organism that is made up of only one cell is called as unicellular organism. Euglena Paramecium Yeast
Multicellular Organisms: An organism that is made up of more than one cell is called as multicellular organism. Plant Animals Fungus
The Animal Cell: Now the fun begins!! Animals are made up of many different types of cells. The structures I am about to introduce to you are found in a typical cell. Please note: Not all animal cells contain all the same structures.
Animal Cell terms/Structures: Cell membrane: The cell membrane surrounds the cell. Think of the membrane as a gatekeeper, it only allows some materials to pass through, but keeps others out. Cytoplasm: This is a gel-like fluid, that takes up most of the space inside a cell. Cytoplasm kind of looks like Jell-O
Terms/Structures continued: Nucleus: The nucleus is a structure usually tructure usually located near the center of the cell. The nucleus is a home to the cell’s Chromosomes: They are genetic structures that contain informant information to make new cells. Basically, the instructions for how for how to make new cells.
Terms/Structures continued: Vacuoles: These are fluid-filled structures used to store different substances. In animal cells there are often many small vacuoles. Mitochondria: “ Powerhouses” of the cell. What do you think this means? This is a very important structure. They help take the food the cell ate (for breakfast, lunch, or dinner), and turn the it into energy. The energy is needed to carry out activities.
The Plant Cell: Here we go again! Plants cells have all of the structures that animal cells do. But they also have some structures that the animal cell does not. Plant cells have a cell wall and chloroplasts
The three new structures for a plant cell : Cell Wall: This wall provides extra support for the cell and gives it a shape. In other words, if there was no cell wall then the cell would have no shape. Chloroplasts: These make food for the plant. They are green. Chlorophyll: This is very important in making the food for the plant. This structure takes in sunlight and makes sugar for the plant to eat and become green
Cell wall: Non-living and outermost covering of a cell (plants & bacteria) Can be tough, rigid and sometimes flexible Made up of cellulose, hemicellulose and pectin May be thin or thick, multilayered structure Thickness varies from 50-1000 A Function: Provides definite shape, strength & rigidity Prevents drying up(desiccation) of cells Helps in controlling cell expansion Protects cell from external pathogen
Nucleus: Dense spherical body located near the centre of the cell Diameter varies from 10-25 µm Present in all the cells except red blood cells and sieve tube cells Well developed in plant and animal cells Undeveloped in bacteria and blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) Most of the cells are uninucleate (having only one nucleus) Few types of cells have more than one nucleus (skeletal muscle cells)
Nucleus: Nucleus has a double layered covering called nuclear membrane Nuclear membrane has pores of diameter about 80-100 nm Colorless dense sap present inside the nucleus known as nucleoplasm Nucleoplasm contains round shaped nucleolus and network of chromatin fibers Fibers are composed of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and protein histone These fibers condense to form chromosomes during cell division
Cytoplasm: Jelly-like material formed by 80 % of water Present between the plasma membrane and the nucleus Contains a clear liquid portion called cytosol and various particles Particles are proteins, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, lipids and inorganic ions Also contains many organelles with distinct structure and function Some of these organelles are visible only under an electron microscope Granular and dense in animal cells and thin in plant cells
Vacuoles: Single membrane sac filled with liquid or sap (water, sugar and ions) In animal cells, vacuoles are temporary, small in size and few in number In plant cells, vacuoles are large and more in number May be contractile or non-contractile Function: Store various substances including waste products Maintain osmotic pressure of the cell Store food particles in amoeba cells Provide turgidity and rigidity to plant cells
Chloroplasts: Double membrane-bound organelles found mainly in plant cells Usually spherical or discoidal in shape Shows two distinct regions-grana and stroma Grana are stacks of thylakoids (membrane bound, flattened discs) Thylakoids contain chlorophyll molecules which are responsible for photosynthesis Stroma is a colorless dense fluid Function: Convert light energy into chemical energy in the form of food Provide green colour to leaves, stems and vegetables
Animals cell Plant cell Generally small in size Generally large in size 2) Cell wall is absent 2) Cell wall is present 3) Plastids are absent 3) Plastids are present 4) Vacuoles are smaller in size and less in number 4) Vacuoles are larger in size and more in number 5) Centrioles are presen t 5) Centrioles are absent Animals VS Plant cells: