. LESSON 2.

3
BASIC CELL TYPES

FUNDAMENTAL STRUCTURAL PARTS OF A CELL

1. Nucleus
- A central genetic region containing the genetic material in the form of DNA that provides
instructions to make proteins, regulates activities, and enables cells to reproduce.

2. Cell Membrane
- An outer membrane that regulates
the passage of materials into and out
of the cell.

3. Cytoplasm
- A gel-like substance making up the
cell’s internal environment where
organelles are suspended in
microscopic fibers called cytoskeleton.

MAIN TYPES OF CELL

1. Prokaryote
- unicellular organism that lacks a membrane-
bound nucleus, mitochondria, or any other
membrane-bound organelle.
- Believed to be the first kind of cell to
develop about 3.5 billion years ago
- Bacteria, blue-green algae, archeans
Parts:
 Plasma Membrane – semipermeable membrane responsible for the prokaryote to allow
waste products to pass while preventing the diffusion of essential products to the external
environment.
 Cell wall – responsible for maintaining the cell’s shape, especially when cells are exposed
to high water influx.
 Capsule – protective layer made up of polysaccharides lying outside the cell wall.
 Nucleoid region – irregular-shaped which stores its genetic material in the form of DNA
 Cytoplasm – not organized
 Ribosomes – where proteins are made
 Plasmid – Some bacteria have this, an independent circular DNA structure, apart from its
chromosomal DNA
 Appendages
 Flagellum – taillike appendage that allows locomotion
 Fimbriae – additional smaller bristle-like fibers, helps them attach themselves to
surfaces
 Conjugation pili – tubular structures that function for cell-to-cell communication,
as well as to pass DNA from one bacterium to the next.

2. Eukaryote
 organisms whose cells have a nucleus enclosed within membranes.
 There are some organelles which are only present in the plant cell such as chloroplast, vacuole,
and cell wall.

LESSON 2.4
THE CELL’S INTRICATE MACHINERY

A. CELL STRUCTURES FOR PROTECTION

1. Plasma Membrane (Cell Membrane)

 A thin barrier that forms a boundary separating an individual cell from the external
environment.
 A living system that controls the passage of needed materials into and out of the cell.
 Has 3 basic parts: charged phosphate group and glycerol (Head), 2 fatty acid chains (Tail)

Parts:
 Cholesterol - molecules help strengthen the cell membrane
 Carbohydrates - attached to membrane proteins serve as identification tags, that
enables cells to distinguish one type of cell from another.
 Membrane Proteins:
o Transport Proteins – extend from the
phospholipid layer to help material cross
the membrane.
o Channel Proteins – form tunnels that
help cells to import or export needed
materials and expel wastes.
o Cell recognition Proteins – enables cells
to distinguish own cells from that of
other organisms.
 o Enzymatic Proteins – participate in metabolic reactions such as degradative and
synthetic reactions.
o Cytoskeleton Proteins – acts as a muscle and skeleton to maintain cell shape and
motility.
o Junction Proteins – assist cell-to-cell adhesion and communication between cells.
o Receptor Proteins – facilitate exchange of signals with other cells by changing
shape to allow a specific molecule, the ligand, to bind to it.

2. CELL WALL
 A rigid layer that gives protection, rigid support, and
shape to the cell.
 The cell wall’s composition varies and is related to the
different needs of each type of organism.
 Plants and Algae – polysaccharide cellulose
 Fungi – chitin
 Bacteria - peptidoglycan

3. CYTOPLASM
 It fills the space between the nucleus and the cell membrane.
 Cytosol - is the fluid portion consisting mainly of
water and excluding the organelles in it

B. GENETIC CONTROL ORGANELLES

Nucleus
 is the storehouse of genetic information in the
form of DNA inside the cells.
 The DNA is packaged by a special group of
proteins called histones, forming a complex
structure called chromatin.
 The nuclear envelope encloses the DNA, also it is
filled with holes called nuclear pores that allow
large molecules to pass between the nucleus and
cytoplasm.
 Also, the nucleus possesses the nucleolus, which is a dense region where small organelles
(also called as ribosomes) is essential for making proteins are assembled.

C. MANUFACTURING, STORAGE, DISTRIBUTION, AND BREAKDOWN

ORGANELLES

1. Endoplasmic Reticulum
 An interconnected network of thin and folded
membranes that fills much of the large portion
of the cytoplasm.
 Rough endoplasmic reticulum - the
surface of the ER covered by ribosomes.
 Smooth endoplasmic reticulum – the
surfaces of the ER that are not studded
with ribosomes, responsible for the
production of lipids.
2. Golgi Apparatus or Golgi Complex
 they are proteins that are transported into layered stacks of
membrane-enclosed spaces, where proteins are processed,
sorted, and delivered.

3. Vesicles
 the parts of the cell that cannot work alone without the help
of other organelles. They are generally short-lived and are
formed and recycled by the cell.

4. Peroxisomes
 similar to lysosomes, they also exist as small vesicles around
the cell. They are surrounded by a single membrane.

5. Lysosomes Perixosome
 round-shaped, membrane-bound structures
containing chemicals that can break down materials
in the cell.
 Has powerful enzymes that can defend a cell from
invading bacteria or viruses.

6. Vacuoles
 a fluid-filled sac for the storage of materials needed
by the cell that includes water, food molecules,
inorganic ions, and enzymes.

7. Mitochondria
 supply energy to the cell. They are bean-shaped and have two membranes.

8. Plastids Lysosome
 major organelles found in the cells of plants and algae.
 Chloroplasts - are organelles that help a plant to
convert solar energy to chemical energy. Also
carrying photosynthesis, which transforms solar
energy into energy-rich molecules.
 Thylakoids contain chlorophyll, a light-absorbing
pigment that gives plants their green color.
 Stroma is the liquid portion of the chloroplast.

D. ORGANELLES FOR STRUCTURAL SUPPORT, Vacuole

MOVEMENT, AND COMMUNICATION BETWEEN CELLS

1. Cytoskeletons – is made up of a small protein sub-unit, forming

long threads or fibers that can crisscross the entire cell.

2. Cilia and Flagella – they allow the cell to move like an oar. Cilia
looks like little hairs with much shorter length while, Flagella
looks like a whip or a tail.

3. Centrosome and Centrioles

 Centrosome – a small dense region of cytoplasm that serves
as the main microtubule organizing center.
 Centrioles – are cylinder-shaped organelles made of nine
triplets of short microtubules arranged in a ring.
Three Flexible Networks of Protein that provide Support to the Cell
 Microtubules - are filaments characterized to be lengthy and the thickest among the filaments.
They are stiff, hollow tubes that give the cell shape and serve as anchorage.
 Intermediate Filaments - are somewhat smaller than microtubules and rope-like in appearance.
 Microfilaments - are the thinnest among the cytoskeletons and also known as acting filaments.
They are tiny flexible filaments that provide protective meshwork under the plasma membrane.

Three Types of Junctions:

 Tight junction – join two cells tightly together to form a
leakproof sheet.
 Adhesion junction – act like screws together with cytoskeletal
fibers to form strong sheets
 Gap junction – play a similar rile to that of plasmodesmata in
plants, as both allow small molecules to flow between
neighboring cells
Plasmodesmata - a channel through the cell wall that allows molecules and substances to move back and
forth as needed

4. Cell Surfaces and Junctions

 Cells - do not live in solidarity, but usually work as part of a larger goal-farming tissues.
 Tissues - are a collection of cells that carry out a specific function. To do this, individual
cells must interact with neighboring cells.
 LESSON 2.5
VARIETIES OF CELLS IN THE BODY

 Nerve Cell/Neuron
- Facilitates in the transmission of messages
for the brain to function.

 Sperm Cell
- Is the male reproductive cell.
 Ovum
- Is the female reproductive cell.
- Considered one of the largest cells in
humans.

 Erythrocytes
- Are circular, enucleated, and biconcave in
appearance, modified to transport oxygen
from the lungs to different body parts.
 Leukocytes
- Function to protect the body from pathogens.
- Irregular in shape.
 Muscle Cells
- Are spindle-shaped in appearance to
withstand continuous movement.
1. Striated (voluntary)
2. Smooth (involuntary)
3. Cardiac (involuntary)
 Gland Cells
- Produce and secrete substances such as
hormones needed for certain biological
processes.