CELL STRUCTURE

Microscope

 Magnification: how much bigger the image is compared to the

specimen. Therefore, magnification = length of drawing / real length
 Resolution: How detailed the image is.
 There are two types of microscopes:
o Light microscope: have a low resolution. Using them, we can only
get see the general structure of a cell.
o Electron microscope: have a higher resolution. Using them, we can
see more detailed images.
 Units used in cell studies:
o 1 mm = 1000 μm
o 1 μm = 1000 nm

Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells

There are two types of basic cell types:
 prokaryotic cells: bacteria and cyanobacteria (blue-green algae)
 eukaryotic cells: all other cells (protoctista, fungi, plant and animal cells)

Prokaryotic cells Eukaryotic cells

Features Plant Animal
Size (diameter) 40 μm 15 μm
0.5 -5 μm
Cell wall Yes, made of a Yes, made of No
polysaccharide cellulose
Nucleus No, DNA free in Yes Yes
cytoplasm
Ribosomes 70S ribosomes 80S ribosomes 80S ribosomes
(smaller) (larger) (larger)
ER, Golgi No Yes Yes
apparatus
Mitochondria No Yes Yes
Chloroplasts No Yes No
Cell division Binary fission By mitosis or By mitosis or
Eukaryotic cells: meiosis meiosis
 Plant cell

Animal cell

Prokaryotic cell:

Organelles

Rough and soft endoplasmic reticulum

  It’s a system of membranes enclosing a fluid-filled space.
 The rough ER holds ribosomes and the soft ER doesn’t.
 The rough endoplasmic reticulum transports proteins (which are made in
the ribosomes).
 The soft endoplasmic reticulum transports lipids around the cell.
 It is joined to the nuclear envelope.

Golgi apparatus
 It’s a group of smooth endoplasmic reticulum consisting of a series of
flattened sacs. Vesicles are often seen at the edges of these sacs.
 It packages substances that are produced by the cell (mainly proteins
and glycoproteins).

Mitochondria
 They are usually oval.
 They have a double membrane. The inner one is folded to form
structures called cristae and inside this is the matrix.
 ATP is produced on the inner mitochondrial membrane (ATP is used to
provide energy for the cell’s reactions).
 Most of the reactions for aerobic respiration take place in the
mitochondria.

Ribosome
 It’s a very small organelle either floating free in the cytoplasm or
attached to the rough endoplasmic reticulum.
 It’s the site where proteins are made.
 It consists of a large and a small subunit.
 It’s made of protein and RNA.

Lysosome
 It’s a round organelle surrounded by a membrane.
 It contains digestive enzymes, used to digest invading cells or destroy
old cells.
Chloroplast
 It is surrounded by a double membrane and has also membranes inside
called thylacoids.
  Thylacoids are stacked up to form grana, which are linked together by
lamellae.
 It’s the site where photosynthesis takes place.
 The light-dependent reaction of synthesis happens in the grana and the
light-independent reaction of photosynthesis happens in the stroma
(liquid surrounding grana).

Plasma membrane
 It’s found on the surface of animal cells and just inside the cell wall of
plant cells.
 It’s responsible for the movement of substances in and out of the cell.
 It’s partially permeable. It allows water ions and soluble food molecules
through with some control.
 It’s made up of a phospholipid bilayer, cholesterol and proteins.

Nucleus
 It’s separated from the surrounding cytoplasm by the double membrane
around it and the nuclear envelope, which also regulates the flow of
substances in and out of the nucleus.
 At some points, the two membranes fuse to create nuclear pores.
 The nucleus contains chromatin (contains DNA that controls the cell’s
activities) and a nucleolus (makes RNA).
Centrioles
 These are small hollow cylinders containing a ring of microtubules, seen
in animal cells during cell division.
 They are involved in the formation of spindle fibres used in cell division.

Cell wall
 It’s a rigid structure surrounding plant cells made up of cellulose.
 It supports plant cells.

Vacuole
 It’s a fluid-filled space in the cytoplasm surrounded by a membrane
called the tonoplast.
 It contains cell sap.
 Plant cells contain very big vacuoles.