ST. THERESE SCHOOL OF TANAY, INC.

Tanay, Rizal, Philippines

Handouts in General Biology 1

Lesson 1: The Cell Theory

Cell- is the smallest structural and functional unit of organism.

Prior to the invention of microscope everything that could not be seen by the naked eye is
unexplainable.

1665- Robert Hooke was able to observe in a piece of cork specimen structures which appears as
tiny compartments similar to small rooms that are fitted to each other.

Hooke made the word “cell” to describe these chamber-like structures and later became famous.
He thought that only plants and fungi were the only ones made up of cells.

1676- Anton Van Leeuwenhoek observed on tiny living organisms which he named
“animalcules”. It was believed that Leeuwenhoek was the first to observe under his microscope
the structure of a red blood cell of different animals as well as a sperm cell.

1831- Robert Brown, one of the leading botanists in his time, was able to compare diverse kinds
of plant specimens under the microscope. He indicated that there is one common thing about
them—they’re all composed of cells, and inside the cell is a dark, dense spot which he called
“nucleus”.

1838- Matthias Schleiden, a German botanist, concluded that all plant parts are made of cells.

1839- Theodor Schwann, also a botanist and a close friend of Schleiden, stated that all animal
tissues are composed of cells too.

1858- Rudolf Virchow concluded that all cells come from pre-existing cells.

The discoveries that is made by Hooke, Leeuwenhoek, Schleiden, Schwann, Virchow and others
led to the formulation of the Cell Theory.

Three Basic Components of Cell Theory:

1. All living organisms are composed of one or more cells;
2. The cell is the basic unit of life in all living things; and
3. All cells come from pre-existing cells.

All living things are fundamentally made up of cell, and an organism can be unicellular or
multicellular.
Single celled organism- can perform all the essential functions which enable it to grow, survive,
and reproduce.

Example: bacteria, yeast and protist

Multicellular organisms- are more complex in structure and function but the mechanism on how
it is able to live is still the same with simple life forms.

Finally, all cells come from pre-existing cells, which signifies that cells cannot be spontaneously
created but will always be a product of reproduction from a pre-existing cell.

Lesson 2: The Cell Organelles

All living organisms are composed of one or many cells. Cell structures are separated internally
into numerous membranous compartments called organelles (little organs).

These organelles are found in the Cytoplasm.

Cytoplasm- a jelly-like substance which is mainly composed of water, salt and protein. It is the
medium for chemical reaction.
The 7 Cell Organelles:
1. Nucleus
2. Mitochondrion
3. Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum
4. Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum
5. Golgi Apparatus
6. Peroxisome
7. Lysosome
Nucleus- it is the control center of the cell; enclosed in a double membrane which selectively
permits certain materials or compounds to exit. In the nucleus, a long strand of DNA (the
blueprint of protein in our body) molecule is present which wounds around histone proteins to
form a chromatin strand. During cell division, these chromatin strands become condensed and
thicken to form chromosomes.
Within the nucleus, as subspace or sub-organelle known as Nucleolus is present.
Nucleolus- a subspace/suborganelle inside the nucleus. This space forms near the part of DNA
with instructions for making ribosomes (the molecule responsible for making proteins).
Ribosomes are assembled in the nucleus, and exits the nucleus with nucleus pores.
Endoplasmic Reticulum- Endoplasmic means “inside” (endo) and “the cytoplasm” (plasm).
Reticulum comes from the Latin word for “net”. It is a plasma membrane found inside the cell
that folds in on itself to create an internal space known as the “lumen”.
Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum- is called rough because its surface is studded with ribosomes
(ribosomes are the molecules in charge of protein production. Proteins made in the endoplasmic
reticulum are destined to be either a part of a membrane or to be secreted from the cell
membrane or out of the cell.
Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum- makes lipids and steroids, instead of being involved in protein
synthesis. Lipids and steroids are fat-based molecules that are important in energy storage,
membrane structure, and communication as steroids can act as hormones. Smooth Endoplasmic
Reticulum is also responsible for detoxifying the cells.
Golgi Apparatus- also called as Golgi Body or Golgi, is responsible for packing proteins from
the rough endoplasmic reticulum to membrane-bound vesicles which then translocate to the cell
membrane. It consist of stacks or piles of flattened sacs called “cisternae”, which functions in the
packaging, sorting, and refining of products that cells are making.
Different molecules have different fates upon entering the Golgi. This determination is done by
tagging the proteins with special sugar molecules that act as a shipping label for the protein.
The Golgi body identifies the molecule and sets it to one of the 4 paths:
 Cytosol- proteins that enter the Golgi by mistake are sent back to the cytosol.
 Cell Membrane- proteins destined for the cell membrane are processed continuously.
  Secretion- some proteins are meant to be secreted from the cell to act on other parts of the
body. Before these vesicles can fuse with the cell membrane, they must accumulate in
number, and require a special chemical signal to be released.
 Lysosome- final destination for proteins coming through the Golgi.

Lysosome- is the cell’s recycling center. These organelles are spheres full of enzymes ready to
hydrolyze (chop up the chemical bonds) of whatever substance crosses the membrane, so the cell
can reuse the raw material.

Peroxisome- like the Lysosome, Peroxisome is a spherical organelle responsible for destroying
its contents. Unlike the Lysosome, which mostly degrades proteins, the Peroxisome is the site of
fatty acids breakdown. It also protects the cell from reactive oxygen species (ROS) molecules
that could seriously damage the cell. ROS are molecules that are created as a byproduct of
radiation, tobacco and drugs.

Mitochondria- just like factory without electricity, the cell cannot run without energy. ATP or
Adenosine Triphosphate is the energy currency of the cell, and is produced in a process known
as cellular respiration. Though the process begins in the cytoplasm, the bulk of the energy
produced comes from the latter steps that take place in the mitochondria.

Lesson 3: Cell Types

Cells, based on the basis of nucleus are classified into two large groups. The Prokaryotic Cells
and Eukaryotic Cells.
Prokaryotic cells are one of the most abundant and diverse life forms on Earth. They do not have
a defined nucleus such as bacteria. The genetic material of prokaryotic cells is concentrated in a
region called nucleoid.
A prokaryotic cell is made up of the Cell Envelope, Cytoplasm, and Appendages.
Ex. Kingdom Bacteria, Archaea
Eukaryotic Cells have compartments and true nuclei, encased by the nuclear membrane called
Organelles and are more complex than prokaryotic cells.
Ex. Kingdom Protista, plantae, Animalia and fungi.