NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY

Don Mariano Marcos Ave., Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, Philippines

College of Allied Health Sciences
Department of Nursing
Laoag City

LABORATORY ACTIVITY NO. 3

CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS

Cells, generally speaking, are similar-to-identical units that make up a whole. Prison blocks
and beehives, for example, are made up mostly of cells. As applied to biological systems, the term
was likely coined by the 17th-century scientist Robert Hooke, inventor of the compound
microscope and pioneer in a remarkable number of scientific endeavors. A cell, as described today,
is the smallest unit of a living thing that retains the characteristics of life itself. In other words,
individual cells not only contain genetic information, but they also use and transform energy, host
chemical reactions, maintain equilibrium and so on. More colloquially, cells are typically and
appropriately called "the building blocks of life."

The essential characteristics of a cell include a cell membrane to separate and protect the
cell contents from the rest of the world; cytoplasm, or a liquid-like substance in the cell interior in
which metabolic processes occur; and genetic material (deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA). This
essentially describes a prokaryotic, or bacterial, cell in its entirety. More complex organisms,
however, called eukaryotes – including animals, plants and fungi – feature a variety of other cell
structures as well, all of them evolved in accordance with the needs of highly specialized living
things. These structures are called organelles. Organelles are to eukaryotic cells what your own
organs (stomach, liver, lungs and so on) are to your body as a whole.

PURPOSE OF THE BODY

To review the structure and functions of major cellular components and to observe
examples of human cells.

PROCEDURES:
A. Familiarize the picture and label
1. Review the animal cell in the diagram and identify its major structures.
2. Label the parts of an animal cell using the following label:
* Nucleus * Nucleolus
* Cell Membrane * Mitochondria
* Ribosomes * Endoplasmic Reticulum
* Golgi Apparatus * Lysosomes
* Centrioles * Vacuoles

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 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Don Mariano Marcos Ave., Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, Philippines
College of Allied Health Sciences
Department of Nursing
Laoag City

LABEL THE PARTS OF A HUMAN CELL

Cell Membrane
Nucleus

Nucleolus

Mitochondria Lysosomes

Vacuoles

Centrioles

Ribosomes

Endoplasmic
Reticulum

Golgi Apparatus

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 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Don Mariano Marcos Ave., Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, Philippines
College of Allied Health Sciences
Department of Nursing
Laoag City

B. Complete the table below by describing the functions of the major components of a cell.
CELL COMPONENT FUNCTIONS

Cell membrane - Barriers and gatekeepers are both

functions of cell membranes. They're
semi-permeable, which means some
molecules can pass through but others
can't. Small hydrophobic molecules and
gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide
simply pass through membranes.
Nucleus - The cell's actions are controlled and
regulated by the nucleus, which also
houses the genes, which hold the cell's
genetic information.
Nucleolus - Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) production and
ribosome biogenesis are the fundamental
functions of the nucleolus, which is a
dynamic membrane-less structure.
Centrioles - Centrioles assist in the organization of
microtubules, which act as the skeletal
structure of the cell. They aid in
determining the nucleus' and other
organelles' positions within the cell.
Lysosome - Lysosomes are membrane-bound
organelles that contribute in cellular
waste degradation and recycling, cellular
signaling, and energy metabolism.
Mitochondrion - Mitochondria are membrane-bound cell
organelles that provide the majority of the
chemical energy required to fuel the cell's
metabolic activities.
Ribosomes - In the process of protein synthesis or
translation, a ribosome is a complex
molecular mechanism found inside living
cells that produces proteins from amino
acids.

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 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Don Mariano Marcos Ave., Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, Philippines
College of Allied Health Sciences
Department of Nursing
Laoag City

Golgi apparatus - The Golgi apparatus, often known as the

Golgi complex, is a protein factory.

Endoplasmic Reticulum - The endoplasmic reticulum can be smooth

or rough, and its main priority is to make
proteins that help the rest of the cell
function.
Vacuoles - They aid with the storage and disposal of
a variety of materials. They have the
ability to store food and other nutrients
that a cell needs to thrive. They also serve
to store waste and keep the entire cell safe
from contamination.

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