BIOCHEMISTRY (LEC) CELL STRUCTURE

THE CELL  Plasma membrane

 Cytoplasm: cytosol + organelles
WHAT IS A CELL?  Nucleus

 It is the smallest unit that is capable of performing life

functions.
 The structural and functional unit of all living
organisms
 The building block of life
 Vital functions of an organism occur within cells
 All cells contain hereditary information necessary for
regulating cell functions and for transmitting
necessary information to the next cell generation

EXAMPLES OF CELLS

 Nerve Cell

 Amoeba

SURROUNDING THE CELL

 Red Blood Cell
PLASMA/CELL MEMBRANE
 Outer membrane of cell that controls movement in
 Plant Stem and out of the cell
 Double layer
 Phospholipid bilayer
 Bacteria  Proteins (integral and peripheral)
 Cholesterol
 Attached carbohydrates (glycolipids and
glycoproteins)

TWO TYPES OF CELLS

1. PROKARYOTIC
 Do Not Have Structures Surrounded by
Membranes
 Few Internal Structures
 One-Celled Organisms
 Bacteria, Archae

2. EUKARYOTIC PLASMA/CELL MEMBRANE: CHEMISTRY AND

 Contain organelles surrounded by STRUCTURE
membranes
Membrane Function:
 Most living organisms
 Barrier between inside and outside of cell
 Multicellular organisms such as plants and
animal cell  Controls entry of materials: transport
 Receives chemical and mechanical signals
 Transmits signals between intra- and extra- cellular
spaces
 CELL CONNECTIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS

THREE TYPES OF CELL JUNCTIONS TRANSPORT

1. GAP JUNCTION TWO TYPES OF TRANSPORT

o When two cells are right next to each other,
their cell membranes may actually be 1. PASSIVE
touching  Diffusion (simple and facilitated)
 Osmosis
2. DESMOSOME
o They physically connect cells like the gap 2. ACTIVE
junction, but no opening is created  Endocytosis
 Exocytosis
3. TIGHT JUNCTION
o Happens when two membranes actually
bond into one

PASSIVE TRANSPORT: SIMPLE DIFFUSION

PRINCIPLE:
 The process by which molecules spread from areas
of high concentration, to areas of low concentration
 When the molecules are even throughout a space - it
is called equilibrium

TERMINOLOGY: BODY FLUID POOLS

1. Intracellular (ICF)
 Within cells: 2/3 of total

2. Extracellular (ECF)
 Between cells = Interstitial
 In blood vessels = Plasma
 In lymphatic vessels = Lymphatic

FACILITATED DIFFUSION

 Is the passage of molecules or ions across a

biological membrane through specific transport
proteins and requires no energy input
 Requires a carrier in membrane but not ATP
 Solute goes down concentration gradient
 Maximum transport speed depends on number of
carriers
o Insulin increases number of carriers for
glucose in plasma membrane
TERMINOLOGY: SOLUTIONS

1. Solvent:
 The liquid doing the dissolving (usually
water)

2. Solute:
 The dissolved material (particles or gas)

3. Concentration
 Amount of solute in a given amount of
solvent

4. Concentration Gradient
 Difference in concentration between 2 areas
of solution

OSMOSIS
 Diffusion of water across selectively permeable
membrane:
o Permeable to solvent
o Impermeable to solute
 Types of solutions surrounding human RBCs
o Isotonic: solution outside RBC has same
concentration of solute as RBC: 0.9% NaCl
o Hypotonic: solution outside of RBC has
lower concentration: 0% NaCl à hemolysis
o Hypertonic: solution outside of RBC has
higher concentration: 4% NaCl à crenation
RULE FOR OSMOSIS
 If the area outside the cell has more salt – then water
will be sucked out of the cell
 Where salt is, water will follow.
ACTIVE TRANSPORT
 Requires a carrier (called a pump) and energy (ATP)
 Can transport up a concentration gradient from an
area of lower concentration to an area of higher
concentration
 Critical for moving important ions
 Major active transport in most cells is Na+/K+ pump
 Reabsorption of glucose, amino acids and salts by
the proximal convoluted tubule of the nephron in the
kidney
ENDOCYTOSIS
 Taking “in” large molecules by the cell
 Importing materials into cell
 Phagocytosis = “phood”, taking in food particles
 Pinocytosis = liquid substances
EXOCYTOSIS
 Removing large particles (waste) from the cell
 Exporting materials out of the cell
INSIDE THE CELL
CELL ORGANELLES  is the suspension fluid that holds the cell's
 Cytoplasm chromatin and nucleolus
 Nucleus, nucleolus, nuclear envelope  It is not always present in the nucleus
 Mitochondrion  When the cell divides, the nuclear membrane
 Endoplasmic reticulum dissolves and the nucleoplasm is released. After the
 Golgi apparatus cell nucleus has reformed, the nucleoplasm fills the
 Vesicles, e.g., lysosome space again
 Cytoskeleton
 Flagella and cilia NUCLEAR MEMBRANE OR ENVELOPE
 Centrioles
 Surrounds nucleus
CYTOPLASM  Made of two layers
 Openings allow material to enter and leave nucleus
 is the fluid that fills a cell
 Cell contents
 Gel-like mixture
 Surrounded by cell membrane
 Contains hereditary material
 Includes organelles and cytosol
 Excludes nucleus

NUCLEOLUS

 Inside nucleus
 Contains RNA to build proteins

NUCLEUS

 Directs cell activities

 Separated from cytoplasm by nuclear membrane
 Round or oval structure surrounded by nuclear
envelope with nuclear pores
 Contains nucleolus: makes ribosomes that pass into MITOCHONDRIA
cytoplasm through nuclear pores
 Store genetic material (DNA) in genes arranged in 46  Structure:
chromosomes o Sausage-shaped with many folded
 DNA contains information for directing protein membranes (cristae) and liquid matrix
synthesis: containing enzymes
o In this cell o Have some DNA, ribosomes (can make
o In new cells (formed by cell reproduction) proteins)
 Function:
o Nutrient energy is released and trapped in
ATP; so known as “power houses of cell”
o Produces energy through chemical reactions
– breaking down fats & carbohydrates
o Controls level of water and other materials in
cell
o Recycles and decomposes proteins, fats,
and carbohydrates

NUCLEOPLASM
 machines) or are exported by
ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM exocytosis

 Structure: network of folded membranes

 Functions: synthesis, intracellular transport
 The double membranes of smooth and rough ER
form sacs called cisternae
 Two types:
o Rough ER - studded with ribosomes (sites
of protein synthesis)
o Smooth ER - lacks ribosomes
 Functions:
o lipid synthesis
o release of glucose in liver cells into
bloodstream
o drug detoxification (especially in liver cells)
o storage and release of Ca2+ in muscle cells
(where smooth E.R. is known as
sarcoplasmic reticulum or SR)
LYSOSOME

 Contains digestive enzymes

 Digestive 'plant' for proteins, fats, and carbohydrates
 Help in final processes of digestion within cells
 Cell breaks down if lysosome explodes
o Carry out autophagy (destruction of worn-
out parts of cell) and autolysis (death of old
cells)
o Tay-Sachs: hereditary disorder; one missing
lysosomal enzyme leads to nerve

RIBOSOMES

 Made within the nucleus (in nucleolus)

 Sites of protein synthesis
 Consist of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) + proteins
 Contain large and small subunits
 Can be attached to endoplasmic reticulum or free in
cytosol

destruction

SMALL BODIES

 Peroxisomes:
o hold on to enzymes that require oxygen
(oxidative enzymes)
  o break down fatty acids, digest alcohol and
protect cells against hydrogen peroxide
o detoxify; abundant in liver
GOLGI COMPLEX
 Proteasomes:
o digest unneeded or faulty protein
 Protein 'packaging plant’
(proteolysis)
 was named after Camillo Golgi, an Italian biologist
o Faulty proteins accumulate in brain cells in
 Structure: Flattened membranes (cisternae) with
persons with Parkinson or Alzheimer disease
bulging edges (like stacks of pita bread)
 Functions: gathers simple molecules and combines CYTOSKELETON
them to make molecules that are more complex
o Move materials within and out of the cell
o Modify proteins à glycoproteins and
lipoproteins that:
 Become parts of plasma
membranes, are stored in
lysosomes (cell digestion
 o Two centrioles arranged perpendicular to
 Maintains shape of each other
cell  Composed of microtubules: 9
 Positions organelles clusters of 3 (triplets)
 Changes cell shape o Pericentriolar material: Composed of tubulin
 Includes: that grows the mitotic spindle
microfilaments,  Function: moves chromosomes to ends of cell during
intermediate cell division
filaments,
microtubules

CILIA AND
FLAGELLA

 Specialized for motion

 Flagellum:
o single tail like structure on sperm
o Propels sperm forward in reproductive tract
 Cilia:
o in groups
o Found in respiratory system: move mucus
CENTRIOLES

 is a small set of microtubules arranged in a specific

way
 centrioles are found in pairs and move towards the
poles (opposite ends) of the nucleus when it is time
for cell division

CENTROSOME

 Structure:

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE LIVING MATTER

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

 tissues are made up of 70-90% water

 10-30% solids
 1% is inorganic and the rest are organic substances

WATER
  This is the major component of the cell
 often referred to as an inert space filter in a living
organism
 It is a strong dipole and has a high dielectric constant
 It is highly reactive with unusual properties different
physically and chemically from other common liquids
 Water and its ionization products H+ and OH- are
important factors in determining the structure and
biological properties of proteins, nucleic acids, lipids,
and other cell components
WATER COMPONENT OF THE CELL
 Found partly in free state
o governed by the physical laws of osmosis
and diffusion
o any disturbance to water equilibrium leads to
an alteration in water distribution
 Water is cohesive
 Cohesion: sticks to itself
o Ex: allows some insects & spiders can “walk”
on the surface
 Water is adhesive
 Adhesion: sticks to other things
o Ex: capillary action-pulls column of water up
to the top of a plant
 Water is called “Universal solvent
o dissolves many other substances due to
polarity
 Differences in charges pulls/pushes substances apart
(Like a magnet attracts or repels other magnets)
 Water exhibits evaporative cooling
o removes heat when it evaporates from a
surface (Ex: sweating cools skin)
 Water expands during freezing: expands into
crystal formation releasing heat
o Ex: ice floating on water

WATER COMPONENT OF THE CELL

 Fixed State
o held in a state of hydrophilic colloid system,
thereby forming a constant constituent of the
cell itself
o responsible for the maintenance of the
shape and size of the cell
o the amount of fixed water in tissues varies
with their functional activities

INORGANIC CONSTITUENTS

 Sodium
In the form of chlorides, sulfates,
 Potassium phosphates, carbonates
 Calcium
 Ammonium
 Iron
 Iodine
In combination with organic radicals
 Manganese
 Cobalt
 Zinc

ORGANIC CONSTITUENTS

 CHONs
 CHO
 Lipids
 Oxygen
 Carbon dioxide

PROPERTIES OF WATER OF BIOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE

 It is an electron dipole.
 It is a universal solvent.
 An ideal medium for the ionization of substances.
 Freezing point, boiling point, vapor pressure, osmotic
pressure is altered by dissolved solutes.
 High surface tension.
 High specific heat.
 High latent heat of vaporization.
 High latent heat of fusion.
 Has the capacity to conduct heat readily.

WATER PROPERTIES