University of Health Sciences

Faculty of Dentistry

Cell structure and function

Prof. Chhut Serey Vathana

 Cells
• Smallest living unit
• Most are microscopic
 bacteria
Types of cells cells
Prokaryote
- no organelles

Eukaryotes
- organelles

animal cells plant cells

Cell and its organelles
Cell size comparison
Animal cell most bacteria
Bacterial cell  1-10 microns
eukaryotic cells
 10-100 microns

 micron = micrometer = 1/1,000,000 meter

 diameter of human hair = ~20 microns
Why study cells?
• Cells  Tissues  Organs  Bodies
• bodies are made up of cells
• cells do all the work of life!
The Work of Life
• What jobs do cells have to do for an organism to live…
• “breathe”
• gas exchange: O2 in vs. CO2 out
• eat
• take in & digest food
• make energy
• ATP ATP
• build molecules
• proteins, carbohydrates, fats, nucleic acids
• remove wastes
• control internal conditions
• homeostasis
• respond to external environment
• build more cells
• growth, repair, reproduction & development
The Jobs of Cells
• Cells have 3 main jobs
• make energy
• need energy for all activities
• need to clean up waste produced Our organelles
ATP while making energy do all these
• make proteins jobs!
• proteins do all the work in a cell,
so we need lots of them
• make more cells
• for growth
• to replace damaged or diseased cells
 Plasma Membrane
Structure and Function
 Outline
• Phospholipid Bilayer
• Fluid Mosaic Model
• Membrane Proteins
• Diffusion
• Facilitated Diffusion
• Osmosis
• Bulk Transport
• Active Transport
 Membrane Functions

• Protection
• Communication
• Selectively allow substances in
• Respond to environment
• Recognition
 Plasma Membrane
• Boundary that separates the living cell from
it’s non-living surroundings.
• Phospholipid bilayer
• Amphipathic - having both:
hydrophilic heads
hydrophobic tails
• ~8 nm thick Phospholipid

• Is a dynamic structure
Fluid-Mosaic Model
 WATER
Hydrophilic
head

Hydrophobic
tail

WATER
Phospholipid
bilayer

Hydrophobic regions Hydrophilic

of protein regions of protein
TECHNIQUE
Extracellular
layer

Proteins
Knife

Plasma membrane Cytoplasmic layer

RESULTS

Inside of extracellular layer Inside of cytoplasmic layer

Fibers of extra-
cellular matrix (ECM)

Glyco- Carbohydrate
protein
Glycolipid
EXTRACELLULAR
SIDE OF
MEMBRANE

Cholesterol

Microfilaments Peripheral
of cytoskeleton proteins
Integral
protein
CYTOPLASMIC SIDE
OF MEMBRANE
 Proteins—For Function
• Transport
• Receptors
• Enzymes
• Signal Transducers
• Support
Plasma Membrane Proteins

PROTEINS CAN
MOVE IN THE
MEMBRANE,
TOO!
Permeability of the Cell Membrane-
Differentially Permeable
Permeability of the Cell Membrane
 DIFFUSION
• Diffusion
– the passive movement of molecules from
a higher to a lower concentration until
equilibrium is reached.
– How can we explain diffusion?
– Gases move through plasma membranes
by diffusion.
• Osmosis– A special case of diffusion
Process of diffusion
Gas exchange in lungs by diffusion
 Osmosis
The diffusion of water across a
differentially permeable
membrane due to
concentration differences
 Question:
What’s in a Solution?
Answer:

• solute + solvent  solution

• NaCl + H20  saltwater

 TONICITY
• Refers to the concentration of
SOLUTES
• Is a RELATIVE term, comparing two
different solutions
• Hypertonic
• Hypotonic
• Isotonic
 Hypertonic
• A solution with a greater solute
concentration compared to another solution.

Which
way
will 3% NaCl solution
the 97% H2O 5% NaCl
water 95% H2O
move? Red Blood Cell
 Hypotonic

• A solution with a lower solute concentration

compared to another solution.

Which
way
will 3% Na solution
the 97% H2O
1% Na
water 99% H2O
move? Red Blood Cell
 Isotonic
• A solution with an equal solute concentration
compared to another solution.

Which
way
will 3% Na solution
the 97% H2O 3% Na
water 97% H2O
move? Red Blood Cell
ISOTONIC SOLUTION
HYPOTONIC SOLUTION
HYPERTONIC SOLUTION
Lower Higher Same concentration
concentration concentration of solute
of solute (sugar) of solute

Sugar
molecule

H2O

Selectively
permeable
membrane

Osmosis
 Carrier Proteins
• Function—Transport. Are specific,
combine with only a certain type of
molecule.
• Types
–Facilitated transport--passive
–Active transport—requires energy
Facilitated Transport
Active Transport
The sodium-potassium pump
 Exocytosis and
Endocytosis
• Exocytosis---Cellular secretion
• Endocytosis—
–Phagocytosis— “Cell eating”
–Pinocytosis– “Cell drinking”
–Receptor-mediated
endocytosis-specific particles,
recognition.
Exocytosis
 Phagocytosis

Phagocytosis 1
Phagocytosis 2
Pinocytosis
Receptor-mediated
Endocytosis
 SUMMARY
• Phospholipid Bilayer
• Fluid Mosaic Model
• Membrane Proteins
• Diffusion
• Facilitated Diffusion
• Osmosis
• Bulk Transport
• Active Transport
Cell’s organelles
• Membranous organelles
• Non membranous organelles
 Organelles
• Organelles do the work of cells
• each structure has a job to do
• keeps the cell alive; keeps you alive

They’re like
mini-organs!

Model Animal Cell

1. Cells need power!
• Making energy
• to fuel daily life & growth, the cell must…
• take in food & digest it
• take in oxygen (O2)
• make ATP
ATP • remove waste
• organelles that do this work…
• cell membrane
• lysosomes
• vacuoles & vesicles
• mitochondria
 phosphate
Cell membrane “head”

• Function
• separates cell from outside
• controls what enters or leaves cell lipid “tail”
• O2, CO2, food, H2O, nutrients, waste
• recognizes signals from other cells
• allows communication between cells
• Structure
• double layer of fat
• phospholipid bilayer
• receptor molecules
• proteins that
receive signals
cytoplasm
jelly-like material holding
organelles in place

cell membrane
cell boundary
controls movement
of materials in & out
recognizes signals
 Vacuoles & vesicles
• Function
• moving material
around cell
• storage
• Structure
small food
particle • membrane sac
vacuole filled w/
digestive enzymes
vesicle

vesicle filled w/
digested nutrients
 Food & water storage
food vacuole
plant cells
central vacuole

animal cells

contractile
vacuole
cytoplasm
jelly-like material holding
organelles in place

vacuole & vesicles

transport inside cells
storage

cell membrane
cell boundary
controls movement
of materials in & out
recognizes signals
 • Function
Lysosomes • digest food
• used to make energy
• clean up & recycle
• digest broken organelles
• Structure
• membrane sac of
digestive enzymes
lysosomes

digesting broken
organelles
small food vacuole
particle

digesting food
cytoplasm
jelly-like material holding lysosome
organelles in place food digestion
garbage disposal &
vacuole & vesicles recycling
transport inside cells
storage

cell membrane
cell boundary
controls movement
of materials in & out
recognizes signals
 Mitochondria
• Function
• make ATP energy from cellular respiration
• sugar + O2  ATP
• fuels the work of life
• Structure ATP
• double membrane

in both animal &

plant cells
cytoplasm
jelly-like material holding lysosome
organelles in place food digestion
garbage disposal &
vacuole & vesicles recycling
transport inside cells
storage

mitochondria
make ATP energy
from sugar + O2
cell membrane
cell boundary
controls movement
of materials in & out
recognizes signals
 Plants make energy two ways!
• Mitochondria
• make energy from sugar + O ATP 2
• cellular respiration
• sugar + O2  ATP
• Chloroplasts
• make energy + sugar from sunlight
• photosynthesis
• sunlight + CO2  ATP & sugar sugar
• ATP = active energy
• sugar = stored energy
• build leaves & roots & fruit
out of the sugars ATP
Mitochondria are in both cells!!
animal cells plant cells

mitochondria
chloroplast
cytoplasm
jelly-like material
around organelles
central vacuole
storage: food,
water or waste

mitochondria cell wall

make ATP in support
cellular respiration

cell membrane chloroplast

cell boundary make ATP & sugars in
controls movement photosynthesis
of materials in & out lysosome
recognizes signals digestion & clean up
2. Cells need workers = proteins!
• Making proteins
• to run daily life & growth, the cell must…
• read genes (DNA)
• build proteins
• structural proteins (muscle fibers, hair, skin, claws)
• enzymes (speed up chemical reactions)
• signals (hormones) & receptors
• organelles that do this work…
• nucleus
• ribosomes
• endoplasmic reticulum (ER)
• Golgi apparatus
Proteins do all the work!
one of the major job of cells is to make proteins,
because…

proteins do all the work!

structural
enzymes
signals
receptors

DNA proteins cells

Nucleus
• Function
• control center of cell
• protects DNA
• instructions for building proteins
• Structure
• nuclear membrane
• nucleolus
• ribosome factory
• chromosomes
• DNA
General Definition

 The nucleus is the genetic control center of a

eukaryotic cell.
 In most cells, there is only one nucleus. It is
spherical, and the most prominent part of the
cell, making up 10% of the cell’s volume.
 It has a unique structure and function that is
essential the cell.
Structure of the Nucleus

• the nuclear envelope

• nucleoplasm
• chromatin ] the two major
types of materials The Nucleus
• the nucleolus
 Nuclear Envelope
• The nuclear envelope is a double-layered
membrane perforated with pores, which control
the flow of material going in and out of the
nucleus.
• The outer layer is connected to the endoplasmic
reticulum, communicating with the cytoplasm of
the cell. The exchange of the large molecules
(protein and RNA) between the nucleus and
cytoplasm happens here.
 Nucleoplasm
• A jelly-like (made mostly of water) matrix within
the nucleus
• All the other materials “float” inside
• Helps the nucleus keep its shape and serves as the
median for the transportation of important
molecules within the nucleus
 Chromatin and Chromosomes
Chromosomes contain DNA in a condensed form
attached to a histone protein.
Chromatin is comprised of DNA. There are two types
based on function.
 Heterochromatin: highly condensed,
transcriptionally inactive mostly located
adjacent to the nuclear membrane
 Eurochromatin: delicate, less condensed
organization of chromatin, located in a
transcribing cell

* Transcribing means equivalent RNA copies are being made from the DNA to create proteins.
Functions
• The nucleus is often compared to the “command
center,” as it controls all functions of the cell.
• It is important in regulating the actions of the
cells.
• It plays an important part in creating the cell’s
proteins.
• It is involved in important processes dealing with
DNA and other genetic molecules.
DNA
• DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, contains the
information needed for the creation of proteins
(which include enzymes and hormones) and is
stored in the nucleus, as already said, in the
form of chromatin or chromosomes.
• The nucleus is the site of DNA duplication,
which is needed for cell division (mitosis) and
organism reproduction and growth.
Proteins and Cell Regulation
• The nucleus oversees cells’ functions and
regulatory mechanisms for keeping the cell
healthy and alive.
• The nucleus controls growth of the cell through
the synthesis of structural proteins, energy and
nutrient metabolism.
• The nucleus regulates the secretion of ribosomes,
which are made in the nucleolus and are the sites
of gene transcription.
cytoplasm
jelly-like material holding lysosome nucleolus
organelles in place food digestion produces
garbage disposal & ribosomes
vacuole & vesicles recycling nucleus
transport inside cells protects DNA
storage controls cell

chromosomes
DNA

mitochondria
make ATP energy
from sugar + O2
cell membrane
cell boundary
controls movement
of materials in & out
recognizes signals
Ribosomes
• Function
• protein factories
• read instructions to build proteins from DNA
• Structure
• some free in cytoplasm
• some attached to ER

Ribosomes on ER
cytoplasm
jelly-like material holding lysosome nucleolus
organelles in place food digestion produces
garbage disposal & ribosomes
vacuole & vesicles recycling
nucleus
transport inside cells protects DNA
storage controls cell

ribosomes
mitochondria build proteins
make ATP energy
from sugar + O2
cell membrane
cell boundary
controls movement
of materials in & out
recognizes signals
Endoplasmic Reticulum
• Function
• works on proteins
• helps complete the
proteins after ribosome builds
them
• makes membranes
• Structure
• rough ER
• ribosomes attached
• works on proteins
• smooth ER
• makes membranes
cytoplasm
jelly-like material holding lysosome
organelles in place food digestion
garbage disposal &
vacuole & vesicles recycling
nucleus
transport inside cells protects DNA
storage controls cell

ribosomes
mitochondria builds proteins
make ATP energy
from sugar + O2
cell membrane
cell boundary ER
controls movement works on proteins
of materials in & out makes membranes
recognizes signals
Golgi Apparatus
• Function
• finishes, sorts, labels & ships proteins
• like UPS headquarters
• shipping & receiving department
• ships proteins in vesicles
• “UPS trucks”
vesicles
• Structure carrying proteins
• membrane sacs

transport vesicles
cytoplasm
jelly-like material holding lysosome
organelles in place food digestion
garbage disposal &
vacuole & vesicles recycling
nucleus
transport inside cells protects DNA
storage controls cell

mitochondria
make ATP energy
from sugar + O2
cell membrane
cell boundary
controls movement
of materials in & out
recognizes signals
ribosomes
builds proteins
Golgi apparatus
finishes, packages
ER & ships proteins
helps finish proteins
makes membranes
 nucleus endoplasmic
reticulum
protein
DNA on its way! TO:

RNA vesicle TO:

TO:

vesicle
ribosomes

TO:

protein finished
protein

Golgi
apparatus
Making Proteins
 nucleolus
make ribosomes endoplasmic reticulum
nucleus processes proteins
control cell makes membranes
protects DNA
ribosomes
cytoplasm make proteins
jelly-like material
around organelles
central vacuole
Golgi apparatus
storage: food,
finish & ship
water or waste
proteins
mitochondria cell wall
make ATP in support
cellular respiration

cell membrane chloroplast

cell boundary make ATP & sugars in
controls movement photosynthesis
of materials in & out lysosome
recognizes signals digestion & clean up
3. Cells need to make more cells!
• Making more cells
• to replace, repair & grow,
the cell must…
• copy their DNA
• make extra organelles
• divide the new DNA & new organelles
between 2 new “daughter” cells
• organelles that do this work…
• nucleus
• centrioles
Centrioles
• Function
• help coordinate cell division
• only in animal cells
• Structure
• one pair in each cell
cytoplasm
jelly-like material holding lysosome
organelles in place food digestion
garbage disposal &
vacuole & vesicles recycling
nucleus
transport inside cells protects DNA
storage controls cell

centrioles
cell division

mitochondria
make ATP energy
from sugar + O2
cell membrane
cell boundary
controls movement
of materials in & out
recognizes signals
ribosomes
builds proteins
Golgi apparatus
finishes, packages
ER & ships proteins
helps finish proteins
makes membranes
Cell Summary
• Cells have 3 main jobs
• make energy
• need food + O2
• cellular respiration & photosynthesis
• need to remove wastes
• make proteins Our organelles
• need instructions from DNA do all those
• need to chain together amino acids & “finish” jobs!
& “ship” the protein
• make more cells
• need to copy DNA & divide it up to daughter cells