Introduction to

Cell Physiology

By: Marc Andreo Condes Malala, RN, MAN

BCSI Nursing Clinical Instructor
PRC Lic. No.: 0856807
 Cell

 Basic unit of life.

 They are organized structures made up of chemicals
arranged in a certain way.
 Has a typical size of about 0.1 mm in diameter.
Cell Theory
– Developed from Robert Hooke’s research
o Cells are the building blocks of all plants and animals.
o All cells come from the division of preexisting cells.
o Cells are the smallest units that perform all vital
physiological functions.
o Each cell maintains homeostasis at the cellular level.
General Classes of Cells

• Sex Cells (Germ Cells/ Reproductive Cells)

– Male sperm (spermatozoa)
– Female oocyte (a cell that develops into an egg)

• Somatic Cells (Soma = body)

– All body cells except sex cells
Cell Structure
Cell Structure
 Understanding Normal Cell Growth

 Normal cells have regulated cell division.

*Mitosis- occurs in all cells in the body

except egg & sperm cells.
*Meiosis- occurs ONLY in reproductive
cells (egg & sperm cells)
 Normal cells undergo apoptosis (programmed
cell death).
 Normal cells have specific morphology.
 Normal cells are highly differentiated & have
specific function.
 Normal cells secrete fibronectin & stick
together with like cells with the tissue.
 Normal cells exhibit contact inhibition.
 Normal cells have normal rate of
proliferation.
Cells with rapid rate of proliferation:
-cells of the GIT, skin, hair follicle,
bone marrow.

Cells with absence or slow rate of

proliferation:
-cells of the myocardium & cartilage.
 Cells are classified according to their ability to divide & produce new cells

• Labile (not fixed) cells

- they continue to divide throughout life.
-ex: skin cells & mucous membranes.

• Stable cells
-they don’t actively divide after growth
ceases, but have an ability to divide after injury.
-ex: connective tissue, glands, liver, &
pancreas.
• Permanent cells
-have little or no ability to divide
-ex: neurons & skeletal muscle cells.

Note: Permanent cells can usually

recovered from little amount of damage.
The Cell Cycle

G0 phase--- the resting or dormant phase of

cells, can occur after mitosis and
during the G1 phase.
G1 phase ---RNA and protein synthesis
occur.
S phase ---DNA synthesis occurs.
G2 phase---premitotic phase; DNA synthesis
is complete, mitotic spindle
forms.
Mitosis---cell division occurs.
3 Types of Genes

 Proto-oncogenes
 Tumor suppressor genes
 DNA repair genes.
• Proto-oncogenes
 are normal cell genes that are important
regulators of normal cell processes.
 promote growth.
 they act as “on switch” for cellular growth.
 when these genes are altered in certain
ways or are more active than normal, they
may become oncogenes (cancer-causing
genes), allowing cells to grow and survive
when they should not.
• Tumor suppressor genes
 genes that block or supresses the
development of cancer
“turn off” unneeded cellular proliferation
tell cells when to die (apoptosis)
cells with certain alterations in tumor
suppressor genes may divide in an uncontrolled
manner.
• DNA Repair Genes
 involved in fixing damaged DNA. Cells with
mutations in these genes tend to develop
additional mutations in other genes.
Protein Synthesis: Transcription and

Translation
Thank you !!!