GCSF 2013

Human Structure and Function

UNIT 2:
CELLULAR SYSTEM
2.1 Cell Structure and Function

By: Ros Amizah Abdullah

 Learning Outcome
01 Describe the structural features of a cell.

02 Explain the functions of plasma membrane,

cytoplasm and nucleus.

03 Describe active and passive transport.

 Structural Features of Cell

Nucleus
Plasma membrane/
cell membrane/
plasmalemma
Cytoplasm
Structural of a Cell
Plasma membrane
 Structural Features of
Plasma Membrane
• cell membrane/ cytoplasmic membrane/ plasmalemma
• A biological membrane that separates the interior of a
cell from its outside environment.
• The fluid mosaic model is explain the structure of the
plasma membrane as a mosaic of components including:
1. Phospholipid bilayer
2. Protein molecules / Membrane proteins
3. Cholesterol
Plasma membrane
 Phospholipid
Head
• a polar phosphate Tail
(-ve charge)
• hydrophilic /
• a non-polar lipid
“water loving.”
- attracted to the (uncharged )
Your Picture Here
water molecules of • hydrophobic /
both the “water fearing.”
extracellular and • repels and is
intracellular environ repelled by water
ments.
 Phospholipid Bilayer
• The plasma membrane consists of two adjacent layers
of phospholipids.
• The lipid tails of one layer face the lipid tails of the other
layer, meeting at the interface of the two layers.
• The phospholipid heads face outward - one layer exposed
to the interior of the cell and one layer exposed to the
exterior .
 Membrane Proteins
Protein molecules float around like icebergs on a sea
• Membrane proteins may be peripheral or integral

Integral proteins
Peripheral - partially or wholly
proteins - found embedded
on the inner (transmembrane) in the
membrane membrane
surface - Some have
carbohydrate chains
attached
 Functions of Membrane Proteins
• Channel Proteins:
 Tubular
 Allow passage of molecules through membrane
• Carrier Proteins:
 Combine with substance to be transported
 Assist passage of molecules through membrane
• Cell Recognition Proteins:
 Provides unique chemical ID for cells
 Help body recognize foreign substances
• Receptor Proteins:
 Binds with messenger molecule
 Causes cell to respond to message
• Enzymatic Proteins:
 Carry out metabolic reactions directly
Structural of a Cell
Cytoplasm
 Structural Features of Cytoplasm
Consist of Cytosol and Organels

Cilia & Flagella

Centrosome Ribosome

Cytoskeleton
Smooth ER
Organels
Cytosol
- intracellular fluid, Mitochondria
surrounds the or- Rough ER
Lyosomes
ganelles Proteasome

Peroxisome Golgi Apparatus

 Cytosol

- An intracellular fluid, surrounds the

organelles
- the site of many chemical reactions
- energy is usually released by these
reactions
- reactions provide the building blocks
for cell maintenance, structure, func-
tion
and growth.
 Organelles - Cytoskeleton
• Network of protein filaments
throughout the cytosol
• provides structural support for the
cell
• three types according to increas-
ing size: microfilaments, interme-
diate filaments, and microtubules
 Organelles - Centrosome

• located near the nucleus, consists

of two centrioles and pericentriolar
material.
 Organelles – Cilia & Flagella

Cilia -short, hair-like

projections from the cell
surface, move fluids
along a cell surface

Flagella -longer than

cilia, move an entire
cell;only example is
the sperm cell’s tail
 Organelles - Ribosomes

• Sites of protein synthesis

• Free ribosom or Attached to
the surface endoplasmic
reticulum
Organelles - Endoplasmic Reticulum
Endoplasmic reticulum-network of membranes in the shape
of flattened sacs or tubules.
Rough ER -connected
to the nuclear envelope,
a series of flattened
sacs, surface is studded
with ribosomes,
produces various proteins
Smooth ER-a network of membrane
tubules, does not have ribosomes,
synthesizes fatty acids and steroids,
detoxifies certain drugs.
 Organelles - Golgi complex

Golgi complex-consists of 3-20 flat-

tened, membranous sacs called cis-
ternae
-modify, sort, and package proteins
for transport to different destinations
-proteins are transported by various
vesicles
 Organelles - Lysosomes

• Lysosomes-vesicles that form

from the Golgi complex, contain
powerful digestive enzymes
 Organelles - Peroxisomes

Peroxisomes -smaller than lyso-

somes, detoxify several toxic sub-
stances such as alcohol, abundant in
the liver
 Organelles - Proteasomes

Proteasomes -continuously destroy unneeded, damaged,

or faulty proteins, found in the cytosol and the nucleus
 Organelles - Mitochondria

The “powerhouses” of the cell

• Generate ATP
• More prevalent in physiologically active cells:
muscles, liver and kidneys
• Inner and outer mitochondrial membranes
• Cristae -the series of folds of the inner
membrane
• Matrix -the large central fluid-filled cavity
• Self-replicate during times of increased cellular
demand or before cell division
Structural of a Cell
Nucleus
 Structural Features of Nucleus
• Spherical or oval shaped structure
• Usually most prominent feature of
a cell
• Nuclear envelope-a double mem-
brane that separates the nucleus
from the cytoplasm
• Nuclear pores-numerous openings
in the nuclear envelope, control
movement of substances between
nucleus and cytoplasm
• Nucleolus -spherical body that pro-
duces ribosomes
 Structural Features of Nucleus

Genes -are the cell’s hereditary

units, control activities and structure
of the cell

Chromosomes -long molecules of

DNA combined with protein mole-
cules
Functions of Cell’s
Component
 List the Functions of:
1. Plasma Membrane
2. Cytoplasm and the organels
3. Nucleus
Functions of Plasma Membrane
• A Physical Barrier
• Selective Permeability
• Endocytosis and Exocytosis
• Cell Signaling
 Functions of PLASMA Membrane
• A Physical Barrier
• surrounds all cells & physically separates
the cytoplasm.
• This protects all the components of the cell from the
outside environment & allows separate activities to
occur inside and outside the cell.
• provides structural support to the cell by anchoring
the cytoskeleton to provide shape to the cell.
 Functions of PLASMA Membrane
• Selective Permeability
• Plasma membranes are selectively permeable (or
semi-permeable), only certain molecules can pass
through them.
• Water, oxygen, and carbon dioxide can easily travel
through the membrane.
• ions (e.g. sodium, potassium) and polar molecules
cannot pass through the membrane only go through
specific channels or pores in the membrane instead
of freely diffusing through. This way, the membrane
can control the rate at which certain molecules can
enter and exit the cell.
 Functions of PLASMA Membrane
• Endocytosis and Exocytosis
• A process where the shape of the membrane itself
changes to allow molecules to enter or exit the cell.
• Endocytosis is cell ingests relatively larger contents
than the single ions or molecules that pass through
channels.
• Through endocytosis, a cell can take in large
quantities of molecules or even whole bacteria from
the extracellular fluid.
• Exocytosis is when the cell releases these
materials.
 Functions of PLASMA Membrane
• Cell Signaling
• Membrane receptors provide extracellular
attachment sites for effectors like hormones and
growth factors, which then trigger intracellular
responses.
• Membrane markers allow cells to recognize one
another, which is vital for cellular signaling
processes that influence tissue and organ formation
during early development. This marking function
also plays a later role in the “self”-versus-“non-self”
distinction of the immune response. Marker proteins
on human red blood cells, for example, determine
blood type (A, B, AB, or O).
• Functions of plasma membrane, cytoplasm & nucleus.
 Plasma membrane
 Cytoplasm :Cytosol & Organelles :
 Cytoskeleton,Centrosome,Cilia & Flagella Ribosome
 Active and Endoplasmic Reticulum
 Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum & Rough
Endoplasmic Reticulum
 Golgi Complex / Golgi Apparatus
 Lyosomes/Peroxisome
 Mitochondria
 Nucleus : Nuclear envelope ,Nucleoli Chromatin
Active and Passive
Transport
 Passive vs. Active Processes
Passive
Processes
Substances move across
cell membranes without the
input of any energy; use the
kinetic energy of individual
? A cell uses energy, primarily
molecules or ions.
• Diffusion (Simple diffusion
&Faciliated diffusion)
• Osmosis
Active
Processes
from the breakdown of ATP, to
move a substance across the
membrane, - against a
concentration gradient.
• ATP
• Sodium potassium pump
• Transport in vesicles (Endocytosis –
phagocytosis, pinocytosis,bulk phase
endocytosis, Exocytosis)
Passive Transport

> Materials move down the

concentration gradient
from high to low solution
concentrations

> Equilibrium is reached

(concentrations are equal all
around)

> No energy (ATP) is needed by

the cell to move the materials
Active Transport
1. Materials move up the
concentration gradient,
from low to high solution
concentrations
2. Concentrations become
unbalanced on either side of the
membrane
3. Energy (ATP) is needed by
the cell to move the materials
 Passive transport- Diffusion
Simple diffusion
• Substance diffuse across the membrane through the lipid
bilayer
• The substance that can diffuse:
• Lipid soluble (O2, CO2, N2 gases)
• Fatty Acids
• Steroids
• Fat soluble vitamins (A,D,E,K)
 Passive transport- Diffusion
Faciliated diffusion
• To move substance that cannot through the
lipid bilayer by simple diffusion
• Assists by integral membrane protein
(channels/carrier)
• Ion gated channels –eg: K+,Cl-, Na+ ion
Channels.
• Carrier – the substance (glucose, fructose,
galactose, vitamins) binds to specific carrier
(protein)

Carrier protein
 Passive transport- Osmosis

Movement of water through a selectively permeable membrane from an

area of high concentration of water (lower concentration of solutes) to
one of lower concentration of water

Water can pass through plasma membrane

in 2 ways:
• through lipid bilayer by simple diffusion
• through aquaporins, integral membrane
proteins
Active transport- Sodium-potassium pump
Solutes are transported across plasma membranes with the use of en-
ergy, from an area of lower concentration to an area of higher Concentra-
tion
Sodium-potassium pump (Na+-K+ Pump).
 Active transport - Vesicles
Transport in Vesicles
• Vesicle-a small spherical sac formed by budding off from a membrane
• Endocytosis-materials move into a cell in a vesicle formed from the
plasma membrane
• three types:
• receptor-mediated endocytosis
• phagocytosis
• bulk-phase endocytosis (pinocytosis)
• Exocytosis-vesicles fuse with the plasma membrane, releasing their
• contents into the extracellular fluid
• Transcytosis- a combination of endocytosis and exocytosis
Endocytosis
- Receptor-
Mediated
Endocytosis
 Endocytosis
-Phagocytosis
Endocytosis
- Bulk-phase
Endocytosis
Exocytosis
Transcytosis

endocytosis

exocytosis
 Thank you
Insert the title of your subtitle Here