The Living Cell
Learning Outcomes
• Describe the processes of life at the
cellular and organism level. (CO1, CO2)
• Differentiate a prokaryotic cell from a
eukaryotic cell. (CO1, CO2)
• Describe the structure and function of
prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. (CO1,
CO2)
Learning Outcomes
• Compare and contrast the structure of
typical animal and plant cells. (CO1, CO2)
• Enumerate the steps involved in mitosis
and meiosis. (CO1, CO2)
Why do we need to
review the cell structure?
• In biochemistry, we are going to
study the biomolecules that make up
the components of the cell.
• The biochemical reactions that we
will study take place in these cellular
components.
The Cell
Most cells are too small to see without a microscope.
Cell discovery timeline
Cell discovery timeline
The Cell
structural and functional units of all living
organisms
Robert Hooke (1665) observed that plant
tissues were divided into tiny compartments
which he called cellulae (cells)
Theodor Schwann (1840) proposed that all
organisms exist as either single cells or
aggregate of cells
Different Cell Types Characterize
Life’s Three Domains
The Cell
Living Organisms
Prokaryotes Eukaryotes
eubacteria protists
fungi
archaebacteria
plants
animals
Prokaryotes
• primitive, simple, versatile, ubiquitous,
unicellular form
• over 2, 500 different species known
• easily cultured in the lab
• common shapes:
Streptococcus Lactobacillus spirilli - Azospirillum
Prokaryotes
1. Archaea (Archaeabacteria)
- many are called Extremophiles
ACIDOPHILES... Sulfolobus acidocaldaries - acid loving
microbes: pH < 5, sulfur springs
ALKALOPHILES... Natranobacterium gregoryi - pH > 9, live
in soda lakes
HALOPHILES... Halferax volcanii - salt loving, live in Dead
Sea & Great Salt Lake
Prokaryotes
1. Archaea (Archaeabacteria)
METHANOGENS.. Methanococcus; convert CO2 to
methane (CH4)
CO2 + H2 --> CH4
PSYCHROPHILES.. Polaromonas vacuolata - cold loving -
live in antarctic ice & seas
THERMOPHILES... heat loving, in acid hot springs, deep
ocean geysers
Prokaryotes
2. Bacteria (Eubacteria)
- several eubacteria are pathogenic and may cause
diseases
Bacillus anthracis = anthrax
Clostridium botulinum = botulism
Staphylococcus aureus = sepsis, endocarditis, &
nosocomial (hospital-borne) infections
Salmonella = food poisoning & typhoid
Prokaryotes
2. Bacteria (Eubacteria)
- many eubacteria make antibiotics
Streptomyces = streptomycin (1943) ,
tetracycline, erythromycin
Bacillus = bacitracin, polyxyxin
also includes CYANOBACTERIA - are photosynthetic
eubacteria, formerly called blue-green algae
In 1922, Fleming
discovered lysozyme, an
enzyme found in human
tears, which is capable
of destroying bacteria.
“inhibiting the growth
of harmless bacteria”
Observed the effect of
Penicillium mold on
Staphylococcus
The Cell
Living Organisms
Prokaryotes Eukaryotes
almost all small both unicellular and
unicellular multicellular
organisms
The Cell
Living Organisms
Prokaryotes Eukaryotes
much larger in size
than prokaryotes
(2000:1 volume
10-6 m in size
ratio)
have nucleus
The Cell
Living Organisms: Structure and Function
Prokaryotes Eukaryotes
metabolic functions greater specialization
are organized in and complexity in
simpler fashion structure and
functioning
spatially closely structured into
related compartments
The Cell
Living Organisms: Genetic information
Prokaryotes Eukaryotes
DNA is ring-shaped very long linear DNA
(106 bp) (107-1010 bp)
doesn’t have introns presence of introns
located in the located in the
cytoplasm nucleus
Prokaryotic cell vs Eukaryotic
cell
Parts of the Cell
Prokaryotic cell
Parts of the Cell
Features of a Prokaryotic cell
cells have only a single membrane (cell
membrane)
no nucleus or organelles but possess a distinct
nuclear area (nucleoid)
Parts of the Cell
Features of a Prokaryotic cell
presence of cell wall
cells have ribosomes
Parts of the Cell
Features of a Prokaryotic cell
presence of storage granules
presence of cytosol
lacks cytoskeleton
surface of cell may carry pili and flagella
Cell Structure of Prokaryotes
Part Function
Fimbriae/Pili Attachment structures on the surface of some
prokaryotes
Nucleoid Region where the cell’s DNA is located
Plasmid Extrachromosomal piece of circular DNA
Ribosomes Complexes that synthesize proteins
Plasma Membrane Enclosing the cytoplasm
Cell wall Rigid structure outside plasma membrane
Capsule Jellylike outer coating of many prokaryotes
Flagella Locomotory organelle
Cilia and Flagella
• Hair-like projections that functions for movement
• 9 + 2 pattern of microtubules (eukaryotic)
• Move when the microtubule doublets slide past one another
• Motion of cilia: back and forth motion
• Motion of flagella: undulating or snakelike motion
Paramecium with Cilia
Flagellum
Parts of a Eukaryotic Cell
¢ Cytosol
¢ Nucleus
¢ Endoplasmic reticulum
¢ Golgi complex
¢ Mitochondrion
¢ Lysosome
¢ Peroxysome
¢ Cell wall
¢ Chloroplast
¢ Vacuoles
Parts of the Cell
Eukaryotic cell
subdivided by membranes
enclosed by a plasma membrane - a
phospholipid bilayer with proteins that separates
the cell from the surrounding environment and
functions as a selective barrier for the import and
export of materials
Parts of the Cell
cytoplasm – large space containing numerous
components in solution
organelles – well defined compartments inside
the cell; dedicated to important cellular tasks
Eukaryotic cell: Compartmentalization
Advantage of having
membrane-enclosed
compartments:
separate incompatible
chemical and physical
conditions
Parts of the Cell
cytosol – the water solution (salts and
organic molecules) where organelles are
suspended.
Parts of the Cell
nucleus – largest organelle; contains the genetic
material of the cell; site of DNA and RNA
biosynthesis
Parts of the Cell
endoplasmic reticulum and ribosomes – a closed
network of shallow sacs and tubules linked with
the outer membrane of the nucleus; processes
and transports proteins
Rough ER – contains ribosomes
Smooth ER – lipid synthesis
Parts of the Cell
Golgi apparatus – resembles a bundle of layered
slices; sorts and transports molecules for export
Parts of the Cell
Endosomes and exosomes – bubble-shaped
compartments that are involved in the exchange
of substances between the cell and its
surroundings
Parts of the Cell
Mitochondria – double membrane-bound
organelle; site for cellular respiration
Parts of the Cell
Lysosomes – small, globular organelle; contains
hydrolytic digestive enzymes for intracellular
digestion
Lysosome: Digestive
Compartments
Phagocytosis: Lysosome
digesting food
Autophagy: Lysosome breaking
down damaged organelles
Parts of the Cell
Peroxisomes – smaller than lysosome; contain
oxidative enzymes and destroy peroxides
Parts of the Cell
Cytoskeleton – framework of proteins;
determines the shape of cells and gives it its
ability to move
Cytoskeleton: Network of
Fibers
Structure Function
Microtubules - • Hollow tubes; wall • Maintenance of cell
thickest consists of tubulin shape
molecules • Cell motility
Actin filaments • Two intertwined • Muscle contraction
(Microfilaments) – strands of actin • Cytoplasmic streaming
thinnest
Intermediate • Fibrous proteins • Anchorage of nucleus
filaments supercoiled and certain other
organelles
• Formation of nuclear
lamina
Parts of the Cell
Plastids (chloroplasts) – where photosynthesis
takes place
Parts of the Cell
Vacuole – membrane bound found in the
cytoplasm; serve as reservoir for food and waste
products
Parts of the Cell
Cell wall – composed of polysaccharides and
proteins; rigid support structure surrounding
plant cells that provides protection against
osmotic or mechanical rupture
Parts of the Cell
Animal Cell vs. Plant Cell
Centrioles (Animal cells)
Structure Function
• Composed • Help cell
mainly of division in
proteins animals
called tubulin • Help form
• 9 + 0 pattern centrosome,
of cilia and 9 + 0 pattern of microtubules triplets
microtubules flagella
triplets
The Cell
Universal Features of Living Cells
All cells contain:
nucleus or nucleoid
plasma membrane
cytoplasm
Are viruses eukaryotic or prokaryotic?
