Cells: Michael Hodgson

CELLS

Michael Hodgson
The Cell Theory
 The cell theory is an important unifying
principle of biology.
 There are three critical principles of the cell

theory.
 Cells are the fundamental units of life
 All living organisms are composed of cells
 All cells come from preexisting cells
Cell size is limited by the
surface area-to-volume ratio
 The diameter of cells range from about 1 to
100 micrometers (µm)
 Small cell size is a practical necessity arising

from the change in the surface area-to-

volume ratio of any object as it increases in
size.
 As an object increases in volume, its surface
area also increases, but not at the same rate

 Cells must be small in volume in order to
maintain a large enough surface area-to-

volume ratio and an ideal internal volume.
 The large surface area represented by the
many small cells of a multicellular organism
enables it to carry out the many different
functions required for survival
Cells are classified as either prokaryotic
or eukaryotic
 Biologist classify all living things into three
domains:
 Archae, Bacteria, and Eukarya
 The organisms in Archaea and Bacteria are
collectively called prokaryotes,

 A prokaryotic cell does not typically have
membrane-enclosed internal compartments; in

particular, it does not have a nucleus
 In contrast to prokaryotic cells, eukaryotic cells
contain membrane-enclosed compartments

called organelles.
 The most notable organelle is the cell
nucleus, where most of the cell’s DNA is
located and where gene expression begins:
 Just as a cell is an enclosed compartment,
separating its contents from the surrounding

environment, so each organelle provides a
compartment that separates molecules and
biochemical reactions from the rest of the cell
Prokaryotic Cells Share Certain
Features
 All prokaryotes have the same basic structure
 The plasma membrane encloses the cell,
regulating the traffic of materials into and out

of the cell, and separating its interior from the
external environment.
 The nucleoid is a region in the cell where the
DNA is located. DNA is the hereditary material

that controls cell growth, maintenance, and
reproduction.
 The rest of the material enclosed in the
plasma membrane is called the cytoplasm

Prokayotes continue……..
 The cytoplasm consists of a liquid
component, the cytosol, and a variety of
insoluble filaments and particles, the most
abundant of which are ribosomes
 The cytosol consists mostly of water that
contains dissolved ions, small molecules, and

soluble macromolecules such as proteins.
Prokayotes continue……..
Specialized features are found in some
prokaryotes
 CELL WALLS Most prokaryotes have a cell wall
located outside the plasma membrane. The rigidity
of the cell wall supports the cell and determines its
shape.
 The cell walls of most bacteria contain
peptidoglycan, a polymer of amino sugars that is
linked at regular intervals to short peptides
 INTERNAL MEMBRANES Some groups of bacteria—
including the cyanobacteria—carry out
photosynthesis: they use energy from the sun to
convert carbon dioxide and water into
carbohydrates. These bacteria have an internal
membrane system that contains molecules needed
for photosynthesis
Prokaryotes……..
 FLAGELLA AND PILI Some prokaryotes swim
by using appendages called flagella, which
sometimes look like tiny corkscrews
 CYTOSKELETON The cytoskeleton is the
collective name for protein filaments that play

roles in cell division or in maintaining the
shapes of cells.
What Features Characterize
Eukaryotic Cells?
 Eukaryotic cells generally have lengths or
diameters about ten times greater than those of
prokaryotes.
 Like prokaryotic cells, eukaryotic cells have a
plasma membrane, cytoplasm, and ribosomes.

 Compartmentalization is the key to eukaryotic cell
function.
 The membranous compartments of eukaryotic
cells are called organelles.

 Each type of organelle has a specific role
 These functional roles are defined by the chemical
reactions that occur within the organelles.

Eukaryotes continue…..
 Organelles can be studied by microscopy or
isolated for chemical analysis

 Ribosomes are factories for protein synthesis
 The nucleus contains most of the genetic
information
Animal Cell
Plant Cell
ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM AND GOLGI APPARATUS
MITOCHONDRIA
Chloroplasts
How Did Eukaryotic Cells
Originate?
Some organelles arose by endosymbiosis
 Symbiosis means “living together,” and often
refers to two organisms that coexist, each one
supplying something that the other needs
 Biologists have proposed that some organelles
—the mitochondria and the plastids—arose not
by an infolding of the plasma membrane but by
one cell ingesting (but not digesting) another
cell, giving rise to a symbiotic relationship
 Mitochondria and plastids in today’s eukaryotic
cells are the remnants of these symbionts,
retaining some specialized functions that
benefit their host cells.
Endosymbiosis
 Consider the case of the plastid. About 2.5
billion years ago some prokaryotes (the
cyanobacteria) developed photosynthesis
 The emergence of these prokaryotes was a
key event in the evolution of complex

organisms because they increased the O2
concentration in Earth’s atmosphere
 According to the endosymbiosis theory,
photosynthetic prokaryotes also provided the

precursor of the modern-day plastid.

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CELLS

from the change in the surface area-to-

area also increases, but not at the same rate

maintain a large enough surface area-to-

collectively called prokaryotes,

membrane-enclosed internal compartments; in

contain membrane-enclosed compartments

separating its contents from the surrounding

regulating the traffic of materials into and out

DNA is located. DNA is the hereditary material

plasma membrane is called the cytoplasm

contains dissolved ions, small molecules, and

collective name for protein filaments that play

plasma membrane, cytoplasm, and ribosomes.

cells are called organelles.

reactions that occur within the organelles.

isolated for chemical analysis

key event in the evolution of complex

photosynthetic prokaryotes also provided the

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