The Fundamental Unit of Life
The Fundamental Unit of Life
The Fundamental Unit of Life
Theory
2 A ll livin g c ells arise f rom
p re - exist in g c e lls by d ivisio n .
1674
Anton Van Leeuwenhoek
Observed living cell
1665 1883
Robert Hooke Robert Brown
Discovered cell Discovered nucleus
Cell Theory Timeline
1835 1839
Felix Dujardin J. E. Purkinje
Discovered fluid Named fluid content of
content of cell cell as protoplasm
1838
Matthias Schleiden
Proposed all plants are
made up of cells
Cell Theory Timeline
1845
Carl Heinrich Braun
Proposed cell is the basic
unit of life
1839 1855
Theodor Schwann Rudolf Virchow
Proposed all animals Proposed all cells arise
are made up of cells from pre-existing cells
Unicellular Organisms
An organism that is made up of only one cell is called as
unicellular organism.
Cells
• Mycoplasma
• Size: 0.1 µm
Shape of
biconcave for easy passage
through human capillaries.
Cells
Cells vary in shape. Nerve cells are branched to
conduct impulses from one
Variation depends mainly upon point to another.
the function of cells.
1. Nucleus
2. Golgi body 9
3. Vesicle
4. Plasma membrane 8
5. Mitochondria
6. Cytoskeleton
7. Centriole
8. Lysosome 2
9. Cytoplasm 7 3
10. Rough endoplasmic reticulum
11. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum 4
12. Nucleolus 6
5
Plant Cell
12
11
1
10
1. Nucleus
2. Golgi body
9
3. Vesicle 2
4. Lysosome
5. Plasma membrane
8 3
6. Mitochondria
7. Chloroplast
8. Cell wall
4
9. Vacuole
10. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum 5
11. Rough endoplasmic reticulum 7
12. Nucleolus 6
Bacterial 9
10
Cell 8
1. Capsule
7
2. Cell wall
3. Plasma membrane 6
1
4. Cytoplasm
5. Flagellum
6. Food granule 2
7. Plasmid (DNA)
3
8. Ribosomes 4
5
9. Nucleoid
10. Pili
Structure
1. Pl asma Membrane
2. Nucleus
Of Cell
3. Cy toplasm
A. Cy tosol
B. Cell Organelles
If we study a cell under a microscope,
we would come across three features a) Endoplasmic reticulum
in almost every cell: plasma membrane, b) Go lgi bo dy
nucleus and cytoplasm. c) Lysosomes
All activities inside the cell and d) Vacuoles
interactions of the cell with its e) Mi tochondria
environment are possible due
f) Pl astids
to these features.
g) Centrosome
h) Cy toskeleton
Plasma Membrane • Extremely delicate, thin , elastic, living
and semi-permeable membrane
• Made up of two layers of lipid molecules
Carbohydrates in which protein molecules are floating
• Thickness varies from 75-110 A˚
• Can be observed under an electron
microscope only
Functions:
• Maintains shape & size of the cell
• Protects internal contents of the cell
• Regulates entry and exit of substances
Proteins in and out of the cell
Lipids
• Maintains homeostasis
Cell wall • Non-living and outermost covering of a cell
(plants & bacteria)
• Can be tough, rigid and sometimes flexible
Pectin Cellulose
• Made up of cellulose, hemicellulose and
pectin
• May be thin or thick, multilayered structure
• Thickness varies from 50-1000 A˚
Functions:
• Provides definite shape, strength & rigidity
• Prevents drying up(desiccation) of cells
• Helps in controlling cell expansion
Plasma membrane Hemicellulose • Protects cell from external pathogens
Nucleus
• Dense spherical body located near the
centre of the cell
Nucleus
• Diameter varies from 10-25 µm
• Present in all the cells except red blood
cells and sieve tube cells
• Well developed in plant and animal cells
• Undeveloped in bacteria and blue-green
algae (cyanobacteria)
• Most of the cells are uninucleated (having
only one nucleus)
• Few types of cells have more than one
nucleus (skeletal muscle cells)
Nucleus
• Nucleus has a double layered covering called
Nuclear nuclear membrane
Nucleolus
pores
• Nuclear membrane has pores of diameter
about 80-100 nm
• Colourless dense sap present inside the
nucleus known as nucleoplasm
• Nucleoplasm contains round shaped
nucleolus and network of chromatin fibres
• Fibres are composed of deoxyribonucleic
acid (DNA) and protein histone
Chromatin • These fibres condense to form chromosomes
during cell division
Nuclear
envelope Nucleoplasm
Nucleus
Gene DNA • Chromosomes contain stretches of DNA
called genes
• Genes transfer the hereditary information
from one generation to the next
Chromatin
Functions:
• Control all the cell activities like metabolism,
protein synthesis, growth and cell division
Histone
• Nucleolus synthesizes ribonucleic acid (RNA)
to constitute ribosomes
• Store hereditary information in genes
Chromatin fibre
Chromosome
Cytoplasm • Jelly-like material formed by 80 % of water
• Present between the plasma membrane
Organelles and the nucleus
• Contains a clear liquid portion called
cytosol and various particles
• Particles are proteins, carbohydrates,
nucleic acids, lipids and inorganic ions
• Also contains many organelles with distinct
structure and function
• Some of these organelles are visible only
under an electron microscope
• Granular and dense in animal cells and thin
in plant cells
Cytoplasm
Endoplasmic • Network of tubular and vesicular structures
which are interconnected with one another
Reticulum • Some parts are connected to the nuclear
membrane, while others are connected to
the cell membrane
• Two types: smooth(lacks ribosomes) and
rough(studded with ribosomes)
Functions:
• Gives internal support to the cytoplasm
• RER synthesize secretory proteins and
membrane proteins
Rough ER
• SER synthesize lipids for cell membrane
Smooth ER • In liver cells SER detoxify drugs & poisons
• In muscle cells SER store calcium ions
Ribosomes
Golgi body • Discovered by Camillo Golgi
• Formed by stacks of 5-8 membranous sacs
Incoming • Sacs are usually flattened and are called
Cis face transport the cisternae
Cisternae vesicle
• Has two ends: cis face situated near the
Lumen endoplasmic reticulum and trans face
situated near the cell membrane
Functions:
• Modifies, sorts and packs materials
synthesized in the cell
• Delivers synthesized materials to various
targets inside the cell and outside the cell
Outgoing • Produces vacuoles and secretory vesicles
Newly Trans face
forming transport • Forms plasma membrane and lysosomes
vesicle vesicle
Nucleus
Smooth ER
Lysosomes
Golgi Body
At Work
Rough ER
Golgi body
Plasma
Vesicles
membrane
Lysosomes • Small, spherical, single membrane sac
• Found throughout the cytoplasm
• Filled with hydrolytic enzymes
Hydrolytic enzymes Membrane • Occur in most animal cells and in few
type of plant cells
Functions:
• Help in digesting of large molecules
• Protect cell by destroying foreign
invaders like bacteria and viruses
• Degradation of worn out organelles
• In dead cells perform autolysis
Vacuoles • Single membrane sac filled with liquid
or sap (water, sugar and ions)
• In animal cells, vacuoles are temporary,
small in size and few in number
Tonoplast
• In plant cells, vacuoles are large and more
in number
• May be contractile or non-contractile
Functions:
• Store various substances including waste
products
• Maintain osmotic pressure of the cell
Vacuole • Store food particles in amoeba cells
• Provide turgidity and rigidity to plant cells
Mitochondria • Small, rod shaped organelles bounded by two
membranes - inner and outer
• Outer membrane is smooth and encloses the
Ribosomes contents of mitochondria
Matrix • Inner membrane is folded in the form of shelf
like inward projections called cristae
Cristae
• Inner cavity is filled with matrix which contains
many enzymes
• Contain their own DNA which are responsible
for many enzymatic actions
DNA
Functions:
• Synthesize energy rich compound ATP
Outer membrane • ATP molecules provide energy for the vital
Inner membrane activities of living cells
Plastids
Plastids are double membrane-bound
organelles found inside plants and
some algae.
Chromoplasts
Tomato
Pigment: Lycopene
Potato tubers
Food: Starch
Leucoplasts
Castor seeds
Food: Oil
Chloroplasts • Double membrane-bound organelles found
mainly in plant cells
Outer
• Usually spherical or discoidal in shape
Inner
membrane
membrane • Shows two distinct regions-grana and stroma
• Grana are stacks of thylakoids (membrane-
bound, flattened discs)
Thylakoid
• Thylakoids contain chlorophyll molecules
which are responsible for photosynthesis
• Stroma is a colourless dense fluid
Functions:
Stroma
• Convert light energy into chemical energy
in the form of food
Granum • Provide green colour to leaves, stems and
vegetables
Centrosome
• Centrosome is the membrane bound organelle
Centrosome
present near the nucleus
matrix
• Consists of two structures called centrioles
• Centrioles are hollow, cylindrical structures
Microtubules
made of microtubules
• Centrioles are arranged at right angles to each
other
Functions:
Centrioles • Form spindle fibres which help in the movement
of chromosomes during cell division
• Help in the formation of cilia and flagella
Cytoskeleton
• Formed by microtubules and microfilaments
Cell membrane
• Microtubules are hollow tubules made up of
protein called tubulin
• Microfilaments are rod shaped thin filaments
made up of protein called actin
Functions:
• Determine the shape of the cell
• Give structural strength to the cell
• Responsible for cellular movements
Microtubules
Microfilaments
Prokaryotic cell Eukaryotic cell
2. Only one chromosome is present 2. More than one chromosomes are present
3. Membrane bound organelles are absent 3. Membrane bound organelles are present
5. Examples: Bacteria and blue green algae 5. Examples: All other organisms
Animal cell Plant cell
2. Ce l l wa l l i s a bs ent 2. Ce l l wa l l i s p resent