Cell StructureandFunctionOfelia
Cell StructureandFunctionOfelia
Cell StructureandFunctionOfelia
Cell Structure
& Function
OFELIA M. MANZON
MaEd-Science
THE HISTORY OF THE CELL
The Cell
The cell (from Latin cella, meaning "small room) is the basic structural,
functional, and biological unit of all known living organisms. A cell is the smallest unit
of life that can replicate independently, and cells are often called the "building blocks of
life". The study of cells is called cell biology.
Cells are of two types, eukaryotic, which contain a nucleus, and prokaryotic,
which do not. Prokaryotes are single-celled organisms, while eukaryotes can be either
single-celled or multicellular.
Prokaryotic cells
Prokaryotic cells were the first form of life on Earth, characterized by having vital
biological processes including cell signaling and being self-sustaining. They are simpler
and smaller than eukaryotic cells, and lack membrane-bound organelles such as the
nucleus. Prokaryotes include two of the domains of life, bacteria and archaea. The DNA
of a prokaryotic cell consists of a single chromosome that is in direct contact with the
cytoplasm. The nuclear region in the cytoplasm is called the nucleoid. Most prokaryotes
are the smallest of all organisms ranging from 0.5 to 2.0 µm in diameter.
Eukaryotic cells
Plants, animals, fungi, slime molds, protozoa, and algae are all eukaryotic. These
cells are about fifteen times wider than a typical prokaryote and can be as much as a
thousand times greater in volume. The main distinguishing feature of eukaryotes as
compared to prokaryotes is compartmentalization: the presence of membrane-bound
organelles (compartments) in which specific metabolic activities take place. Most
important among these is a cell nucleus, an organelle that houses the cell's DNA. This
nucleus gives the eukaryote its name, which means "true kernel (nucleus)". Other
differences include:
Nucleus- The nucleus is the control center of the cell. It is the
largest organelle in the cell and it contains the DNA of the cell.
Chloroplast- This is the organelle in which photosynthesis
takes place. In this organelle the light energy of the sun is
converted into chemical energy.
Chloroplasts are found only in plant cells not animal cells. The
chemical energy that is produced by chloroplasts is finally used
to make carbohydrates like starch that get stored in the plant.
Vesicles- This term literally means "small vessel". This organelle
helps store and transport products produced by the cell.
The vesicles are the transport and delivery vehicles like our mail
and Federal Express trucks.
Some vesicles deliver materials to parts of the cell and others
transport materials outside the cell in a process called exocytosis.
Vacuole- Plant cells have what looks like a very large empty
space in the middle. This space is called the vacuole.
Don't be fooled, the vacuole contains large amounts of water and
stores other important materials such as sugars, ions and
pigments.
Cytoplasm- A term for all the contents of a cell other than the
nucleus. Even though the cartoon drawings do not look like it,
the cytoplasm contains mostly water.
Some fun facts about water and the human body:
Centrioles- These are found only in animal cells and come into
action when the cells divide, helping with the organization of
chromosomes.
Energy
All living things require energy.
Nutrients are one source of energy, as well as being molecules organisms
require to grow, reproduce or repair
Biochemical reactions are the processes used for the formation, breakdown and
rearrangement of molecules to provide organisms with energy
Enzymes
Proteins that catalyzes chemical reactions
Substrate
molecules at the beginning of the process which enzyme may act, and convert it
to product
Catalyst
A catalyst is a chemical that speeds up the reaction but is not used up in the
reaction
◦ Lowers the activation energy needed to start a reaction
◦ Is not used up during the reaction
◦ Is unchanged after a reaction
Activation Energy
is the required input of energy to make a reaction start
Chemical reactions need an input of energy = the activation energy
During this part of the reaction the molecules are said to be in transition state
Increasing the temperature make molecules move faster
Enzymes can increase the rate of reactions without increasing the temperature
Cofactors are inorganic ions or organic molecules that serve an enzyme helpers
Coenzymes are organic molecules that function as a cofactor
May be certain amino acids, nitrogenous bases, and vitamins
Competition
Enzymatic competition is where there are several kinds of enzymes available to
combine with the same kind of substrate molecule
Inhibitor
Inhibitor is a molecule that attaches itself to an enzyme and interferes with the
enzymes ability to form an enzyme-substrate complex
Competitive Inhibition
Negative-Feedback Inhibition
References:
Landmark Papers in Cell Biology: Selected Research Articles Celebrating Forty Years of
The American Society for Cell Biology. 2000. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.
Mazzarello P. A unifying concept: the history of cell theory. Nat Cell Biol. 1999.
1(1):E13-5.
https://askabiologist.asu.edu/content/cell-parts
http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/olc/dl/120070/bio10.swf