CHAPTER - 5

THE FUNDAMENTAL UNIT OF LIFE

-> CELL : The smallest functional unit of life is a cell, discovered by Robert Hooke in 1665. A cell can independently
perform all necessary activities to sustain life. Hence cell is the basic unit of life. There are two types of cells plant
cell and animal cell.

-> UNICELLULAR ORGANISMS : Organism with single cell are called unicellular organisms.

-> MULTICELLULAR ORGANISMS : Organisms with more than one cells are called multiicellular organisms.

-> PLASMA MEMBRANE OR CELL MEMBRANE : This is the outermost covering of the cell that separates the
contents of the cell from its external environment. The plasma membrane allows or permits the entry and exit of
some materials in and out of the cell. It also prevents movement of some other materials. The cell membrane,
therefore, is called a selectively permeable membrane.

The plasma membrane is flexible and is made up of organic molecules called lipids and proteins. The flexibility of
cell membrane also enables the cell to engulf in food and other material from its external environment. Such
process is known as endocytosis. It is observed in Amoeba

-> OSMOSIS : The movement of water molecules (liquid) through such a selectively permeable membrane is called
osmosis. Osmosis is the passage of water from a region of high water concentration through a semi-permeable
membrane to a region of low water concentration

-> HYPOTONIC SOLUTION : If the medium surrounding the cell has a higher water concentration than the cell, the
cell will gain water by osmosis. Such a solution is known as a hypotonic solution.

-> ISOTONIC SOLUTION : If the medium has exactly the same water concentration as the cell, there will be no net
movement of water across the cell membrane. Such a solution is known as an isotonic solution.

-> HYPERTONIC SOLUTION : If the medium has exactly the same water concentration as the cell, there will be no
net movement of water across the cell membrane. Such a solution is known as an isotonic solution.

-> Cell wall (Protective wall) : Plants cells, in addition to the plasma membrane have another rigid outer covering
called cell wall. The cell wall lies outside the plasma membrane. The plant cell wall is mainly composed of cellulose.
It is a complex substance and provides structural strength to plant cells. When a living plant loses water through
osmosis there is shrinkage or contraction of contents of the cell away from cell wall. This phenomenon is known as
plasmolysis

-> Nucleus (Brain of a cell): The nucleus has a double-layered covering called nuclear membrane. The nuclear
membrane has pores which allow the transfer of material from inside the nucleus to its outside, i.e., to the
cytoplasm

the nucleus contains chromosomes, which are visible as rod-shaped structures only when the cell is about to
divide.

-> Chromosomes — contain information for inheritance of features from parents to next generation in form of
DNA [Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid] molecules. Chromosomes are composed of DNA and protein. Functional segments
of DNA are called genes. The nucleus plays a central role in cellular reproduction.
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-> Prokaryotic Cells: In some organisms like bacteria, the nuclear material is not enclosed by nuclear membrane
and membrane bound cell organelle are absent. Such nucleus is called nucleoid and such cells are known as
prokaryotic cell. Such cells have single chromosome.

-> Eukaryotic Cells: Cells having well defined nucleus and having membrane bound cell organelle is termed as
eukaryotic cell. Such cells have more than one chromosomes.

-> Cytoplasm: The cytoplasm is the fluid content inside the plasma membrane. It also contains many specialised
cell organelles. Each of these organelles performs a specific function for the cell.

-> Cell Organelles: Every cell has a membrane around it to keep its content separate from the external
environment. The different components of cell perform different function and these components are called cell
organelles.
(i) Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) (Channels, Network for transport):

The ER is a large network of membrane-bound tubes and sheets. It looks like long tubules or round or oblong bags.
There are two types of ER -:

(1.) Rough endoplasmic reticulum [RER] : ]. RER has particles called ribosomes attached to its surface. The
ribosomes Endoplasmic Reticulum are the sites of protein manufacture.

(2.) smooth endoplasmic reticulum [SER : The SER helps in the manufacture of fat molecules, or lipids, important
for cell function. Some of these proteins and lipids help in building the cell membrane. This process is known as
membrane biogenesis. Some other proteins and lipids function as enzymes and hormones.

(ii) Golgi Apparatus (Packaging): The golgi apparatus, first described by Camillo Golgi, consists of a system of
membrane-bound vesicles arranged approximately, parallel to each other in stacks called cisterns.
The material synthesised near the ER is packaged and dispatched to various targets inside and outside the cell
through the Golgi apparatus. It’s function include the storage, modification and packages of products in vesicles. In
some cases complex sugar may be made from simple sugar in the Golgi apparatus. It is also involved in the
formation of lysosomes.

(iii) Lysosomes [Suicide bags] (Cleanliness of cell): Lysosomes are a kind of waste dispatch and disposal system of
the cell. Lysosome help to keep the cell clean by digesting any foreign material as well as worn-out cell organelles.
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Foreign materials entering the cells such as bacteria or food, as well as old organelles, end up in the lysosome,
which break them up into small pieces. They are able to do this because they contain powerful digestive enzymes
capable of breaking down all organic material. Under abnormal condition, when the cell gets damaged, lysosomes
may burst and the enzymes digest their own cell. Therefore they are also known as “suicide bags”

(iv) Mitochondria (Powerhouse, Energy provider): Mitochondria are known as powerhouses of the cell. The
energy required for various chemical activities needed for life is released by mitochondria in the form of ATP
[Adenosine Triphosphate] molecules. ATP is known as energy currency of the cell. Mitochondria have two
membrane coverings instead of just one. The outer membrane is very porous while the inner membrane is deeply
folded. They are able to make some of their own protein.

(v) Plastids: Plastids are present only in plant cells. There are two types of plastids chromoplasts and leucoplasts.
Chromoplasts are the coloured plastids present in leaves, flowers and fruits. Plastids containing the pigment
chlorophyll are known as chloroplasts. They are important for photosynthesis in plants. Chloroplasts also contain
various yellow or orange pigments in addition to chlorophyll. Leucoplasts are found primarily in organelles in which
materials such as starch, oils and protein granules are stored.

The internal organisation of the plastids consists of numerous membrane layers embedded in a material called
stroma. Plastids are similar to mitochondria in external structure. Plastids have their own DNA and ribosomes.

(vi) Vacuoles (Storage): Vacuoles are storage sacs for solid or liquid contents. Vacuoles are small-sized in animal
cells while plant cells have very large vacuoles [50% to 90% cell volume].

In plant cells, vacuoles are full of cell sap and provide turgidity and rigidity to the cell. In Amoeba, the food’vacuole
contain the food items that is consumed it and contractile vacuoles expels excess water and some wastes from the
cell

-> CELL DIVISION : The process by which new cells are made is called cell division. There are two main types of cell
division: mitosis and meiosis.

-> MITOSIS : The process of cell division by which most of the cells divide for growth is called mitosis.In this
process, each cell called mother cell divides to form two identical daughter cells . The daughter cells have the same
number of chromosomes as mother cell. It helps in growth and repair of tissues in organisms.

-> MEIOSIS : Specific cells of reproductive organs or tissues in animals and plants divide to form gametes, which
after fertilisation give rise to offspring. They divide by a different process called meiosis which involves two
consecutive divisions. When a cell divides by meiosis it produces four new cells instead of just two . The new cells
only have half the number of chromosomes than that of the mother cells.

*IMPORTANT QUESTIONS*

1. Why is the plasma membrane called a selectively permeable membrane?

-> It is called selectively permeable membrane because it allows the entry and exit of some substances, not all.
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THE FUNDAMENTAL UNIT OF LIFE
2. Differenciate between eukaryotics and prokaryotics

Prokaryotic cell is generally smaller in size (1-10 pm), nuclear region is poorly defined, the cell organelles are not
membrane-bound and has a single chromosome.
Eukaryotic cell is generally larger in size (5-100 pm), nuclear region is well defined with nuclear membrane.
Membrane-bound cell organelles are present and has more than one chromosome.

3. Difference between plant cell and animal cell.

Plant cell Animal cell

1. A plant cell is surrounded by a rigid
1. An animal cell does not have a cell wall.
cell wall.
2. Presence of a large vacuole is seen 2. Whereas there are very small vacuoles as compared to plant
in plant cells. cells are seen in animal cells.
3. Larger in size. 3. Smaller in size.
4. Plant cells have plastids. 4. Animal cells do not have plastids.
5. Centrosomes are absent in plant
5. Animal cells have centrosomes.
cells
6. Plant cells do not have cilia. 6. Animal cells have cilia.
7. Lysosomes are very rare in plant
7. Animal cells have lysosomes.
cells.

4. What would happen if the plasma membrane ruptures or breaks down?

If plasma membrane ruptures or breaks down then molecules of some substances will freely move in and out.