Laboratory # 1 Modern Cell Theory

Cells 1. All living things are made up of cells.

2. The cell is the structural and functional unit
Robert Hooke (1665) of life.
 discovered cells while looking at a thin slice 3. All cells arise from pre- existing cells.
of cork. 4. The cell contains hereditary information
 described the cells as tiny boxes or a (DNA) which is passed on from one cell to
honeycomb. another during cell division.
5. All cells are basically the same in chemical
 thought that cells only existed in plants and
composition and metabolic activities.
fungi
Parts of Cell
Anton van Leuwenhoek (1673)
Nucleus
 discovered the single-celled organisms
o animalcules - protozoans  Control center of the cell
 observed blood cells from fish, birds, frogs,
dogs, and humans Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (RER)
 it was known that cells are found in animals  Produces proteins for export via smooth ER
as well. and Golgi apparatus.
Development of Cell Theory Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum (SER)
Matthias Schleiden (1883)
 Membranes are embedded with enzymes
 concluded that all plant parts are made of that catalyse many reactions and then send
cells. products to the Golgi apparatus.

Theodore Schwann (1839) Golgi apparatus

 stated that all animal tissues are composed  (Post Office) Vesicles from the ER move to
of cells. the inner face of the Golgi body where they
are then collected, stored, modified,
Rudolf Virchow (1858) concentrated as they move from layer to
layer.
 concluded that cells arise from preexisting
cells. Vacuole

The Cell Theory Completed…
1. All organisms are composed of one or more
cells. (Schleiden & Schwann, 1838-39)
2. The cell is the basic unit of life of all living
things. (Schleiden & Schwann, 1838-39)
3. All cells are produced by the division of
preexisting cells. (Virchow, 1858)
 Stores water, sugars, amino acids, salts,
pigments (beets), organic acids, wastes and
toxic substances (toxins and tannins that
deter herbivores).
Vesicle
 Vehicles to move substances from one place
to another in the cell and to the cell
membrane for export.
Lysosome Chloroplast

 Contains very acidic hydrolytic enzymes  carries out photosynthesis which captures
(pH 5 vs cytosol pH 7.2) used in the sunlight energy and transforms it into food
breakdown of macromolecules energy (glucose)

Microbodi Mitochondria

 Conducts enzymatic reactions that build up  “powerhouse of the cell”, produces ATP for
and break down specific molecules often cellular energy by aerobic respiration.
used for respiration, therefore they often lie
next to mitochondria or chloroplast

Cytoskeleton

 Help maintain the cell’s shape, provide

mechanical strength (gelatin-like
consistency of the cytosol), anchor
organelles and enzymes, allows cell and its
organelles to move.

Three types:

Actin filaments / Microfilaments

 Attached to cell membrane to provide

mechanical strength and maintain shape
(mostly concentrated near the plasma
membrane

Intermediate filaments

 Provide structure and tensile strength for the

cell to prevent excessive stretching

Microtubules

 Cell structure; helps stretch out ER; moves

vesicles and other organelles on “tracks” or
“conveyor belts”; moves chromosomes
apart; cell motility (centrioles, cilia, flagella)

Plasma membrane

 Serves as the boundary between the

cytoplasm of the cell and the external
environment