A View Of The Cell

 Simple light microscope – one lens

◦ Anton van Leeuwenhoek: 1600’s

 Compound light microscope – multiple lenses

◦ Maximum Magnification: 2000x

 Total magnification = eyepiece X objective

◦ E.g. Eyepiece (10X) X Objective (40X) = 400X

 Electron Microscope – uses a beam of
electrons to magnify structures up to
10,000,000x
 Robert Hooke was the first person to view
cells under a microscope
◦ Cork cells
 1. All organisms are composed of one or
more cells

 2. The cell is the basic unit of life

 3. All cells come from preexisting cells

 All cells have tiny specialized structures called
ORGANELLES
◦ Some are surrounded by double membranes

 PROKARYOTIC cells do NOT contain membrane-

bound organelles
◦ Bacteria; no nucleus; small and very simple (primitive)

 EUKARYOTIC cells DO contain membrane-bound

organelles
◦ All organisms except bacteria (animals, plants, fungi,
protists); do have nucleus; larger and much more
complex
 1. Nucleus – controls the cell; contains the DNA

◦ “Brain” of the cell

◦ Found in the middle of the cell; surrounded by nuclear
membrane
◦ ONLY EUKARYOTES HAVE A NUCLEUS!!!
 Plants, Animals, Fungus, Protists

 DNA – hereditary molecule that contains coded

instructions for how to build all the proteins and
enzymes in a cell.
DNA
 2. Ribosomes – assemble proteins and
enzymes by reading instructions delivered
from the DNA

◦ Do NOT have membrane surrounding them

◦ Found in BOTH eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells

 Proteins are an essential part of all living cells

 3. Nucleolus – makes ribosomes

◦ Dark spot INSIDE the nucleus

 4. Mitochondria – breaks down food for
energy (ATP)

◦ “Powerhouse” of the cell

◦ Site of cellular respiration

 The use of OXYGEN improves efficiency

◦ Membrane folds allow for more surface area and

more enzyme catalyzed reactions
More surface area means more enzymes/reactions for increased efficiency
 5. Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) – carries out
various chemical reactions and transports
materials within the cell

◦ Rough ER – has ribosomes attached; aids in the

assembly of proteins and enzymes

◦ Smooth ER – no ribosomes attached; aids in

metabolism and detoxification
 Abundant in liver cells
 6. Cell Wall – inflexible barrier for support
and structure

◦ ONLY IN PLANT CELLS*!!!

◦ Made of cellulose
 Humans cannot digest

◦ Gives cell “square” shape

◦ Porous; allows molecules to freely enter and exit

 7. Cytoplasm – clear gelatinous fluid that
suspends the organelles

◦ Cytosol – the watery substance that makes up the

majority of cytoplasm
 70% water
 8. Golgi Apparatus – sorts, packages, and
modifies proteins to be sent elsewhere in the
cell or excreted out of the cell via vesicles

◦ “Post office” of the cell

◦ Stack of membrane bound VESICLES

 Vesicles are small enclosed membranes that contain
and transport cell materials

◦ Also called Golgi Complex or Golgi Body

Transport Vesicle
 9. Vacuole – temporary storage of materials

◦ “Locker”

◦ Plant cells have LARGE CENTRAL vacuole

 Water storage

◦ Vacuoles are much smaller in animal cells

 10. Lysosomes –contains enzymes which
digest waste materials

◦ “Garbage disposal”
 11. Chloroplast – PHOTOSYNTHESIS in plants

◦ Green; ONLY IN PLANTS

◦ Contains the pigment chlorophyll

◦ Stacked discs called THYLAKOID DISCS

 12. Cytoskeleton – internal support structure

◦ Like the skeleton that supports your body

◦ Made of protein fibers called microtubules and

microfilaments
 13. Centrioles – help with cell division

◦ ONLY IN ANIMAL CELLS!!!

◦ Made of microtubules (protein fibers)

◦ A pair of CENTRIOLES is called a CENTROSOME

Centrioles
 14. Plasma Membrane – controls what enters
and exits the cell; made of phospholipids

◦ aka CELL membrane

 “Bouncer”

 Selectively Permeable
◦ Lets in some stuff but not everything
 15. Flagella – whip-like structure
◦ “Tail”

 16. Cilia – short numerous hair-like

projections that move back and forth
◦ “Oars on a rowboat”