• At the end of the lesson, you should be

able to explain how cells carry out

functions required for life.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
• Have you ever wondered what the
inside of a cell looks like and how its
parts perform functions required for
life?

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
 Learn about it!
• The Basic Unit of Life
• All organisms are made up of cells. The cell is the
basic structural unit found in every living organism
that performs several functions throughout life.
The zoo animals such as elephants and snakes,
the plants in the garden, and even yourself, are all
living things composed of cells. These cells can
only be seen through the use of a microscope.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
• Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic Cells
• There are two types of cells based on the presence or absence of a
nucleus. Cells can be eukaryotic or prokaryotic.
• Eukaryotic cells have a nucleus which contains the genetic material or
DNA. They also have several membrane-bound organelles such as
ribosomes and mitochondria. They include animal and plant cells.
• Prokaryotic cells differ in eukaryotic cells because their DNA is found in a
region called the nucleoid rather than a nucleus. They also lack most
membrane-bound organelles present in eukaryotes. However, prokaryotes
have cytoplasm where organelles are suspended, flagella that aids in
motility, cell wall made of peptidogycan, cell membrane that serves as a
selective barrier, and ribosomes that make proteins.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
• Eukaryotic Cells
• There are two types of eukaryotic cells: animal
and plant cells.
• Animal Cells
• Aside from the nucleus, the typical animal cell also
have other membrane-bound organelles such as
mitochondria, lysosomes, Golgi apparatus,
endoplasmic reticulum, nucleus, microtubules,
plasma membrane, cytoplasm, and ribosomes.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
• The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell because this is where most energy (ATP) is produced.
• The lysosomes break down large molecules into smaller pieces and digest worn out organelles.
• The Golgi apparatus sorts and packages proteins and lipids produced by the smooth and rough
endoplasmic reticulum.
– The cis face receives the materials for processing in transport vesicles.
– The trans face is the discharging end where molecules are released through the secretory vesicles.
• The endoplasmic reticulum has two types: rough ER and smooth ER.
– Rough endoplasmic reticulum is bounded with ribosomes. It is where most protein synthesis occurs.
– Smooth endoplasmic reticulum has no ribosomes attached. Its function is mainly for lipid synthesis.
• The nucleus is the largest organelle that serves as the control center of the cell. It contains the
hereditary material known as DNA.
• The microtubules are components of the cytoskeleton and important in a number of cellular processes.
• The plasma membrane is a semi-permeable membrane that encloses the cell separating its contents
from the surroundings.
• The cytoplasm is a semifluid matrix where organelles are suspended.
• The ribosomes consist of the large and small subunits. Their main role is to synthesize proteins needed
by the cell.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
• Plant Cells
• Plant and animal cells share the same
structures except for the chloroplast, cell
wall, and amyloplast, which are only found
in plants. A large vacuole is found in both
animal and plant cells but is a typical and
distinct structure in a plant cell.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
• The cell wall provides support and protection for the cell.
Special openings called plasmodesmata are used to
communicate and transport materials between plant cells.
• The chloroplasts convert light energy to sugars through
photosynthesis.
• The vacuole is responsible for storing food, water, and
metabolic and toxic wastes.
• The amyloplast is responsible for the production and storage
of starch and the conversion of starch back to sugar as
needed by the plant for energy.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
 Learn about it!
• How do cells carry out functions required for life?
• Cells have different types which are specialized to
perform specific functions. For example, cardiac
muscle cells have numerous mitochondrion because
they need a lot of energy. Nerve cells are long for
them to be able to transmit signals from the brain to
the rest of the body. Cell membrane of cells in the
intestine is extended to have more surface area to
absorb food. Mammalian red blood cells don’t have
nucleus to make more room for hemoglobin, a protein
that carries respiratory gases.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
 Explore!
• Cancer cells are basically cells that have gone
wrong. Typically, these cells no longer respond to
signals, their growth is uncontrollable, and they
even evade apoptosis (programmed cell death).
Since the cells keep on dividing, they eventually
form a lump (tumor) that grows in size. How do
normal cells become cancer cells?
•

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
 What do you think?
• Human red blood cells lose their nucleus
when they mature. What properties of
mature red blood cells can you infer from
this information?

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
 Key Points
• The cell is the basic unit of life.
• Prokaryotic cells do not have nucleus. Their genetic material is found in a
region called the nucleoid.
• Eukaryotic cells have nucleus which contains the genetic material. They
can be classified as animal or plant cells.
• Animal cells have a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles such
as mitochondria, lysosomes, Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum,
microtubules, plasma membrane, cytoplasm, and ribosomes.
• Plant cells have the same structures as animal cells except for chloroplast,
cell wall, and amyloplast which are only found in plants.
• Cells have different types which are specialized to perform specific
functions.
•

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
 Bioenergetics, Earth and Life Science
Cell: The Basic Unit of Life
• Single Answer
• 1. It is the basic unit of life.
• 2. They are organelles found outside a eukaryotic cell and usually involved in movement of
the cell or movement of substances past the cell.
• 3. Which of the following is the function of smooth endoplasmic reticulum?
• 4. Which structure-function pair is mismatched?
• 5. You viewed a specimen under a microscope and see cell walls and membrane bound or
ganelles. Based on your knowledge about cells, what type of cell did you see?
• 6. Which of the following is a characteristic of bacterial cells?
• 7. Which of these best distinguishes a prokaryotic cell from a eukaryotic cell?
• 8. Which of the following cells would need a lot of mitochondria?
• 9. Why do mammalian red blood cells lack a nucleus?
• 10. Which of the following is specialized to intestine cells to perform its function efficiently?

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION