Cell Structures

Lesson Objectives
Students will be able to:


® Describe the key characteristics of the

cell structures and their relative
locations in the cell.
® Explain the function of the different cell
structures.
® Explain the main differences in cell
structures between Prokaryotes and
Eukaryotes.
 The Cell Wall
® Gives the cell support
® Protects the cell
® Found in plants, fungi and bacteria.
Cell walls, cont…
® Cell
walls occur around the cell
membrane.
® Thin, flexible primary cell walls can still
be divided
® A secondary cell wall, made when the
cell deposits material inside the
primary cell wall become lignified and
are too rigid to divide.
 The Cell Membrane
® Controls the exchange of materials such as
nutrients and waste between cells and
their environment.
® Found in all cells.
 Cytoplasm
® Clear, gelatinous fluid between the plasma
membrane and the nucleus
Nuclear Envelope
® Separates the nucleus from
the cytoplasm.
® Is a double- membrane,
made of two lipid bylayers
pressed together.
® The outer membrane
merges with the
membrane of the ER.
® The inner membrane has
attachments for anchoring
the DNA molecules.
The Nucleus
® Contains the directions to
make proteins.
® Controls activity of
organelles.
® Contains chromatin,
strands of DNA and
associated proteins.
 Ribosomes
® Molecular complexes that make proteins.
® Not bound by a membrane.
® To make proteins, the ribosomes leave the
nucleus  cytoplasm, where mRNA
code is converted into proteins
 The Nucleolus
® Inside all nuclei is a
nucleolus, an area dense
with proteins making the
subunits of ribosomes,
which combine in the
cytoplasm.
®
 Organelles for Assembly and
Transport of Proteins
® 1. Endoplasmic Reticulum
® 2. Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum
® 3. Golgi Apparatus
 Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)
® Production and
storage of lipids.
® Arranged in a series
of highly folded
membranes in the
cytoplasm.
® Rough ER:
Ribosomes are
attached to
endoplasmic
reticulum. Site of
Protein synthesis
®
 Golgi Apparatus
® Flattened stacks of tubular membranes
® Final modification of proteins.
® Sorts proteins into packages and packs
them into membrane-bound
organelles.
® Post office/UPS
®
® Read Fig 4.18,
on pgs 62, 63
Storage - Vacuoles
® Temporary storage
of materials,
particularly in
plants and fungi
® A sac used to store
food, enzymes,
and other
materials needed
by a cell
® Store waste
products
® Animals cells do not
have a large,
central vacuole
 Lysosomes & Recycling
® Contain digestive enzymes to digest
excess worn out organelles, food
particles, engulfed viruses or bacteria.
® Membrane on the outside prevents
digestion.
 Energy Transformers
® Mitochondria
® Found in all eukaryotic cells.
®
®
® Chloroplasts
® Found in plants and some protists only.
Mitochondria
® Functions in energy
production
through
metabolism
® Contains its own
DNA (support for
the endosymbiotic
theory)
® Powerhouse/energy
plant (make ATP
from glucose)
 Chloroplasts
® Surrounded by
double membrane
® Responsible for
photosynthesis,
trapping light for
synthesis of
sugars
® Contains its own
DNA
 Support Structures
® Cytoskeleton
® Microtubules
® Microfilaments
® Centrioles
 Cytoskeleton
® Forms framework for
skeleton
® Microtubules – thin
hollow cylinders
made of protein
called tubulin.
® Microfilaments –
protein fiber that
anchor & supports
organelles. Made
of actin
Centrioles
®
®
® Assists in cell
division.
® Occurs in pairs and
made of
microtubules.
 Organelles for Locomotion
® Cilia – short,
numerous
projections that
look like hairs
(9+2 array) See
pg 71
® Flagella – one or
more tails, a major
means of
locomotion
® Kinesin (pg 70)
Prokaryote VS Eukaryote
 Prokaryote VS Eukaryote
Feature Prokaryote Eukaryote

Size Small about 0.5 micrometers Up to 40 micrometers

Genetic material Circular DNA (in cytoplasm) DNA in form of linear chromosomes ( in nucleus)

Many organelles:
•Double membranes e.g.:
Organelles Few present, none membrane bound nucleus, mitochondria &
chloroplasts
•Single membrane e.g.: GA, ER &
lysosomes

•Fungi: rigid, formed from

Rigid formed from glycoproteins polysaccharide, chitin.
Cell walls
(mainly murein) •Plant: rigid, formed from
polysaccharides. E.g.: cellulose.
•Animals no cell wall

Ribosome’s
70s 80s
Cell connections
® Animal cells, which don’t have a cell
wall, can secrete protein matrixes
between cells to hold them together.
® Cell junctions are molecular structures
that can send/receive messages or
materials, and to recognize other
cells.
® Adhering junction (keep cells together,
especially ones that move a lot).
® Gap junctions (can connect cellular
cytoplasm between cells).