Cell Structure/

Mitosis & Meiosis

SE Shirley
Dept of Pathology
 Lecture Objectives
At the end of the lecture, the student should
be able to:
Describe the structural features of
eukaryotic cells
Outline the specialized structural
adaptations of epithelial cells
Define mitosis and meiosis, and discuss
the roles of each in relation to the cell cycle
The Cell

Basic unit of structure and function in

living organisms
Derived from Latin cella little room
First used in a biologic sense by Robert
Hooke in 1665
German pathologist, Rudolf Virchow
(18211905) credited with initiating the
study of disease at the cellular level
The Cell

Eukaryotes: e.g. mammals and other

higher organisms - characterized by the
presence of membrane-bound nucleus
Prokaryotes: e.g. bacteria are non-
nucleated
Approximately 100 billion cells in humans
Cell Structure
Cell Membrane

Acts as boundary to contain cell

contents
Lipid bilayer; phopholipids and
cholesterol
Proteins are embedded throughout
the bilayer
Cell Membrane

Selective barrier
Transport
Communication
Recognition
 Nucleus
Initiates and regulates
most cellular activities
Bound by inner and
outer nuclear
envelopes
Contains:
DNA (genetic codes)
RNA (essential
molecules for protein
synthesis)
Nucleus
DNA = deoxyribonucleic acid; double helix of
4 deoxyribonucleotides
Complementary base pairing of adenine(A)
with thymine (T) and cytosine (C) with
guanine (G)
Held together by hydrogen bonds
Attached to sugar phosphate backbone
Chromatin = chromosomal material = DNA,
histones, non-histone proteins, RNA
Nucleus

RNA = ribonucleic acid

Genetic information in DNA is transcribed
to mRNA (messenger RNA) and translated
in the cytoplasm (protein synthesis), with
help of tRNA (transfer RNA)
Nucleolus

Sites of ribosome synthesis

Ribosomal DNA is transcribed into rRNA
(ribosomal RNA) precursor; further
processed into ribosomal subunits which
function in protein synthesis in the
cytoplasm
Normal cell Cancer cells
The Nucleus in Disease
Hyperchromasia: increased staining of the
nucleus usually due to chromatin (e.g.
genetic abnormalities DNA)
Active protein synthesis = prominent
nucleoli
Nucleoli assembled from specific
chromosomal regions (nucleolar organizer
regions) which may be disturbed in cancer
cells multiple/odd shaped nucleoli
Cytoplasm

Composed largely of water

Approx. 8% of protein
High concentrations of potassium,
magnesium, phosphate (osmotic pressure
within cells is similar to that of the
extracellular fluid)
Membrane-bound structues = organelles
Filaments and granules
Organelles

Mitochondria
Rough endoplasmic reticulum
Smooth endoplasmic reticulum
Golgi apparatus
Lysosomes
Cytoskeletal system
Mitochondria

Organelles of energy production

Products of carbohydrate, fat and
protein metabolism are oxidized to
produce energy
Final product = ATP/adenosine
triphosphate
Endoplasmic reticulum and
Golgi apparatus

Biosynthesis and transport of

proteins and lipids
Flattened sheets or elongated tubules
Content depending on cellular
metabolic activity
Rough endoplasmic reticulum

Series
of membranes studded with
ribosomes that are the site of protein
production.
Smooth endoplasmic reticulum

Seriesof membranes without

attached ribosomes that function in
synthesis of lipids and processing of
proteins (including steroid,
carbohydrate and drug metabolism)
Golgi apparatus

Series of flattened sacs and vesicles

that functions in the modification and
packaging of material synthesized in
the endoplasmic reticulum
Examples: addition of sugars,
proteolysis of proteins , sorting of
macromoleciles
Lysosomes

Organelles containing a range of lytic

enzymes that are involved in the
digestion of unwanted extrinsic as
well intrinsic material
Enzymes include nucleases,
proteases, lipases, phosphatases
Cytoskeletal system
Internal scaffolding: system of filaments
and microtubules provides rigidity, as
well as allows for movement within the
cell (e.g. excretion of material) and
locomotion
Microfilaments 5 nm actin
Intermediate filaments 10 nm - 6 main
proteins which vary between cells
Microtubules 25 nm tubulin
Intermediate filaments

Cytokeratin- epithelial cells

Desmin smooth/skeletal muscles
Glial fibrillary acidic protein astrocytes
Neurofilament protein neurone
Nuclear lamin - nucleus
Vimentin mesenchymal cells
Epithelial cells

Cover body surfaces (skin) and line

body cavities and tracts (e.g.
respiratory, gastrointestinal)

Functional units of secretory glands

Epithelial Cell Specialization

Cell surface projections

Cilia:
facilitate transport along cell surface
Microvilli: increase surface area for
absorption

Secretory adaptations
Well developed ER and Golgi apparatus

Cell junctions
Cell junctions
Specialized junctional areas between
epithelial cells allow for:
Adherence to each other
Communication channels

Three types of junction:

Occludens type/tight junction (barrier)
Nexus/gap junction (2nm; communication)
Adherens type (20nm; adhesion)
Mitosis & Meiosis
MITOSIS

Mechanism of cell division leading to the

production of two daughter cells with
exactly the same number of chromosomes
and DNA content as parent cell

Diploidnumber of chromosomes = 46; 22

pairs of autosomes and 1 pair of sex
chromosomes; XX in females; XY in males)
Meiosis

Specific type of cell division leading to the

production of gametes (ova and
spermatazoa)
Each gamete contains a haploid number of
chromosomes (23; 22 autosomes and one
sex chromosome; X in ova and either X or
Y in spermatozoa)
Cell cycle

Begins at the completion of one cell

division (mitosis) and ends at the
completion of the next division
Dividingphase = Mitosis
Resting phase = Interphase
Interphase

Phases:
G1 (resting; variable length)
(G0 for quiescent cells)
S (DNA replication tetraploid DNA
content)
G2 (second gap; approx 4-5 hrs)
Mitosis

Thought to be initiated by triggering

factors in cytoplasm or from other
cells including various growth factors
30-60 minutes
Division of nucleus* (karyokinesis)
and cytoplasm (cytokinesis)
 Mitosis
Prophase: condensation and shortening
of chromosomes/formation of mitotic
spindle cell apparatus: centrosomes with
intervening microtubules

Metaphase: centromeres attach to centre

of apparatus

Anaphase: centromeres split and each

half of chromosome (chromatid) move to
opposite pole

Telophase: nuclear membrane reforms.

Mitosis

Mitosis facilitates:
Increased number of cells increase
in size (growth) of organ/organism
Replacement of dead cells
Meiosis

Crossover events are possible between

maternally and paternally derived
chromosomal material
Chiasmata = points of junction of the
exchanged segments
Each gamete contains a haploid number of
chromosomes (pairing at fertilization will
result in restoration of diploid number)
 Info on the Web

The Biology Project at University of

Arizona: Cell Biology
http://www.biology.arizona.edu/cell_bi
o/cell_bio.html