Cell: The Basic Unit of Life

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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.

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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.

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 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. 

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Prokaryotic cells

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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.

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Eukaryotic Cells
• There are two types of eukaryotic cells: animal and plant cells.

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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.

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The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell because this is
where most energy (ATP) is produced.

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The lysosomes break down large molecules into smaller pieces
and digest worn out organelles.

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• 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.
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• 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.

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The nucleus is the largest organelle that serves as the control
center of the cell. It contains the hereditary material known
as DNA.
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The microtubules are components of the cytoskeleton and
important in a number of cellular processes.

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The plasma membrane is a semi-permeable membrane that
encloses the cell separating its contents from the
surroundings.
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The cytoplasm is a semifluid matrix where organelles are
suspended.

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The ribosomes consist of the large and small subunits. Their
main role is to synthesize proteins needed by the cell.

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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.

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The cell wall provides support and protection for the cell. Special
openings called plasmodesmata are used to communicate and
transport materials between plant cells.
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• The chloroplasts convert light energy to sugars through
photosynthesis.

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• The vacuole is responsible for storing food, water, and metabolic
and toxic wastes.

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• 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.
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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.

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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?

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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?

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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.

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