2.

1 : Cell Structure and Function

 The outer covering of
the cell

 Functions:
 separates the cell from
its environment and
allows materials to enter
and leave the cell

 Consist of two layer of

phospholipids
 Provides support &
protection for the cell
 Prevents the cell from
bursting in dilute
solutions
 Gives shape to the cell
 Supports & protects
the cell organelles
 In general, it provides a
medium for all cellular
metabolic reactions
 Provides a medium to
produce energy, to
manufacture materials
& to store minerals
 Controls all the cell
activities
 Separates the genetic
material (chromatin)
from cytoplasm
 Has many pores
(nuclear pores) in the
nuclear membrane for
materials to enter &
exit the nucleus
 ER with ribosomes
embedded on its surface
 Synthesizes & transports
proteins made by
ribosomes
 Present in large amounts
in cell that makes protein
 E.g. in gut cells that
manufacture digestive
enzymes
 Does not have
ribosomes
 Synthesizes &
transport lipids
 Present in large
amounts in cells that
make lipids & steroids
 E.g. cell of liver &
testes
 Receives proteins from
Rough ER, then
modifies & combines
the proteins with
carbohydrates to form
glyco-protein
 Transport & stores
lipids
 Forms the cell’s
powerhouse
 Produce adenosine
triphosphate (ATP),
which is the energy
source for the cell
 Generally for breaking
down food and foreign
materials
 Digest proteins, lipids
and carbohydrates
 Transport undigested
material to the cell
membrane for removal
 Are either attached to
the ER or occur freely
in the cytoplasm
 Are small ‘protein
factories’ for protein
synthesize
 Contain chlorophyll in
the grana to “trap”
sunlight energy
 Functions:
 Carry out photosynthesis
in the chlorophyll of the
grana
 Are found only in
animals cells
 Involved in cell division
(mitosis & meiosis)
 Migrate to the
opposite poles of the
cell (during cell
division), produce
spindle to assist the
movement of
chromosomes
 Generally for storage ,
digestion & waste
removal
 Central vacuole in plants
for storage & cell
expansion
 Food vacuoles in amoeba
for phagocytosis
 Contractile vacuoles in
paramecium expel water
 SIMILARITIES
Animal and plant cells have:

DIFFERENCES
Animal Cell Feature Plant Cell
Size
Shape
Cell wall
Vacuole
Tonoplast
Chloroplast
Centriole
Carbohydrate Storage
Lysosome
 “little organs”
 Are tiny structures inside a cell that perform
specific functions for the cell
 3 main functions of organelles:
a. Carry out their specialized functions:
▪ E.g. Mitochondria; FUNCTION?
b. Acts as containers to separate parts of the cell from
other parts
▪ E.g. lysosomes
c. Sites for chemical reaction
▪ E.g. Choloroplast
 Density of an organelles :
 total number of that particular organelles within a cell
 depends on the function of the cell
 This is to make sure that the cell can perform its
specialized functions well
 E.g.
 Cell that specialize in producing enzyme generally
have more ER & ribosomes to synthesize protein &
mitochondria to supply enough energy for its
activities
 Depends on:
a) The activity level of an organism
▪ The more active an organism is, the higher its average
density of mitochondria
b) The specific function of a particular cell
▪ Cell of active tissues & organs have higher mitochondria
densities
 Active cells that have high mitochondria
densities:
▪ Sperm cells, flight muscle cells, meristemic cells, liver
cells, kidney cells
 Palisade mesophyll of
a leaf is :
 the main photosynthesis
tissue
 Packed with chloroplast
to trap sunlight needed
to synthesize sugar
during photosynthesis
 Are arranged in a
vertical position to
optimise sunlight
trapping