CHAPTER 6

A Tour of the Cell

A common theme in biology:
Specialization leads to an increase in
efficiency of function
What that means for living cells:
Cells have organelles that specialize in certain
tasks, increasing the efficiency of that task.

Cells are the basic

unit of life
Because cells
are small
They are best viewed
with a microscope

Light microscope

Scanning
electron
microscope
Transmission
electron
microscope

Small size matters!

Its a small worldafter all!

Enhances exchange with the environmen

There are 2 types of cells:

Prokaryotes v. Eukaryotes
Prokaryotes
No nucleus
No membrane-bound organelles

Eukaryotes
Nucleus
Membrane-bound organelles

Both have:
Cytosol
Chromosomes
Ribosomes

Prokaryotes
Bacteria
Archaea

Eukaryotes
Everything else
True Nucleus & Organelles

Animal

Plant

Evolution of eukaryotes
Infolding of
plasma
membrane
Nucleus
Endomembrane
system

Engulfing
prokaryotes
(endosymbiosis)
Organic carbon
feeding
bacterium
Mitochondria

Photosynthetic
bacterium

Nucleus
Chromosomes
Chromatin
Genes
All info that
the cell needs
for life

Nuclear
envelope
Double
membrane
Nuclear
lamina on the
inside
Protein
filaments

Nuclear matrix
Fiber framework

Nucleolus
Ribosome factory
(rRNA + protein)

Ribosomes
Free in cytosol
Bound to nuclear
envelope & ER

Endomembrane system
Parts:
Nuclear envelope
ER
Golgi apparatus
Lysosomes
Vacuoles
Plasma membrane
Have many functions

Endoplasmic reticulum
(ER)
little net within the
cytoplasm
Continuous with the
nuclear envelope
Tubules and
cisternae
ER lumen
Smooth vs. Rough

Smooth ER
Lipid synthesis
Membranes
Steroid hormones

Ca2+ storage in
muscle
Detoxification of
drugs and poisons
(liver)
Other functions

Rough ER
Synthesis of proteins
& glycoproteins (protein
with carbohydrate)

For export
For membranes
For lysosomes

Membrane
synthesis
Other functions
Transitional ER
Vesicles Golgi

Golgi apparatus

Two faces of the Golgi apparatus (cis and

trans)
Cis face: receives transport vesicles from RER
Trans face: generates new transport vesicles

Golgi apparatus
Finishing school & post office
Proteins & glycoproteins are
modified
They mature

ZIP code markers attached to

each protein
Sorted into vesicles via Zip code

Lysosomes
Sacs of hydrolytic enzymes
Phagocytosis and digestion
Autophagy

Vacuoles
Plant & fungus cells
Central vacuole
Storage
Animal cells (some)
Food vacuole
Contractile
vacuole

Endomembrane system

From here on no longer

talking about
organelles/structures of
the endomembrane
system

Mitochondria
Structure and Function

Chloroplasts
Structure and Function
2 membranes
Stroma
Thylakoid and Granum

Mitochondria and Chloroplasts

Thought to have evolved via
endosymbiosis
Evidence:
Have prokaryote-like DNA
Have prokaryote-like ribosomes
Divide independent of the cell in a
manner similar to prokaryotes

The Cytoskeleton
Cell Shape
and support
Movement
of
cells/organi
sms
Movement
of materials
within the
cell

Cytoskeleton
Microtubules
Microfilament
s
Intermediate
filaments
All 3 function
to maintain
cell shape
Individual
functions vary

Microtubules
Subunits of
tubulin
Hollow

Microtubule function: highway

system for organelle movement

Microtubule function: movement

of chromosomes during cell
division
Centrosomes
Centrioles

Microtubule function: cell motility

Cilia
Flagella

Microtubules in cilia and

flagella
9 + 2 pattern
Dyneins (dynein arms)

Microfilaments
Made of intertwined
strands of actin (a protein)

Microfilament function: changing cell

shape
Pseudopod formation
(amoeboid
movement)
Cytoplasmic
streaming
Muscle contraction
Cell division
(cleavage furrow)

Chapter 12

See 6.26b

Intermediate filaments
Coils of fibrous protein
Function to anchor the
nucleus

Extracellular Structures
(outside of the cell membrane)

Plant cell wall (mainly

cellulose)
Structure and support
Barrier to infection

Animal cells Extracellular

Matrix (ECM) may be
elaborate

Holds cells together

Contributes to physical properties

Cell wall
Cellulose

Extracellular matrix (ECM) of

animal cells
Collagen fibers
(50% of protein of the human body)
Others
ECM

Intercellular junctions
Plants
Plasmodesmata

Intercellular
junctions

Animals
Tight
junctions
Desmosomes
Gap junctions