CELL

STRUCTURE
&

Cell under light microscope

Cell under electron microscope

CENTRIOLE
S
CYTOPLAS
M

SMOOTH
ENDOPLASMIC
RECTICULUM
ROUGH
ENDOPLASMIC
RECTICULUM

NUCLEUS
NUCLEOLUS
NUCLEAR
MEMBRANE
NUCLEOPLASM
RIBOSOME

PLASMA
MEMBRANE

MITOCHONDRI
A
LYSOSOME

GOLGI
APPARATU
S

Cellunder electron m icroscope

-Refers to all membranes found inside the cell

-Membrane that encloses the content of the cell
-Is made of proteins and phospholipids
Functions:
a) Separates the content of the cell from the outer
environment
b) is semi-permeable and acts as selective barrierregulates the movement of substances into and
out of the cytoplasm

PLASMA
MEMBRANE

Cell wall

-rigid outer layer that surrounds the

plasma membrane of plant cells
-composed of cellulose (tough and
fibrous carbohydrates)
-is permeable to all fluids because it has
tiny pores that allow substances to move
freely into and out of the cell

Functions
- gives shape to plant cell
- provides mechanical support for
the plant cell
- protects the plant cell from
rupturing due to excessive intake
of water.

Cytoplasm
Consists of a jelly like matrix in which the

organelles of the cell are suspended

Contains organic and inorganic substances
Functions
Acts as a medium for biochemical reactions in
the cell
Provides substances obtained from the
external environment to the organelles

Nucleus
A large, dense spherical organelle enclosed
by a nuclear membrane
Contains nucleoplasm and nucleolus
Nucleoplasm contains chromosomes which
carry genetic information that determine the
characteristics and function of the cell
Function
Controls all the activities in the cell

Endoplasmic reticulum
-A network of folded membranes forming
interconnected tubules or sacs
-Physically continuous with nuclear
membrane

Rough endoplasmic reticulum

- has ribosomes attached to its surface
Function: transport proteins made by
ribosomes. Proteins from ER are
enclosed in vesicles are sent to other
parts of the cell.

Smooth endoplasmic reticulum

-has no ribosomes attached to its
surface
Function: site of important metabolic
reactions, and detoxification of poisons
including drugs and synthesizing lipids

Ribosomes
Compact spherical organelles found
attached to the surface of the rough
endoplasmic or suspended freely in the
cytoplasm.
Each ribosome consists of two
subunits, one small and one large.
Each subunit comprises a type of
ribonucleic acid (RNA) and protein
Functions:
Synthesis of proteins such as enzyme

Golgi
apparatus
- A stack of
flattened
membranous sacs

Function
Process, package and tranport centre of
carbohydrates, proteins and phospholipids
and glycoprotein

1) Transport vessicle carries protein from ER and

fuse with the membrane with GA.
2) Transport vessicle empties it content into GA.

3) Proteins
are modified
as they pass
through the
GA.
4) GA sort
these
products and
packages
them into
5) Vesicles will bud off from
GA and
vesicles
travel to other parts of the cell or to
the plasma membrane
6) Vesicles fuse with plasma

Mitochondrion

Small spherical and

cylindrical shape
organelles
Function:
Involved in cellular
respiration.
Cellular respiration
releases energy when food substances
are broken down with the help of
enzyme in mitochondria.
Energy released is stored in the form of

Chloroplast
Lens-shaped
Membranous
structure.
Contains green
pigment called
chlorophyll.
Function:
Chlorophyll traps sunlight
and convert light energy into
chemical energy during
photosynthesis.

Vacuole

A sac filled with fluid calle cell sap

In plants, typical plant cell has large
vacuole, small plant has numerous
smaller vacuoles.
Functions:
Act as food storage
place.
Sap cell contains
water, organic acids,
sugar, amino acids,
mineral salts, waste
substances, pigment
and metabolic byproducts

In unicellular organisms like paramecium, it

has contractile vacuoles and food vacuoles
Function
Contractile vacuole regulate water
balance in the body
Food vacuole
-Package
food to be
digested

Lysosome

Function
Membrane-bound 1) Enzyme digest
complex organic
sacs
molecules
Contains
(protein,
hydrolytic
carbohydrate,
enzymes
lipids)
2) Eliminate worn out
mitochondria and
other
damaged
organelles so that
cells can renew

3) Lysosome fuses with food vacuoles

and dispense enzyme into the
vacuoles to digest the content of the
vacuoles. The nutrient released from
the digestion is needed by the
organisms
4) Lysomes also digest bacteria by

Centrioles
A pair of small cylindrincal
structures located outside
the nucleus
Composed of a complex
arrangement of microtubules
Function
Form spindle fibres during cell division
in animal cells