UNIT 3: CELLULAR

BASIS OF LIFE.
 3.1 CELL THEORY

 The body of plants and animals is composed of cells.

 Cell is the basic structural and functional unit of life.
i.e. cell is the smallest biological entity that can
function and live by itself.
 Cells arise from pre-existing cells by cell division.

 Each cell is adapted to perform one or few particular

functions.
 Plants cells possess cell wall, cell membrane,
cytoplasm and the nucleus.
 Animal cells lack cell wall.
 Cells of multi cellular organism vary in shape,
size and color.
 Cells have certain feature in common, i.e. each
cell is surrounded by plasma membrane, contains
nucleus, cytoplasm and cytoplasmic organelles.
3.2 CELL WALL AND CELL MEMBRANE

• CELL WALL:
Plant cells posses a thick cell wall outside

the cell membrane.

Is made of cellulose and is non-living.

Is an outer most part of plant cells.

Is tough, firm that provides support for

plants body.
• CELL / PLASMA / MEMBRANE
•

 Is the outer most cover of animal cells.

 Is a bilayer phosopholipid sheet.
 Is an elastic and delicate membrane.
 Is an integral functional part of a cell.
 Is of prime importance in regulating the
inlet and outlet of materials of the cell.
.
  Is a semipermable membrane.
i.e. It hinders the entrance of certain
substances and facilitates the entrance of other
substances
 It has pores through which substances pass into
and out of the cell.
 These pores determine the maximum size of the
molecules that can pass through the plasma
membrane.
 Is Composed of proteins (55%), phospholipids
(25%), cholesterol (13%), carbohydrates (3%)
etc.
3.3 CYTOPLASMIC MATRIX /
ORGANELLES:
 Cytoplasm is a semi fluid ground substance
bound by the plasma membrane.
 Contains spaces and membranous organelles of
specific functions.
 Mitochondria, Endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi
apparatus, Centrioles, Ribosome, Lysosome,
Plastids, Vacuoles, etc are found suspended in
the cytoplasm.
 Plastids and Vacuoles are found only in plant
cells and in lower animals, where as lysosomes
and centrioles are found only in animal cells.
 3.3.1 MITOCHONDRIA

 Found in both animal and plant cells.

 Numbers ranges from just a few to more than a
thousand per cell.
 More in cells with higher metabolism.

 Bound by a double phospholipid membrane.

 Outer membrane is smooth.

 Inner membrane is folded to increase its surface
area and is called cristae.
 Cristae contains enzymes that convert food stuffs
to energy for cellular activities.
 As the prime function of mitochondria is to
release biologically useful energy, they are
termed as the power house of the cell.
3.3.2 PLASTIDS

 Found in plant cells.

 Involved in the synthesis or storage of food
stuffs.
 Most common and important plastids are the
chloroplasts that contain chlorophyll.
 Chlorophyll gives the green color to plants and
is the site of photosynthesis.
 3.3.3 RIBOSOMES

 Is bound to the granular endoplasmic reticulum or suspended free in

the cytoplasm.
 Synthesized in the nucleus and released to the cytoplasm

 Are sites of protein biosynthesis

 Are found in all plant and animal cells including bacteria.

 Contain RNA and protein subunits.

 Are all uniform in their size, structure and composition of amino acids

 3.3.4. GOLGI APPARATUS

 Present in all cells except in sperm and matured RBC

 Pack proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum in to larger packets,
move and fuse to the cytoplasm to release them to the exterior.
 3.3.5. LYSOSOMES
 Found only in animal cells
 Contain hydrolyzing enzymes that can hydrolyze cellular
contents.
 Rupture of their membranes release these enzymes and
destroy cellular contents & hence are called the SUICIDE
BAGS OF THE CELL.
 Phagocitizes foreign materials digest and destroy.


3.4 NUCLUES
 Spherical or oval in shape
 Enclosed by a nuclear membrane that bounds its nucleoplasm.

 Nuclear membrane controls the movement of materials into and

out of the nucleus.
 Contain thread like structures called chromosomes /genes/ that
determine hereditory traits.
 Chromosomes are composed of proteins and DNA.

 Contains one or more nucleolus that appear to play a role in the

synthesis of RNA constituents of the ribosomes.
 Synthesizes proteins and nucleic acids necessary for growth and
reproduction.
 Controls many aspects of cellular activities, and hence is called
the CONTROL CENTRE of the cell.