Cell : The Basic Unit of Life

Cell is a basic membrane-bound unit that contains the CELL STRUCTURE

fundamental molecules of life and of which all life begins.
Robert Hooke was the
first to observe dead cells in cork Cellwallwallis absent in animal cell. A plant cell consists of cell
von Leeuwenhoek first saw and described and protoplast. Protoplasm includes cytoplasm
and Anton
live cells.
and nucleus. Various cell organelles like mitochondria,

Robert Brown later discovered the nucleus in the cells of Golgi bodies, etc., and many cytoplasmic inclusions are
found in the cytoplasm.
orchid roots.
In primitive cells of prokaryotes, genetic material is not
Study of cell tructure is called cytology. organised in the form of nucleus and other membrane
CELL THEORY bound cell organelles are also absent.
The cell theonry was jointly put forward by Matthias Schleiden Eukaryotic cels, in general comprise of following main
and Theodor Schwann in 1839. This theory includes following components:
three principles: Cell Wall
All living organisms are composed of one or more cells
and all the life processes (metabolism and Structure
heredity)
oCcur within these cells. I t is the outerrigid, protective covering of plant cells, fungi
Cells are the basic units of structure and function in and some protists. It is composed of cellulose microfibrils
living beings. running through a matrix of other complex polysaccharides.
All cells arise by division of previously existing cells. Bacterial cell wallis made of peptidoglycan.Algae
up have
cell wall made up of cellulose, galactans, mannans and
TYPES OF CELL minerals like calcium carbonate.
Cells can be mainly classified into two types on the Chromosome
basis of nuclear organisation: cells that have membrane (nucleoid region)
bound nuclei are called eukaryotic and cells that lack a
membrane bound nucleus are called prokaryotic.
Food granule
Ribosomes
Cells differ greatly in size, shape and activities. Mycoplasma
Mesosome
is the smallest cell (0.15 0.3 um in length) while the
largest single cell is the egg of ostrich. Prokaryotic
flagellum Capsule or
Cells also vary greatly in their shape. They may be disc-like, slime layer
polygonal, columnar, cuboidal, thread - like or even irregular.
Plasma Cell wall
The shape of the cell may vary with the function they perform. membrane
Plasmid (DNA) Cytoplasm

Fig.:Bacterial cell
I n other plants, it consists of cellulose, hemicellulose,
White blood cells Columnar
Red blood cel (amoeboid) epithelial cels pectins and proteins. Cell wall has upto three parts:
(round and biconcave) (long and narrow) (0Middle lamella- Cementing layer between theadjacent
cells and is the first layer to be formed during cytokinesis.
It is made up of calcium and magnesium pectates
(i) Primary wall It is formed inner to middle lamella
and is capable of extension. It grows by addition of
materials within the existing wall.
(ii) Secondary wall - It is produced in mature cells that

have stopped growth. It is formed by deposition of

Nerve cell Mesophyll cells materials over surface of existing structure.
Atracheid
(branched and long) (elongated) (round and oval) Plasmodesmata are connections that link the cytoplasm
Fig.: Diagram showing diferent shapes of cells of adjacent plant cells.
 Functions Provides shape and rigidity to the cell.
Provides mechanical support
mechanical injury.
and protection from
Counteracts osmotic pressure and prevents bursting of
plant cells by inhibiting excessive endosmosis.

Table: Differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell

S.No. Prokaryotic cell Eukaryotic cell
6) Cell is usually small. Cellis comparatively larger.
Gi) Cell wall if present possesses muramic acid.
Cell wallif present, is without muramic acid. Animal cells lack cell wall
while those of plants and fungi possess cell wall.
(Gii) An organised nucleus is absent, instead An organised nucleus is found that is differentiated into nuclear
nucleoid is found. envelope, chromatin, one or more nucleoli and nucleoplasm.
(iv) DNA is usually circular and naked, ie., without Nuclear DNA is linear and associated with histone proteins. Extra-
an association. nuclear DNA is present in chloroplast and mitochondria.
(v) The amount of DNA remains the same as haploid The amount of DNA shows a regular alternation between diploid and
and diploid stages are absent. haploid stages
(vi) Transcription and translation occur in the Transcription occurs in the nucleus while translation occurs in oytoplasm.
ytoplasm.
(vii) Cell organelles like ER, mitochondria, Golgi ER, mitochondria, Golgi apparatus or their equivalents are present in
apparatus, lysosomes, centrioles, etc., are all the eukaryotic cells. Centrioles are usually present in animal cells.
absent.

(vii) Ribosomes are of 70S type. Ribosomes are of 80S type.

Cell Membrane permeability of plasma membrane enables it to
Selective
control the exchange between cell and its environment.
Cell membrane or plasma membrane is quasifluid,
elastic, pliable, film-like covering which surrounds the Other specialised functions are absorption, secretion,
and also covers the cell organelles inside the fiuid transport, electic coupling and other physiological
cytoplasm
cytoplasm. It is semipermeable for water and selectively processes.

permeable for solutes and is made up of phospholipid Cytoplasm and Cytoplasmic Matrix
bilayer.
Structure
Structure The jelly-like, semi-fluid general mass of protoplasm
The fluid mosaic model is most accepted structural model excluding nucdeus is cytoplasm that includes oytoplasmic
of cell membrane. It was proposed by Singer and Nicolson matrix and cell organelles.
in 1972. According to this model, there is a
bilayer of Cytoplasmic matrix is crystallo-colloidal complex in water
lipid molecules (phospholipid) with globular protein which constitutes about 90% of matrix and other colloidal
molecules of two types integral or transmembrane solution such as minerals, sugars, amino acids, etc.
proteinare and peripheral or extrinsic protein and sterols
which
Functions
arranged in different manner in different regions .Matrix is the site of
of the plasma membrane. synthesis of a
number of biochemicals
like fats, nucleotides, carbohydrates, proteins, etc.
Functions .Many important pathways such as glycolysis, pentose
I t causes compartmentalisation and allows organelles to
maintain identity.
phosphate pathway and anaerobic respiration occur in
the cytoplasmic matrix.
ENDOMEMBRANE SYSTEM They act as primary lysosomes as they store digestive
enzymes obtained through ER in the inactive state.
It is a grouping of some membrane bound organelles which and recycling of plasma membrane takes
function in close coordination with each other, ie., endoplasmic Transformation
place here.
reticulum, Golgi complex, lysosomes and vacuoles.
Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) Lysosomes
ER was discovered by Porter and Thompson in 1945. It These were frst reported by Christian de Duve in 1955
is the largest of the internal membranes. through fractionation technique. They are
found in all
animal cells except RBCs. In plants and fungi, their function
Structure is taken over by vacuoles.
ER is an interconnected system of membrane lined channels
Analysis of various PNTs from 2015-2019
that run through cytoplasm
It is complicated organelle that exists in three forms - AIPMTINEET
AIIMS
JAPMER
cisternae, vesicles and tubules. It is of two types-
smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER, without
ribosomes) and rough endoplasmic reticulum RER,
with ribosomes).
Functions
RER provides surface for protein synthesis.
The proteins in ER lumen are processed and are packed in 2015
20162017.20182019
membrane bound vesicles for storage.
SER is involved in the synthesis of lipids and other Structure
biosynthetic activities .These are single membrane bound, small vesicular
organelles containing hydrolytic enzymes.
Golgi Complex The organelle passes through various stages and shows
At various locations within the endomembrane system, polymorphism. There are four types of lysosomes
flattened stacks of membranes occur which are often
interconnected with one another.
6) primary lysosome, (i) secondary lysosome,
i) residual bodies and (iv) autophagic vacuoles.
There are known as Golgi bodies and collectively referred
Functions
to as the Golgi apparatus.
The Golgi apparatus was discovered by Camillo Golgi in They help in digestion of food obtained through
1898 and was also named after him. ohagocytosis.
Harmful and unwanted materials are disposed off by lyso-
Structure somes. Thus, lysosomes are called disposal bags or units.
It is a parallel arrangement and interconnected system
of a cluster of smooth membranous disc-shaped sacs or
.In injured and dead cell, the lysosome membrane ruptures
spontaneously releasing the digestive enzymes or acid
cisternae. hydrolases that lyse the weakened cells. Therefore, these
Golgi complex is made up of four part: cisternae, tubules are called 'suicide bags' of the cell.
vesicles and Golgian vacuoles.
One face of Golgi apparatus is convex or
Vacuoles
Vacuoles are non-cytoplasmicareas present
forming (cis face) while other is concave inside the cytoplasm.
side or maturing face (trans
face). WwO AM /... Structure
These are surrounded by single
Functions I athe most aocepted
odel membrane called tonoplast.
Golgi apparatus helps in of cell abrane
processing. packaging, proposinga bilayer of These are fomed by expansion
release of
1ipid vdth tranneabran and pinching off from endoplasmic
transport and protein o l e c u l e s . "
reticulum. They are small in animal
secretory proteins cells and large in fungal and plant cells.
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Glycosylation of proteins and
lipids to form glycoproteins Depending upon the contents and
function, these are of four types s a p
and glycolipids
 vacuoles, food vacuoles, contractile vacuoles and air Plastids
vacuoles. The term plastid was given by E.Haeckel in 1866.
Functions Plastids develop from colourless precursors called
Vacuoles maintain osmotic pressure and turgidity and also proplastids which have the ability to divide and
help in osmoregulation. diferentiate into various types of plastids.
They provide buoyancy, mechanical strength and protection. Structure
I n plants, the tonoplast facilitates the transport of a number Plastids are pigment containing cell organelles found in ll
of ions and other materials against concentration gradient. plant cell and in euglenoids. There are three types of plastids
on the basis of pigments chloroplasts, chromoplasts
Ribosomes and leucoplasts.
Ribosomes were discovered by Robinson and Brown (1953)
Chloroplasts are chlorophyll containing greenish plastids
in plant
cellsand George Palade (1955) in animal
cll. responsible for trapping light energy during photosynthesis.
Structure Chromoplasts are non-photosynthetic plastids but are
They are naked ribonucleoprotein protoplasmic variously coloured because of the presence of caroternoid
particles (RNP) and are not surrounded by any membrane. pigments and leucoplasts are colourless plastids.
.Ribosomes are made up of two subunits; larger and Functions
smaller and Mg2 is required for binding of two subunits.
Chloroplasts are the sites of photosynthesis.
Eukaryotes have 805 ribosomes with 60S and 405 subunits Chromoplasts provide colours to the flowers and fruits while
and prokaryotes have 705 ribosome with 505 and 30S
subunits.
leucoplasts store various nutrients like proteins, fats, etc.
Chemically ribosomes are made up of two parts: proteins Nucleus
and RNA. Nucleus is the largest cell organelle, first discovered by
I t has four sites for specific attachments : mRNAs binding Leeuwenhoek in red blood corpuscles of fish.
site, aminoacyl site, peptidyl site and exit site. Nucleus was first studied by Robert Brown in orchid root cels.
Functions Structure
.Ribosomes are sites for polypeptide or protein synthesis The nucleus is a double membrane bound dense body that
and therefore, act as protein factories. controls cellular metabolism and transmission of hereditary
Free ribosomes synthesise structural and enzymatic proteins characters to offspring.
for use inside the cell. Nuclear envelope consists of two unit membranes
Mitochondria separated by perinuclear space.
Nucleoplasm is transparent, semifluid and colloidal
Mitochondria are semi-autonomous (possess their own
DNA) organelles which were first discovered by Kolliker substance which fills the nucleus. It contains enzymes
in 1857 while the term "mitochondrion", was given by required for synthesis and functioning of DNA, RNA and
nucleoproteins, etc.
Benda (1898).
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Structure
Mitochondria are cylindrical, double membranous
structures. A mitochondrion has two membranes: the COMIC CAPSULE
outer membrane is smooth and has porin proteins whereas
the inner mitochondrial membrane produces numerous I Knew Mitochondria
infoldings called cristae. Back Before They
.The inner face of the inner membrane is studded with Signed with Eukarya.
mushroom-like projections called Fo - Fi particles Sell Outs
or oxysomes which take part in ATP synthesis during
Oxidative phosphorylation.

Functions
They are called power house of cell because they help
in cellular respiration and energy generation.
They are the sites of aerobic respiration.
Nuclear matrix contains nucleolus and chromatin. Structure
Chromatin is the hereditary material and is differentiated An elaborate network of filamentous proteinaceous
into euchromatin and heterochromatin. structures present in the cytoplasm is called cytoskeleton.
Nucleolus is a naked, round or slightly irregular structure
that is attached to the chromatin at a specific region called Mirotubules, microfilaments and intermediate filaments
collectively form cytoskeleton.
nucleolar organiser region (NOR).
Functions
Functions Cytoskeleton maintains shape of the cell and its extensions
It controls cellular activities like growth, development, and anchors organelles to fixed locations.
reproduction and metabolism. Ribosomes are tormed in Microtubules help in the spindle and astral ray formation
nucleolus part of the nucleus.
during cell division. They also form cilia and flagella.
I t stores genetic information in DNA and transmits it to
Microfilaments are involved in cytoplasmic streaming.
the next generation. Intermediate filaments help in the formation of nuclear
It controls the synthesis of RNAs (mRNA, RNA and tRNA) matrix.
Peroxisomes Cilia and Flagella
They are microbodies, discovered by Christian de Duve They are fine, hair-like movable protoplasmic processes
and are found in both plant and animal cells. of the cells.
Structure Structure
These are spherical. sac-like structures, bounded by a Cilia and flagella are contractile outgrowths of the cell
single membrane. These contain enzymes for peroxide membrane. Cilia are small structures whereas flagella are
biosynthesis. comparatively longer.
They are in cdose associationwith endoplasmic reticulum,
mitochondria and chloroplasts.
They have a microtubular omposition refered as 9+ 2
arrangement.
Functions Functions
Animal peroxisomes metabolise a number of toxic Both are capable of producing a current in fluid medium for
substances like nitrite, phenol, etc. locomotion and they also act as sensory organs of the cll
.Plant peroxisomes found in photosynthetic cells perform
photorespiration.
Centrosome and Centrioles
Structure
Glyoxysomes Centrioles are barrel-shaped organelles found in the cells
Glyoxysomes appear ingerminating oil seeds and cells of of animals and most protists.
some fungi till the stored fat is consumed. They occur in pairs, usually located at right angles to
Structure each other near the nuclear membranes, the region
These are microbodies that contain enzymes for B-oxidation surrounding the pair in almost all animal cells is referred
of fatty acids and glyoxylate pathway. to as centrosome.
Both the centrioles lie perpendicular to each other and
These have a single covering membrane and are considered they also possess microtubular structures of 9 + 0
to be special peroxisomes.
arrangement.
Functions
Functions
They help in lipid storage.
They polymerise microtubules for the formation of spindle
They also function in photorespiration and nitrogen fixation.
fibre and astral rays during cell division. They also determine
Cytoskeleton poles during the same.
They form structural framework inside the cell and occur only Centrioles are present in regions called microtubule-
in eukaryotic cells. organising centres (MTOCs).