Tissues, Cells & Subcellular Structure

A Brief Introduction to Human Cellular

Biology & Physiology

Presented by A/Prof Dane King

Head of Assessment
School of Medicine, Sydney

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 We acknowledge the tradition of custodianship and law
of the Country on which the University of Notre Dame
Australia campuses stand. We pay our respects to those
who have cared and continue to care for Country.

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Learning Objectives

1. List the levels of organisation from 6. Describe the extracellular matrix and
atoms to biosphere the 3 types of cell junctions
2. Name and describe the major body 7. Describe the 5 functional categories
cavities and compartments of epithelial tissue
3. Describe the composition and 8. Compare the 7 main categories of
function of cellular membranes connective tissue
4. Map the organisation of a typical 9. Distinguish between the 3 types of
animal cell muscle tissue
5. Explain how protein synthesis uses 10. Describe the differences between the
compartmentation to separate steps 2 types of neural tissue
in the process in eukaryotic cells

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Levels of Organisation: The Organisation of Life
– Collections of molecules in organisms form cells, the smallest unit capable of life.
– Collections of cells that carry out related functions are called tissues.
– Tissues form structural and functional units known as organs.
– Groups of organs integrate their functions to create organ systems.

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Levels of Organisation: Body Cavities & Compartments

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Body Compartments Are Separated by Membranes

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Cell Membranes (AKA Plasma Membrane or Plasmalemma)
General functions include:
1. Physical isolation. The cell membrane is a physical barrier that separates
intracellular fluid inside the cell from the surrounding extracellular fluid.
2. Regulation of exchange with the environment. The cell membrane controls: entry of
ions and nutrients into the cell, elimination of cellular wastes, and release of products
from the cell.
3. Communication between the cell and its environment. The cell membrane contains
proteins that recognise and respond to molecules or changes in the cell’s external
environment.
4. Structural support. Proteins in the cell membrane hold the cytoskeleton, the cell’s
interior structural scaffolding, in place to maintain cell shape and create specialised
junctions between adjacent cells or between cells and the extracellular matrix.

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Lipid & Protein Membranes Create Hydrophobic Barriers

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The Fluid Mosaic Model

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Cell Membrane Components: A Conceptual Map

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Cellular Structure

– The cell membrane separates the inside

environment of the cell (the intracellular
fluid) from the extracellular fluid.
– Internally the cell is divided into the
cytoplasm and the nucleus.
– The cytoplasm consists of a fluid
portion, called the cytosol; membrane-
bound structures called organelles;
insoluble particles called inclusions; and
protein fibres that create the
cytoskeleton.

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 Cytoskeleton Cell Membrane
Key Cellular Structures

Mitochondria

Golgi
Apparatus

Peroxisomes

Endoplasmic
Reticulum
Lysosomes

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Centrioles Nucleus
Cytoskeleton

Flexible 3D-scaffold of:

– actin microfilaments,
– intermediate filaments, and
– microtubules.

At least five key functions:

1. Cell shape
2. Internal organisation
3. Intracellular transport
4. Assembly of tissues
5. Movement

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Microtubules Form Centrioles

– The largest cytoplasmic protein fibres, Protein Fibres Diameter Type of Protein
the microtubules, create the complex Microfilaments 7 nm Actin (globular)
structures of centrioles, as well as cilia
Intermediate Keratin, neurofilament
and flagella, which are all involved in filaments
10 nm
protein (filaments)
some form of cell movement.
Microtubules 25 nm Tubular (globular)
– The cell’s microtubule-organising centre,
the centrosome, assembles tubulin
monomers into microtubules. In most
animal cells, the centrosome contains
two centrioles.
– The centrioles direct the movement of
DNA strands during cell division.

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Cytoplasmic Organelles

Mitochondria are spherical to elliptical organelles with a double wall that creates two
separate compartments within the organelle. The inner matrix is surrounded by a
membrane that folds into leaflets called cristae. The intermembrane space, which lies
between the two membranes, plays an important role in ATP production. Mitochondria are
the site of most ATP synthesis in the cell.

The Golgi apparatus (AKA Golgi complex) consists of a series of hollow curved sacs
called cisternae stacked on top of one another and surrounded by vesicles. The Golgi
apparatus participates in protein modification and packaging.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a network of interconnected membrane tubes that are
a continuation of the outer nuclear membrane. Rough endoplasmic reticulum has a
granular appearance due to rows of ribosomes dotting its cytoplasmic surface. Smooth
endoplasmic reticulum lacks ribosomes and appears as smooth membrane tubes. The
rough ER is the main site of protein synthesis. The smooth ER synthesises lipids and, in some
cells, concentrates and stores calcium ions.

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Cytoplasmic Vesicles, Lysosomes & Peroxisomes

Membrane-bound cytoplasmic vesicles are Lysosomes {lysis, dissolution + soma,

of two kinds: body} are small storage vesicles that
1. secretory and appear as membrane-bound granules in
2. storage. the cytoplasm. They use powerful enzymes
to break down bacteria or old organelles,
into their component molecules. They
Secretory vesicles contain proteins that develop an acidic internal environment
will be released from the cell. that activates their degradative enzymes.

The contents of most storage vesicles, Peroxisomes are storage vesicles that are
however, never leave the cytoplasm. even smaller than lysosomes. Their main
function appears to be to degrade long-
chain fatty acids and potentially toxic
foreign molecules – generating H2O2
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Nucleus (The Distinction Between Pro- and Eu-karyotes)
– The nucleus is surrounded by a double-
membrane nuclear envelope.
– Both membranes of the envelope are
pierced by pores to allow communication
with the cytoplasm.
– The outer membrane of the nuclear
envelope connects to the endoplasmic
reticulum membrane.
– In cells that are not dividing, the nucleus
appears filled with random granular
material composed of DNA & proteins.
– Usually a nucleus also contains 1-4 larger
dark-staining bodies of DNA, RNA, &
protein called nucleoli.
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Protein Synthesis
– RNA is made from DNA templates in the
nucleus 1, then transported to the
cytoplasm through nuclear pores 2.
– In the cytoplasm, proteins are
synthesised on ribosomes that may be
free inclusions 3 or bound to rough ER 4.
– New proteins are compartmentalised in
the lumen of the rough ER 5, where it is
modified before vesicular packaging 6.
– Vesicles fuse with the Golgi apparatus,
allowing additional protein modification
in the Golgi lumen 7.
– Modified proteins leave the Golgi
packaged in either storage 9 or
secretory vesicles 10.
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Cell Junctions

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Types of Cell Junctions

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Epithelial Tissues

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Connective Tissue

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Muscle Tissue

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Neurons (Nerve Cells)

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Glial Cells (Support Neurons)

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Structural & Functional Properties of the 4 Tissue Types

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Image Attributions
– Title Image: Abcam. ab150662 (Alcian Blue pH2.5 stain) staining acidic sulphated
mucins (blue) in formalin fixed paraffin embedded normal human colon, counterstained
with safranin o (pink).

– Acknowledgement of Country: Aboriginal Painting (circa 2014). Released under

Creative Commons.

– All Other Images: Pearson Education. Silverthorn, D. U. (2007). Human physiology:

An integrated approach. San Francisco: Pearson/Benjamin Cummings.

– In some cases, original images have been re-coloured, cropped or otherwise modified.
All copyrighted images have been used for educational purposes.

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