Cell: Structure and Function
Cells
Cells are the fundamental structural units of living organisms and
the basic units of life.
Robert Hooke discovered the cell in the year 1665 from a thin
section of cork under a self-made microscope.
World of Cells
Prokaryotic & Eukaryotic cells
Prokaryotic – Size: generally small ( 1-10 µm), Where 1 µm = 10 −6m.
● The nucleus is not well defined and known as a nucleoid.
● Single, circular chromosome.
● Membrane-bound organelles are absent. For example, Bacterial cell
Eukaryotic – Size: generally large ( 5-100 µm).
● The nucleus is well-defined and surrounded by a nuclear membrane.
● Possess more than one linear chromosome.
● Membrane-bound cell organelles are present. For example, Human
cells.
Cell structure in Eukaryotic cells
● Most eukaryotes are multicellular.
● The nucleolus is present in the nucleus.
● It contains cell organelles such as plastids, mitochondria, Golgi
bodies, etc.
● Fungi, plant, and animal cells are eukaryotic.
Cell membrane
● The cell membrane separates cells from one another and also the
internal contents from the surrounding medium.
● It is porous and allows the movement of substances or materials
both inward and outward.
Cytoplasm
● It is the jelly-like substance present between the cell membrane
and the nucleus.
● Various other components, or organelles of cells, are present in the
cytoplasm.
Cell walls in plants
● A cell wall is an additional covering over the cell membrane in plant
cells.
● It gives shape and rigidity to these cells.
● It gives a rigid structure to plant cells, and that is why they can
withstand the stress of high-velocity wind, rain, high temperature
etc.
Cell Factory
Organelles
● The various components present within the cell are known as cell
organelles.
● All these components are special and specific to their functions.
● For example, mitochondria, lysosomes etc.
Nucleus
● It is generally spherical and located in the centre of the cell.
● The nucleus is separated from the cytoplasm by a membrane called
the nuclear membrane.
● It uses information in the chromosomes to decide what each
organelle should do and the functions of the cell.
● The nucleus contains an even smaller concentrated material called
nucleolus.
Chromosomes
● The nucleus contains thread-like structures called chromosomes.
● These carry genes and help in the inheritance or transfer of
characters from the parents to the offspring.
● Chromosomes are composed of DNA in the form of Chromatin and
protein.
● Chromosomes contain information for the inheritance of features
from parents to next generation in the form of DNA molecules.
DNA
● DNA molecules contain the information necessary for constructing
and organising cells.
Functional segments of DNA are called genes.
Vacuoles, Endoplasmic Reticulum and Golgi
Apparatus
Vacuoles
● Vacuoles are storage bubbles of irregular shapes which are found in
cells.
● The vacuole stores the food, a variety of nutrients that a cell might
need to survive or waste.
● In plant cells, vacuoles are much larger than in animal cells, and they
provide rigidity to the plant cells.
Plastids
● Plant cells have tiny, coloured structures called plastids.
● Plastids carry pigments of various colours like orange, red, green
and even colourless.
● The plastids, which carry green-coloured pigments, i.e., chlorophyll
are called chloroplasts.
Plants vs Animals
Comparison of plant and animals cells
Cell Organelle Plant Cell Animal Cell
Cell wall Yes No
Cell membrane Yes Yes
Cytoplasm Yes Yes
Nucleus Yes Yes
Chloroplast Yes No
Vacuole Yes Yes
Golgi Apparatus
● Golgi Apparatus, also termed as Golgi Complex, is a membrane-bound
nucleus.
● Its main function is to modify proteins.
● These modified proteins are placed in Golgi so that they can
transport elsewhere in the cell when required.
Endoplasmic Reticulum
● It is a membranous organelle.
● It is found in all eukaryotic cells.
● The ER is divided into two types based on their physical and
functional properties viz. Smooth and Rough ER.
Rough ER
● It synthesizes and secretes proteins in the cells.
Smooth ER
● The SER is involved in the synthesis of phospholipids, the main lipids
in cell membranes and are very important in the process of
metabolism.
● They also transport the products of the rough endoplasmic
reticulum to other cell parts like the Golgi apparatus.
Lysosomes
● Lysosomes are small membrane-bound sac-like structures which
release digestive enzymes that break down food.
● They also remove the old and damaged or dead organelles from the
cell and, thus protect the cell from further damage.
Mitochondria
● Mitochondria is a double membrane-bound sausage-shaped organelle.
● Also known as ‘powerhouse of the cell’.
● Mitochondria are the sites of aerobic respiration in the cell, and it
produces energy in the form of ATP.