Fundamental Unit Of Life
Introduction
• Cell is the structural and functional unit of life. It is the basic unit of life.
• It is discovered by Robert Hook in 1831 in cork slice with the help of
primitive microscope.
• Leeuwenhoek (1674), discovered the free living cells in pond water with the
improved microscope.
Types of organisms
• On the basis of no. of cells, organisms are of two types:
(i) Unicellular Organism
(ii) Multicellular Organism
(i) Unicellular Organism: These organisms are single celled which perform
all the functions. Example: Amoeba, paramecium, bacteria.
(ii) Multicellular Organism: Many cells grouped together to perform
different function in the body and also form various body parts. Example:
fungi, plants, animals.
There are two types of cells:
(i) Prokaryotes
(ii) Eukaryotes
Prokaryotes Eukaryotes
Cells of organism lacks nuclear Cells of organism have nuclear
membrane. membrane.
Nucleolus is absent. Nucleolus is present.
Single chromosomes. Single or multi chromosomes
Reproduction is always asexual. Reproduction is both sexual and asexual.
Always unicellular. Often multicellular.
Membrane bound cell organelles Membrane bound organelles are present
are absent. like mitochondria.
Centriole is absent. Centriole is present only in animals cell.
Cell division is by binary fission. Cell division is by mitosis or meiosis.
Example: Bacteria, Blue green Example: Fungi, Plant cell, Animal cell etc.
algae, etc.
Animal Cell Plant Cell
Cell wall is absent. Cell wall is present.
Plastids are absent. Plastids are present.
Centrioles are present. Centrioles are absent.
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Vacuoles are absent. If present, they are Vacuoles are present and large in
small. size.
Centrosome is present Centrosome is absent
Diffusion
• Some substances like carbon dioxide or oxygen can move across the cell
membrane by a process called diffusion. Cell also obtains nutrition from the
environment.
• The spontaneous movement of a substance from a region of high
concentration to the region of low concentration is called diffusion.
Osmosis
• The movement of water molecules through selectively permeable
membrane along the concentration gradient is called osmosis.
• Plant cell tend to obtain water through osmosis
Name of Condition Result
the solution
Hypotonic Medium surrounding cell Cell will gain water by osmosis
solution has higher water and likely to swell up.
concentration than cell.
Isotonic Medium has exactly same Water crosses the cell
solution water concentration as the membrane in both directions.
cell. Cell will stay the same size.
Hypertonic Medium has lower Water crosses the cell in both
solution concentration of water than directions, but more water
the cell. leaves the cell Shrink in size
Cell Wall
• Cell wall is another rigid outer covering in addition to the plasma membrane
found in plant cell. The cell wall lies outside the plasma membrane.
Plasmolysis
• When a living plant cell loses water through osmosis there is shrinkage or
contraction of the contents of the cell away from the cell wall. This
phenomenon is known as plasmolysis.
Cytoplasm
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• The cytoplasm is the fluid content inside the plasma membrane.
• It also contains many specialised cell organelles. Each of these organelles
performs a specific function for the cell.
Function of Cytoplasm
• It helps in exchange of material between cell organelles.
• It act as store of vital chemicals such as amino acid, glucose, vitamins and
iron etc.
Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)
• The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a large network of membrane-bound
tubes and sheets.
• It looks like long tubules.
• The ER membrane is similar in structure to the plasma membrane. It is also
made up of lipid and proteins.
→ Types of Endoplasmic Reticulum
(i) Rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER)
(ii) Smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER)
Golgi Apparatus
Its functions include the storage, modification and packaging of products in
vesicles. In some cases, complex sugars may be made from simple sugars in
the Golgi apparatus.
Lysosomes
• Lysosomes break foreign materials entering the cell, such as bacteria or
food as well as old organelles into small pieces.
• They contain powerful digestive enzymes which are made in RER which is
capable of breaking down all organic material made in RER.
Mitochondria
• Mitochondria are known as the powerhouses of the cell.
→ Structure of mitochondria
• Mitochondria have two membrane coverings.
• The outer membrane is very porous while the inner membrane is deeply
folded.
Plastids
• Plastids are present only in plant cells.
The internal organisation of the plastids consists of numerous membrane
layers embedded in a material called the stroma.
There are three types of plastids:
(i) Chromoplasts (coloured plastids).
(ii) Leucoplasts (white or colourless plastids).
(iii) Chloroplasts (contains the pigment chlorophyll).
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Vacuoles
• Vacuoles are storage sacs for solid or liquid contents.
• They are small sized in animal cells while plant cells have very large
vacuoles.
Blue Box Questions
Q1. Who discovered cells and how?
Robert Hooke (1665), Robert Hooke by chance observed a slice of cork
through a self designed microscope.
He observed that it contained many little compartments, like a honey
comb, which he named as cells.
Q2. Why is the cell called structural and functional unit of life?
Ans. Some organisms like Amoeba are unicellular and have single celled
body. The single cell of unicellular organism performs all the life
processes.
Multicellular organisms have many cells to perform different functions.
Thus, cell is the structural unit of all living organisms
Each living cell performs certain basic functions that are characteristic of
all living forms such as cellular respiration.
All cells have same organelles, no matter what their function is. Thus cell
is also the functional unit of life.
Q3. How do substances like CO, and water move in and out of the
cell? Discuss.
Ans. When concentration of CO, is more inside the cell than outside, CO,
diffuses from the cell to outside of cell.
Il CO, concentration inside the cell is less, CO, moves inside the cell from
outside.
The water move in and out of the cell by the process of osmosis. Osmosis
is the passage of water from a
region of high water concentration through semi-permeable membrane
(cell membrane) to a region of low
concentration of water.
Q4. Why is the plasma membrane called a selectively permeable
membrane?
Ans. Plasma membrane permits the entry and exit of some materials in
the cell while it also prevents movement of
some other materials. So, it is called selectivity permeable membrane
[Link] you name the two organelles we have studied that contain
their own genetic material?
Ans. i) Mitochondria (ii) Plastid (chloroplast)
Q6. if the organisation of a cell is destroyed due to some physical
or chemical influence, what will happen?
Ans, Each cell has got certain specific cell organelles. Each cell organelle
performs a special function, e.g., making of new material, removal waste
from the cell, release of energy etc. If the organization of a cell is
destroyed, the
functioning of the cell organelle will be disturbed, control of the nucleus
will be lost. Ultimately cell die.
[Link] are lysosomes known as suicide bags?
Ans . A Lysosome is membrane bound bag like which contains powerful
enzymes. If lysosome burst, its enzymes eat up (digest) other organelles
of its own cell. Therefore, they are known as, 'suicide bags'.
[Link] are proteins synthesised inside the cell?
Ans. Ribosomes
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Text book Questions
Q1. What would happen if the plasma membrane ruptures or
breaks down?
Ans. The whole contents of cell would come out and cell would die
Q.2. What would happen to the life of a cell if there was no
Golgi apparatus ?
Ans. Golgi apparatus package and distach enzymes, hormones and
other essential proteins and lipids secreted by ER to target inside
and outside of the cell. Moreover, the digestive enzymes which
remain concealed in lysosome, will remain free in the cytoplasm
killing the other cell [Link] all, in absence of Golgi apparatus
cell would die
03.. Which organelle is known as the powerhouse of the cell?
Why?
Ans. Mitochondria are known as Power House' of the cell. They are
said so because, the energy required for various life activities is
released by mitochondria in the form of ATP molecules.
Q4.. Where do the lipids and proteins constituting the cell
membrane get synthesised?
Ans. Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (RER) synthesizes proteins
constituting cell membrane
Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum (SER)-secrete lipids constituting
cell membrane.
[Link] does an Ameoba obtain its food?
Ans .Amoeba has flexible cell membrane. It enables ameoba to
engulf in food by the process called endocytosios
06. What is osmosis?
And. The passage of water from a region of its high concentration
through a semipermeable membrane lo a region of low water
concentration is known as osmosis.
Q7. Which type of cell division is required for growth and
repair of body and which type is involved in formation of
gametes.
Ans. The process of cell division by which most of the cells divide for
growth is called Mitosis.
The process of cell division by which most of the cells divide for
formation of gametes is called Meiosis