CELLS
CHAPTER 2
ALL ABOUT CELLS
Cells, as you all know, are the structural and functional units of life. They carry out
metabolic reactions for us to live (survive).
Basically without cells, we cannot survive.
So, to continue, we have two kinds of cells:
a) Eukaryotic cell
b) Prokaryotic cell
A eukaryotic cell is nothing but a cell which is multicellular in nature or exist as unicellular
organisms and contains membrane-enclosed organelles. Take into consideration all animal
cells and plant cells.
A prokaryotic cell is a cell which is unicellular in nature and does not contain membrane-
enclosed organelles. Take into consideration a bacterium E. coli (Escherichia coli) or
TWO KINDS OF CELLS
Now, there are two types of eukaryotic cells:
a) Animal cells
b) Plant cells
Animal cells are eukaryotic cells which belong to Kingdom Animalia (as in chapter 1). They
do not have a cell wall or chloroplast which plant cells have.
Plant cells are eukaryotic cells which belong to Kingdom Plantae. They do have a cell wall
and chloroplast hence can photosynthesise.
SOME PARTS OF THE EUKARYOTIC CELL
Nucleus
The nucleus is the control centre of the cell.
It controls every single activity done by the cell.
Cytoplasm
A jelly-like fluid which consists of other solutions.
Cell membrane
A cell membrane is in the inside part of the cell wall which allows certain solutions to pass through it.
The word for this is semi-permeable or partially permeable.
CONTINUED FROM SLIDE 4
Mitochondrion
It helps carry out metabolic reactions such as aerobic respiration. After the process it
releases ATP (adenosine triphosphate) in the form of energy.
Vacuole
There are two vacuoles: sap vacuole in the plant cell and vesicles in the animal cell.
Vesicles are small vacuoles which serve the process of collecting cells which have died or
even waste embedded inside the cell.
Sap vacuoles are larger vacuoles which capture water inside a plant cell or even a root hair
cell, for example.
BACTERIAL CELLS
Bacterial cells are single-celled or prokaryotic organisms. They have a cell wall not made of
cellulose but of peptidoglycan. In simple terms, peptidoglycan is a polymer.
Some bacterial cells have a flagellum or many flagella embedded in them.
Instead of a DNA strand or a chromosome, they contain what is known as plasmids. DNA is
represented as plasmids in many prokaryotic cells. They are small and circular.
SPECIALISED CELLS
Multicellular organisms have many cells but they are not alike because they do not serve a
particular function.
Some of the specialised cells include ciliated cell, red blood cell, neurones, sperm, egg cells,
root hair cell and palisade mesophyll.
Specialised cell Where it is found Function
Ciliated cell lining of trachea and bronchi cilia moves mucus upwards
Neurone nervous system of animals transmitting electrical signals
Red blood cell in the blood of mammals transporting oxygen
Sperm cell testes male gamete in sexual
reproduction
Egg cell ovaries female gamete in sexual
reproduction
Root hair cell near the root of flowering to intake mineral ions and
plants water
TISSUES, ORGANS AND ORGAN SYSTEMS
A group of cells is called a tissue. Let’s take an example: onion epidermis.
A group of tissues is known as an organ. Let’s take an example: heart.
A group of organs make up an organ system. Let’s take an example: nervous system.
Onion epidermal cell Heart
MAGNIFICATION
Magnification indicates how much bigger the image is than the actual image.
Microscopic cells are magnified by biologists to study them. The cells being tiny makes it difficult for the scientists to study it.
Formula:
M = I/A
Numericals (Cells, Exam-style questions, Pg 45 and 46)
3. A diagram of a flower is 8 cm across. The magnification of the diagram is x4. What is the actual width of the flower?
4. This diagram shows a group of palisade cells from a plant leaf. The width of the diagram is 60 mm. The mean width of an actual
palisade cell is 40 micrometres. What is the magnification of this diagram?
6. The photograph shows a jellyfish. A jellyfish belongs to Kingdom Animalia.
(a) The actual jellyfish is 50 mm in diameter. Calculate the magnification of the photograph.
Key:
M=
magnification
A = actual
THANK YOU!
By: Preetham Prakash Pishike
Class: IGCSE 9