How do cells do what they do?

Cells and Organelles

Compendium 2

Learning Objectives
 List the functional characteristics of a cell
 List the major cellular organelles and briefly describe their
functions
 Distinguish between the cytoplasm, cytosol, and cytoskeleton
 Describe the structure and the role of the cell (plasma)
membrane

The Cell
 Structural and functional unit of all living things, including
humans
 Plasma membrane around the outside
 Cytoplasm – containing organelles
 Nucleus – control centre of the cell

Functional Characteristics of cells

1. Cell metabolism and energy use
2. Synthesis of molecules
3. Communication – chemical/ electrical signals
4. Reproduction and inheritance
Human cell

Plasma membrane
 Also known as the cell membrane, sarcolemma, plasmalemma

Function:
 Encloses and supports cellular contents
 Controls what goes into the cell and what comes out
 Regulates intra vs extracellular material
 Role in inter-cellular (cell to cell) communication
 Production of a charge difference (membrane potential) across
the membrane
Structure:
 Lipid bilayer (phospholipoid bilayer and cholesterol) (45- 50%) –
provides flexibility to the cell
 Carbohydrates (4-8%)
 Proteins (45-50%)
 Fluid Mosaic model
Plasma membrane and Phospholipids
Structure:
 Glycocalyx (outer surface of cell membrane) Glycoproteins
(carbohydrates and proteins) Glycolipids (carbohydrates and
lipids) Carbohydrates

Cytoplasm
 Cellular fluid material outside the nucleus but within the
boundaries of the plasma membrane
 Organelles = little organs
 Cytosol
Cytosol
 Fluid portion of the cytoplasm (ions and proteins in water)
 Cytoplasmic inclusions – aggregates of chemicals
 Cytoskeleton – supports the cell and its organelles. Responsible
for changes to the shape of the cell and movement of its
organelles

Cytoskeleton
 Supports the cell and its organelles
 Responsible for changes to the shape of the cell and
movement of its organelles

Microtubules: hollow, made of tubulin. Internal scaffold, transport,

cell division
Microfilaments: actin, structure, support for microvilli, contractility,
movement
Intermediate filaments: Mechanical strength

The Nucleus and Cytoplasmic Organelles

 Small specialised structures with particular functions
 Most have membranes that separate interior of organelles
from cytoplasm
 Abundance of each organelle is related to specific structure and
function of the cell
Nucleus
Function:
 “control centre” of the cell
 Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in the nucleus carries the code for
the structural and functional characteristics of the cell

Structure
 Nuclear envelope – a bilayer membrane surrounding the
nucleus. Porous
 Nucleoplasm
 Nucleolus – primarily produces ribosomes

Chromosome structure
 Chromatin: DNA complexed with proteins (histones)
 During cell division, chromatin condenses into pairs of
chromatids called chromosomes.
 Each pair of chromatids is joined by a centromere
Ribosomes
Function:
 Sites of protein synthesis
 Nucleolus, nucleus and cytoplasm

Structure:
 Composed of 2 subunits: large and small
 Free ribosomes and membrane-bound ribosomes

Endoplasmic reticulum 1
Structure:
 Fattened, interconnecting sacs and tubules
 Rough Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) – with ribosomes
 Smooth ER – without ribosomes

Endoplasmic reticulum 2
Function:
 Rough endoplasmic reticulum:
o Synthesis and modification of proteins

 Smooth endoplasmic reticulum

o Site of lipid, steroid, and carbohydrate synthesis
o Detoxification of harmful substances (e.g. Drugs)
o Breakdown of glycogen to glucose

Golgi Apparatus
Structure:
  Flattened membranous sacs, with cisternae
 Secretory vesicles
Function:
 Modifies, packages and distributes proteins and lipids that are
made in the rough endoplasmic reticulum – for secretion or
internal use by the cell

Lysosomes
Structure:
 Membrane-bound vesicles that form at the Golgi apparatus
 Contain enzymes within them
Function:
 Cells “demolition crew”
 Digestion of molecules (nucleic acids, proteins, lipids,
carbohydrates) that are no
longer needed by the cell
Mitochondria
Structure:
 Outer membrane
 Intermembrane space
 Inner membrane
 Matrix
 Change shape continuously
 Has its own genetic material -> reproduce itself

Function:
 “power plants of a cell”
 Increase in number when cell energy requirements increase
 High in cardiac muscle and neurons, increase in skeletal muscle
in response to exercise
 ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production and supply
 ATP is the unit of currency for energy

Centrioles (and the centrosome)

Structure:
 Barrel-shaped organelles oriented at right angles to each other
 Walls of centrioles is composed of microtubules
 Two centrioles can be found in the centrosome (cells centre)

Function:
 Cell division
Cilia
Structure:
 Whip-like, motile cellular extensions which project from the
outer surfaces of certain cells

Function:
 Movement of substances across the surface of cells
 Eg. Cilia lining the respiratory tract which move mucus out of
the lungs
 Eg. Cilia in the fallopian tubes of the female reproductive
system which moves the egg from the ovary to the uterus

Flagella
Structure:
 Similar to cilia but longer
 Found in humans on sperm cells only (one flagellum per sperm)
 Unlike cilia which moves substances across the cell surface,
flagella move the actual cell itself. i.e. sperm cell
Function:
 Motility

Microvilli
Structure:
 Extensions of the plamsa membrane
 Each cell has many microvilli usually
 1/10-1/20 size of cilia, hence micro
 Non-motile

Function:
 Increases the cells surface area
Eg. Absorptive cells of intestine or kidney tubules