CHAPTER - 5

THE FUNDAMENTAL UNIT OF LIFE

CLASS :- IX
SUBJECT :- SCIENCE
 INTRODUCTION
Any structure of a plant or animal is when seen
under microscope it is found that it is made up
of many, small units called cells. Cells are very
small and cannot be seen by naked eyes.
Cell: Cell is a Latin word for ‘a little room’.
Cell is the smallest, structural and functional
unit of life. There are two types of cell:
prokaryotic cell (bacterial cell) and eukaryotic
cell (plant cell and animal cell).
Q1. Why is cell called the fundamental unit of life? Or Why is cell called
the structural and functional unit of life?
- provide structure to the body
- present in all living organisms
- performs all functions of life, functions that are performed by the
body parts are performed at cellular level also.
Cork cell
 DISCOVERY
❑ Cell: Robert Hooke (1665).
❑ Free living cells in pond water (Bacteria):
Anton Van Leeuwenhoek (1671).
❑ Nucleus: Robert Brown (1831).
❑ Protoplasm: Purkinje (1839).
❑ Cell theory: Schleiden (1838) and
Schwann (1839) in plants and animals
respectively.
Q2. State the cell theory given by Schleiden,
Schwann and Virchow.
 WHAT ARE LIVING ORGANISM
MADE UP OF
All living organisms are made up of cells. Cells can be easily seen
in an onion peel. Shape and size of the cell varies according to
the function. It may be cuboidal, polygonal, elliptical, small or
very large.
Smallest cell: PPLO ( Pleuro Pneumonia Like organism ). It is
called mycoplasma
Largest cell: Ostrich egg.
Smallest cell in our body: Red blood cell.
Longest cell in our body: Nerve cell (neuron).
Largest cell human cell: ova
 SMALLEST CELL LARGEST CELL

SMALLEST CELL IN OUR BODY LARGEST CELL IN OUR

 UNICELLULAR AND
MULTICELLULAR
❑ There are some organisms which are made up of only single cell
as in Amoeba, Euglena, Bacteria etc.These organisms are
called unicellular organism.
❑ When many cells are grouped together in a single organism
then they are called multicellular organism. E.g. Fungi, Plants,
animals. Different cells perform different functions in these
organisms. Every multicellular organism has come from a single
cell. All the cells thus come from pre-existing cell ( Omnis
Cellulae cellula ). Cells which are produced from single cell may
differentiate to have different structures and function. In
multicellular organism there is division of labour. This means
that different part of an organism perform different function.
UNICELLULAR ORGANISMS
MULTICELLULAR ORGANISM
ANIMALS
Q.Differentiate between unicellular and multicellular
organisms on the basis of: size, life span, division of
labour, examples.
 STRUCTURAL ORGANIZATION OF A
CELL
All the cells are made up of :
❖ Plasma membrane/ cell membrane/semi-permeable membrane
❖ Nucleus/Nuclear Region
❖ Cytoplasm
Plant cells have cell wall in addition to the above components.
❖ Plasma membrane/cell membrane:
✔ Discover by C.Nageli and C. Cramer in 1855.
✔ It is the outermost covering of cell except plant cell that separates the contents of the cell
from its external environment.
✔ It allows the entry and exist of some materials ( ions and molecules ) in and out of the cell.
PLASMA MEMBRANE
✔ It also prevents the movement of some other materials.
✔ It is a very thin, elastic, living and selective permeable
membrane.
✔ It is made up of lipid and proteins.
✔ It encloses nucleus and cytoplasm.
✔ It helps in protection of cellular component.
How does the movement of substance takes place into the cell?
How do substances move out of the cell?
Some substances like carbon dioxide and oxygen can move across
the cell membrane by a process called diffusion. In this case
there is spontaneous movement of a substance from a region of
high concentration to a region of low concentration. Thus,
diffusion plays an important role in gaseous exchange between
the cells as well as the cell and its external environment.
Plasma membrane
Q1. What is the plasma membrane made of?
Ans: Lipids and proteins.

Q2. Write two main functions performed by the plasma membrane.

Ans: a. It provides protection to the cell.
b. It controls the movement of materials in and out of the cell from its pores.

Q3. What is the structure of plasma membrane?

Ans: Thin, elastic and it has pores.
Osmosis: The movement of water molecules through a selectively
permeable membrane is called osmosis. Osmosis takes place
from a region of high water concentration to region of low
water concentration through a semipermeable membrane. Thus,
osmosis is a special case of diffusion.

Significance of diffusion:
❑ Gaseous exchange between the leaves and air takes place.
❑ Transport of food through phloem takes place.
❑ Loss of water from the plants is based on the principle of
diffusion.
❑ Movement of ions and solutes from one cell to another cell
takes place through diffusion.
Significance of osmosis:
❑ Absorption of water by roots and root hairs.
❑ Water moves from one cell to another cell.
❑ It controls the amount of water within the cell.
❑ It controls various physiological activities :
❖ Opening and closing of stomata.
❖ Splitting of fruits due to over irrigation.
❖ Dehiscence of fruits and seeds for dispersal.
 HYPOTONIC, ISOTONIC AND
HYPERTONIC SOLUTION
❑ Hypotonic solution: If the medium surrounding the cell has a
higher water concentration than the cell, meaning that the
outside solution is very dilute, the cell will gain water by
osmosis ( endosmosis ) .Such a solution is called hypotonic
solution. In this case the cell is likely to swell up.
❑ Isotonic solution: If the medium surrounding the cell has
exactly the same water concentration as the cell, there will
be no net movement of water across the cell membrane.
Such a solution is called isotonic solution. In this case there
is no overall movement of water. The cell will stay the
same size.
❑ Hypertonic solution: If the medium surrounding the cell
has a lower concentration of water than the cell,
meaning that it is a very concentrated solution, the
cell will lose water by osmosis ( exo-osmosis ) . Such a
solution is called a hypertonic solution. In this case
the cell will shrink.
Endocytosis: The flexibility of the cell membrane also
enables the cell to engulf in food and other materials
from its external environment. Such a process is known
as endocytosis. Amoeba acquires its food through this
process.
Difference between osmostic solutions:
Hypotonic solution Isotonic solution Hypertonic solution

Water concentration is higher Water concentration is equal Water concentration is lower

in surrounding in and around the cell in surrounding

Water concentration lower - Water concentration higher

in cell in the cell

Water moves in the cell, No movement Water moves outside the

endo-osmosis cell. exo-osmosis

Cell swells No change Cell shrinks

Eg- putting dry raisins in Eg- putting swollen raisin Eg- putting hands in soapy
water in water water, putting swollen
raisins in sugar syrup.
ENDOCYTOSIS
Exocytosis: It is the process of exudation of secretions or the waste materials
out of the cell through plasma membrane. It is opposite of endocytosis.
When the metabolic wastes are thrown out of the cell, the process is called
ephagy.
Cell wall: In plant cells, in addition to the plasma membrane, there is another
rigid outer covering called cell wall. It lies outside the plasma membrane. In
plant cell , cell wall is mainly composed of cellulose. Cell wall is non-living.
Function of cell wall:
❖ It gives a shape to the cell.
❖ It helps in giving rigidity to the cell.
❖ It gives mechanical strength.
❖ It also support the internal structure of the cell.
❖ It protects the cell from osmotic bursting.

❖
Plasmolysis: When a living plant cell looses water through osmosis then
there is shrinkage or contraction of the contents of the cell away
from the cell wall. This phenomenon is called plasmolysis.
PLASMOLYSIS
Protoplasm: All living components of a cell is
protoplasm. It is clear colourless or slightly
translucent, jelly like, viscous semi fluid
substance. It can be distinguished into a
centrally located nucleus and cytoplasm.
PLASMOLYSIS
Home work
What is the difference between cell membrane and cell wall?
Parameters Cell membrane Cell wall

Composition Lipids and proteins Cellulose

Permeability Selectively permeable/ Fully permeable

semi-permeable

Strength weaker Stronger (rigid)

Elasticity High or flexible Low or rigid

Ocurrance All type of cells All plant cells and some

microbes

Position Inside the cell wall in plant Outermost layer in plant cell
cell and outermost layer in and some microbes
animal cell
❖ Nucleus:
✔ It is the largest and most prominent structure of the
cell.
✔ Generally one nucleus is present in each cell.
✔ Generally present in the centre of younger cell but it
is pushed towards the periphery in the mature cell.
✔ It governs the cell that is why it is called controlling
centre of the cell ( governor of the cell ).
✔ It is bounded by double layer membrane.
✔ The membrane have pore called nuclear pore.
❖ Important parts of nucleus:
▪ Nuclear membrane.
▪ Nucleoplasm (fluid inside nucleus)
▪ Chromatin network.(Thread like structures)
▪ Nucleolus (it manufactures ribosomes)
❑ Nuclear membrane:
❖ It is double layer membrane that separates nucleoplasm
from cytoplasm.
❖ It has number of pores which helps in exchange of
materials between nucleus and cytoplasm.
❖ It disappears during cell division.
❑ Nucleoplasm:
❖ The fluid which is present inside the nucleus is called
nucleoplasm/ karyolymph.
❖ It is a gel like dense substance present within the nucleus.
❖ In this chromatin material and nucleolus are present.
❑ Chromatin net work or chromatin material:
❖ It is the entangled mass of thread like structures.
❖ During cell division, it is organized to form
chromosomes. Chromosomes are made up of DNA
(deoxyribonucleic acid) and proteins.
❖ DNA is the master molecule and it controls all the
activities of the cell. Functional segment of DNA are
called genes. Genes control the characters.
❖ On one chromosome many genes are present.
Chromosome are considered as ‘heredity vehicle’ as it
transfers the characters from parent to offspring.
❑ Nucleolus:
❖ Spherical or oval body present within the nucleus.
❖ It is generally bigger in size in those cells which are actively
concerned with protein synthesis.
❖ It is more prominent in non-dividing cells.
❖ It contains large amount of RNA and protein, also a small
amount of DNA.
Function of nucleus:
It helps in maintenance of cell.
It helps in cell division.
It is needed for inheritance of character from parent to
offspring.
It controls various cytoplasmic activities.
❑ Cytoplasm:
❖ The fluid which is present inside the cell but outside the
nucleus is called cytoplasm.
❖ It is a larger region of each cell enclosed by a cell
membrane.
❖ It is transparent, semi solid ground substances in which
various cell organelles are present.
❖ Water is the main component of cytoplasm which contains
fats, proteins, carbohydrates and various organic
substances.
❖ It helps in exchange of materials between cell organelles.
❖ It acts as a site of chemicals reactions like glycolysis.
 CHARACTER PROKARYOTIC CELL EUKARYOTIC CELL
Size Generally small (1-10 micro Generally large ( 5-100 micro
meter). meter).
Nuclear region Not well defined and not Well defined and surrounded by
surrounded by a nuclear a nuclear membrane.
membrane & known as nucleoid.

Chromosomes Single and circular. More than one and linear.

Membrane bound organelles Absent. Present.

Cell division By simple fission (amitosis). By mitosis and meiosis.

Nucleus Lack true nucleus. True nucleus present.

Ribosome Smaller in size and randomly Bigger in size and attached to
scattered in cytoplasm. the endoplasmic reticulum or
freely present in cytoplasm.

Example Bacteria and Blue green algae Plants, animals and fungi.
 CELL ORGANELLES

The membrane bound structures present

in the cytoplasm are called cell
organelles ( mitochondria, chloroplast,
nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum etc.).
The structures which are not bounded by
membranes are called cell inclusions
(ribosome, centriole ).
 ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM
❑ It consists of an irregular network of channels which are
bounded by membrane and are interconnected with each
other.
❑ They are seen with the help of electron microscope only.
❑ If ribosomes are seen attached to their surface, then
they are called rough endoplasmic reticulum (R.E.R).
❑ If ribosomes are not present on endoplasmic reticulum,
they are called smooth endoplasmic reticulum (S.E.R).
❑ FUNCTION OF ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM:
❖ -Ribosomes present are the sites of protein synthesis.
❖ -The S.E.R helps in the manufacture of fat molecules or
lipids.
❖ -It helps in the intracellular transport of substances
(proteins).
❖ -It helps in the synthesis of steroid hormones (which
detoxifying many poisons and drugs).
❖ -It acts as skeleton system of the cell.
 GOLGI APPARATUS / GOLGI BODIES
❑ Discovered by Camillo Golgi.
❑ They are the membrane bound (single layer)
structures that occur in the form of tubules,
vesicles or cisternae.
❑ They are usually seen aggregated towards the
nucleus.
❑ In plants they occur as unorganized and
unconnected channels like structures called
dictyosomes.
Membrane biogenesis:
The E.R helps in the manufacture of fat
molecules or lipids, important of cell
function. Some of these proteins and lipids
help in building the cell membrane. This
process is known as membrane biogenesis.
Nucleus-> ER→ Golgi bodies → Near cell
membrane
FUNCTION OF GOLGI BODIES:
❑

❑ -Helps in formation of glycoprotein.

❑ -It is involved in the transformation.
❑ -Primary lysosomes are formed from
golgibodies by budding.
❑ -They are responsible for secretion and
transport in the cell.
 LYSOSOMES
❑ -They are small sized enzyme containing vesicles
which are bounded by single membrane.
❑ -During the disturbance in cellular metabolism, for
example when the cell gets damaged, lysosome may
burst and the enzymes digest their own cell.
Therefore lysosomes are also called suicide bags of
the cell.
❑ -Enzymes present in lysosomes are made by R.E.R.
❑ They also destroy the foreign materials which enter
the cell.
 FUNCTION OF LYSOSOMES:
❑ They helps in the digestion of food
within the cell ( intracellular digestion ).
❑ They protect the body from bacteria
and other harmful organisms.
❑ They help in the removal of old worn out
cell organelles.
 MITOCHONDRIA
❑ They are small bodies that occur in large numbers.
❑ A mitochondrion consists of:
An outer membrane.
An inner membrane.
Inner membrane folded inwards to form the
cristae.
The cristae lie in a ground structure called matrix.
❑ They have their own DNA and ribosomes.
MITOCHONDRIA
FUNCTION OF MITOCHONDRIA:
Mitochondria have enzymes necessary
for the oxidation of glucose thus
releasing energy in the form of ATP.
They are therefore called power
house of the cell.
 PLASTIDS
❑ Only present in plant cell.
❑ It is of two types: chromoplast (coloured plastid) and
leucoplast (white or colourless).
❑ It is a lamellated structure which is bounded by double
membrane.
❑ Plastids containing the pigment chlorophyll (green pigment) are
called chloroplast.
❑ Chloroplast is important for photosynthesis.
❑ Leucoplast stores starch, oil, protein granules.
❑ Plastids show two distinct regions: grana and stroma.
❑ Plastids have their own DNA and ribosomes.
 FUNCTION OF PLASTIDS:
❑ -Chloroplast is called kitchen of the cell as food
is synthesized by the process of photosynthesis.
❑ -Chromoplast gives various colours to different
parts of the plant (petals of flower).
❑ -Leucoplast stores food.
Q. Why are mitochondria and plastids called
semi-autonomous bodies?
Ans: This is because they have their own DNA and ribosomes. This
helps them to perform some functions independently.
Q. What are the similarities and difference between mitochondria and
plastids?
Ans- Similarities- They both have double membrane, DNA,ribosomes
and are semi-autonomous.
Difference- Plastids help in preparing and storing food.They are found
in plants and some microbes.
Mitochondria- it helps in manufacturing energy in the form of ATP.
They are found in all eukaryotic cells.
 VACUOLE
❑ Vacuoles are sac like structure meant for storage of
solid and liquid material.
❑ Vacuoles are small sized in animal cells while large
sized in plant cell.
❑ In plant cells vacuoles are full of cell sap that
contains amino acids, water, protein, organic acid,
sugar etc. This cell sap provide turgidity and rigidity
to the cell.
❑ In unicellular organism like amoeba the vacuole having
food is called food vacuole.
Just click on the names to observe 3-D models

3-D MODEL OF PLANT CELL

3-D MODEL OF ANIMAL CELL

 CELL DIVISION

It is the process by which cell produces new daughter cells by distributing its genetic
material and cytoplasm. It can take place in two ways: mitosis and meiosis.

It
 NCERT EXEMPLAR
Q52 What are the consequences of the following conditions?
(a) A cell containing higher water concentration than the surrounding
medium
(b) A cell having low water concentration than the surrounding medium.
(c) A cell having equal water concentration to its surrounding medium.
Q56 Draw a well-labelled diagram of a eukaryotic nucleus. How is it
different from nucleoid?
Q58. In brief state what happens when
(a) dry apricots are left for sometime in pure water and later transferred to
sugar solution?
(b) a Red Blood Cell is kept in concentrated saline solution?
(c) the Plasma membrane of a cell breaks down?
(d) rheo leaves are boiled in water first and then a drop of sugar syrup is
put on it?
(e) golgi apparatus is removed from the cell?
52. a) If a cell contains higher water concentration than the surrounding medium then the cell
loses water and it shrinks. This process is called exosmosis. b) If a cell has low water
concentration than the surrounding medium cell intakes water from the surroundings and the cell
bursts. This process is called endosmosis. c) If A cell having equal water concentration to its
surrounding medium then there will be no change in the cell.This is an isotonic solution.
56.
Q58. a) When we put dried raisins or apricots in plain water and leave
them for some time cell gains water and swells. If we put some seeds
into a concentrated solution of sugar you will observe it loses water and
consequently shrinks. b) When red blood cell is kept in concentrated
saline solution. The cell loses water immediately and shrinks. c) When
the plasma membrane of a cell breaks down, the cell dies. d) On boiling,
cells of Rheo leaves die and if we put sugar solution on it there will not
be any intake of water due to lack of osmosis. Here cell undergoes
plasmolysis concluding only living cells undergo osmosis. e) This stop
the formation of vesicles and transport of proteins and lipids is stopped
by the removal of Golgi apparatus.
THANKS