Cell biology

First-year
Second semester

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Introduction of Cell Biology and Cell Theory

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 Cell Biology
Objectives:
On completion of this course, you should be able:
1. To understand the cell theory.

2. To understand the gross and the fine structures of eukaryotic cells.

3. To demonstrate and describe the structure and functions of cell

organelles.

4. To identify the basic concepts of membrane transport.

5. To understand the nature and structure of nucleic acids and their

role in protein synthesis.

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 Cell Biology
Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, you should be able :
6. To examine the genetic code.

7. To understand the types of cell signaling.

8. To describe and demonstrate the cell cycle, meiosis and

molecular basis of heredity.

9. To describe apoptosis and necrosis.

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 Cell Biology Marks
PB201 Periodical Practical Final exam Total

Marks 15 marks 25 marks 60 marks 100

marks

% 15% 25% 60% 100%

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Introduction to Cell Biology

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 The science of biology
✓The science of biology: is the study of living organisms and their
environments.
✓Biology: is the study of life.
➢ All living things (Living organisms) have 8 basic characteristics:
1. Reproduction: it must be able to reproduce and create offspring.

2. Metabolism: an organism must use chemical reactions to process or use

environmental resources to continue functioning.

3. Response to stimuli: living things respond to stimuli in their environment.

4. Heredity: it is the ability to pass on genetic material (DNA) from parent to

offspring.

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 5. Adaptation through evolution: every living thing has evolved at some
point in time and continues to do so to adapt to an ever-changing
environment.

5. Homeostasis: a living thing can maintain stable internal balance,

such as blood pressure, body temperature (thermoregulation), and water
balance within cells.

6. Growth and Development: all organisms develop over time to become

more physically and mentally mature.

8. Cellular organization: all living things are composed of one or more

cells.
Remember the phrase: Remember My Red Hat And Happy Green Coat (R- reproduction, M -
metabolism, R - response to stimuli, H - heredity, A - adaptation through evolution, H - homeostasis, G
- growth and development, C - cellular organization).

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 8. Cellular
Organization 7. Growth and
1. Reproduction
Development

2. Metabolism Living 6. Homeostasis

organisms

3. Response to
stimuli 5. Adaptation
4. Heredity
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Remember My Red Hat And Happy Green Coat
 Cell Biology
❖ Cell biology or cytology: is a branch of biology that studies
the different structures and functions of the cell and focuses
mainly on the idea of the cell as the basic unit of life.

❑(NO CELLS NO LIFE).

✓ Cell biology: explains the structure, and organization of the

organelles they contain, their physiological properties, metabolic
processes, signaling pathways, and life cycle.

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• Cells are the basic unit of structure and function of all living
organisms, some organisms are made up of single cells and are
called unicellular, while others have many cells, so are called
multicellular.
• Every living thing from the tiniest bacterium to the largest whale
is made of one or more cells.

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Cell is the smallest and fundamental unit of life

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Differences between unicellular and multicellular organisms

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 Cell theory
• As originally postulated by Schwann in 1839, the cell theory had two basic
principles: (Old cell theory) (Original cell theory):
1) All organisms consist of one or more cells.
2) The cell is the basic unit of structure for all living organisms.
• Less than 20 years later, a third principle was added. In 1855, Virchow, a
German physiologist, concluded that cells arose only by the division of other,
preexisting cells.
3) All cells arise only from preexisting cells.

• Thus, the cell is not only the basic unit of structure for all organisms but also
the basic unit of reproduction.
• No wonder, then, that we must understand cells and their properties to
appreciate all other aspects of biology.

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• The 3 Basic components of the cell theory (Old cell theory)
(Original cell theory):
1. All organisms are composed of one or more cells. (Schleiden &
Schwann)(1838-39).
2. The cell is the basic unit of life in all living things. (Schleiden &
Schwann)(1838-39).
3. All cells are produced by the division of preexisting cells. (Virchow)(1855).
• Modern cell theory
It contains 4 statements, in addition to the original cell theory:
1.Energy flow occurs within cells: All metabolic processes necessary for life
occur within cells, where energy is generated through biochemical reactions.
2.Cells contain genetic material (DNA): DNA is passed from parent to daughter
cells during division, ensuring genetic continuity across generations.
3.All cells share similar chemical composition: Despite their diverse functions,
all cells have similar chemical components at their core.
4.Organism activities result from combined cellular actions: In multicellular
organisms, various systems function due to coordinated actions 19among
individual cells forming tissues and organs
 The Emergence of Modern Cell Biology
Although cytology, biochemistry, and genetics began as separate
disciplines, they have increasingly merged since about 1925.

Cytology

Cell biology

Biochemistry Genetics

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1. Cytological strand deals with cellular structure.
2. Biochemistry strand covers the chemistry and functions of
biological structure.
• Discoveries in biochemistry have revealed how many of the
chemical processes in cells are carried out, greatly expanding
our knowledge of how cells function.
3. Genetic strand focuses on information flow and heredity.

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• Each gene is a specific sequence of DNA that contains the
information to direct the synthesis of one cellular protein.
• A cell has its one genetic information, which it has received
from its parent cell.
• The cell has its own machinery by which it can carried the
following:
Genes =>transcription==>translation==>structure & regulation.
DNA ==> mRNA ==> proteins ==> subunits & enzymes

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 Cellular Diversity
• Cells exist in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, from
filamentous fungal cells to spiral-shaped treponema bacteria
to the differently-shaped cells of the human blood system.
Even the two human single-celled gametes, the egg and the
sperm, differ greatly in size and shape.

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Types of cells

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 Difference between Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cells
Characteristics Prokaryotic cells Eukaryotic cells
1. Cell size Small and simple Large and complex
2. Diameter 0.2-2 micrometer 10-200 micrometer
3. Nucleus Absent Present
4. Membrane enclosed Absent Present such as mitochondria, Golgi
organelles apparatus, and endoplasmic reticulum.
5. DNA Single circular DNA Linear DNA
6. Ribosomes Smaller in size Larger in size
7. Cell wall Present (chemically complexed) Only in plant and fungi (chemically simpler)
8. Plasma membrane Yes Yes
9. Cytoplasm Present but no cytoskeleton Yes
10. Cell division By binary fission Mitosis
11. Number of chromosomes One, but not true chromosomes More than one
12. Sexual reproduction No meiosis Involves meiosis
13. Uni or multicellular Unicellular Mainly multicellular
14. Example Bacterial cells Plants and animals including humans
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EUKARYOTIC PLANT AND ANIMAL CELLS

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Q1 Which cell organelles are present only in plant cell and absent in animals
cell?
Plant cells have a cell wall and plastids that animal cells lack.
Q2 How do plant cells and animal cells differ with respect to their shape?
A plant cell has a square or rectangular shape while the animal cells have an
irregular or round shape.
Q3 Why are plant cells generally larger in size compared to the animal cells?
Plant cells comprise a large central vacuole that occupies a majority of the volume
and makes the cell larger.
Q4 What is the function of vacuoles in a plant cell?
The vacuole stores waste material in a plant cell. It also maintains proper pressure
in a plant cell that helps in providing proper support and structure to the growing
plants.
Q5 Name the cell organelle responsible for providing structural support for plant
cells apart from the cell wall.
The central vacuole provides structural support to the plant cell.
Q6 Name the cell organelle responsible for carrying out photosynthesis in plant
cells.
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Chloroplasts are responsible for carrying out photosynthesis in a plant cell.
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