1.2 Ultrastructure of cells Flashcards
How do you calculate magnification?
Image size divided by actual size
What are the steps to calculate magnification?
Step one: Measure the image size using a ruler in mm
Step two: convert the mm into micrometers (μm)
Step three: divide your answer by the actual size
What are the steps to calculate the actual size of an image?
Step one: Measure the image using a ruler in mm
Step two: convert mm into μm
Step three: divide your answer by the magnification
What is the conversion from mm to μm to nm?
1mm = 1000μm 1μm = 10000nm
1mm=1000000nm
What is the total magnification of a light microscope?
x1500
What does the photo of the image produced by a light microscope and an electron microscope called?
Photomicrograph an electro micrographs
What is the relationship between magnification and resolution
Magnification is how zoomed in the pictures and the resolution is how clear it is.
Increasing magnification does not mean increasing resolution.
How do light microscope and electron microscope differ?
Light microscope uses a beam of light that is focused by means of glass lenses
Electron microscope uses a beam of electrons focus by magnetic lenses
Where does the sample have to be in an electron microscope to ensure the electron beams travel in straight lines? How does this affect the type of specimen that can be viewed through an electron microscope?
Sample has to be in a vacuum so the specimen must be dead so we cannot view living cells in an electron microscope as they would explode.
What structure does light microscope and electron microscope’s reveal?
Light microscopes reveal the structure of cells
Electron microscope’s reveal the ultrastructure (organelles) of cells
Why do electron microscopes have a much higher resolution than light microscopes?
Electron microscopes have a shorter wavelength so half of its wavelength is the minimum size we can see. Light microscopes have a longer wavelength so it’s half isn’t as small. Therefore, smaller structures than a half of its wavelength cannot be seen.
What are the two fundamental types of cell?
Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell
How many cells can eukaryotes contain and where can DNA be found? What are the organelles surrounded by?
Eukaryotes can consist of one or more cells (unicellular or multicellular)
DNA is contained in a membrane bound nucleus
Contain membrane-bound organelles
How many cells can eukaryotes contain and where can DNA be found? What are the organelles surrounded by?
Eukaryotes can consist of one or more cells (unicellular or multicellular)
DNA is contained in a membrane bound nucleus
Contain membrane-bound organelles
What type of organisms are classed as eukaryotes?
Animals, plants, fungi, protoctist
What is discrete compartment in eukaryotes?
- Discrete compartment means that the organelles are membrane bound, and each organelle is separate from the rest of the cell
What are the advantages of eukaryotic cells being compartmentalize in two separate organelles? EDLM (hint)
- Efficiency of metabolism - enzymes and substrates for a particular process can be much more concentrated than if they were spread throughout the cytoplasm
- Damaging substances can be isolated - e.g. digestive enzymes of a lysosome could kill a cell if they were not safely stored inside the lysosome membrane
- Localized conditions - condition such as pH can be maintained at an ideal level for a particular process, which may be different to the levels needed for other processes in a cell
- Movement of organelles within the cell - depending on the cells requirements
What does the nucleus in eukaryotic cells contain (2)?
How do relatively large molecules pass through?
- Nucleus contains genetic material in the form of chromatin.
Chromatin is DNA wrapped around histone proteins - The nucleolus in the nucleus makes rRNA which is combined with proteins to form ribosomes, which move out of the nucleus to into the cytoplasm.
- Relatively large molecules are able to pass through due to the nuclear pores in the double membrane nuclear envelope.
What are ribosomes made out of, where and how is it made?
Where can it be found and what is its function?
- Made of ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
- Made in the nucleolus, as two separate smaller subunits, which pass through the nuclear envelope into the cytoplasm where they combine
- Function: protein synthesis - mRNA is translated into amino acids
- Some remain free in the cytoplasm (synthesis protein that will be used inside the cell)
- Some attached to the exterior of the RER (synthesize proteins that will be exported outside the cell)
What are the types of endoplasmic reticulum?
And what is it? What is a continuous with?
- The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) it’s a network of membranes enclosing fluid–filled flattened sacs called cisternae.
- It is continuous with the outer membrane of the nuclear envelope
- There are two types: smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) + rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER)
What is the structure of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and its function?
What is it called it with? What role does the cisternae have? Where do the products go?
- It’s outside is coated was ribosomes, and the cisternae provide large surface area for a ribosomes
- Its function is protein synthesis - ribosomes assemble amino acids into proteins
- It has a intracellular (within the cell) transport system - transports proteins that were made on the attached ribosomes through the cisternae to the Golgi apparatus
What is the structure and function of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER)?
What shape is it in? What’s on the surface?
- It is a more tube shape than RER and theres no ribosomes on the surface
- Function: involved with absorption, synthesis and transport of lipids from the gut, such as: synthesis of cholesterol, phospholipids and steroid hormones
What is the structure and function of the Golgi apparatus?
What do they modify? What do they modify it into? Where does the product when leaving the Golgi apparatus?
It is a stack of membrane bound flattened sacs called cisternae
Function:
- secretory vesicles bring materials to and from the golgi apparatus.
- modifies lipids from the SER
- modifies proteins from SER by: adding sugar molecules (to make glycoprotein), adding lipid molecules (to make lipidprotein), and folding them into their 3-D shapes
- they package the modified proteins into vesicles that are pinched off and then either stored in the cell, or move to the plasma membrane, either to be incorporated into the plasma membrane, or export it outside the cell