1.6. Plant And Animal Cells As Seen With An Electron Microscope Flashcards
Define ultrastructure
The fine (detailed) structure of a cell as revealed by the electron microscope
What does a cell surface membrane look like using an electron microscope at high magnifications?
It can be seen to have three layers- two dark (heavily stained) layers surrounding a narrow pale interior.
What are microvilli
are small fingerlike extensions of a cell surface membrane which increase the surface area of the cell surface membrane for more efficient absorption or secretion
What is a cell that the microvilli are typical
Epithelial cells are cells that cover the surfaces of structures.
Give examples of when the increased surface area by the microvilli helped the cells
For reabsorption in the proximal convoluted tubules of the kidney
For absorption of digested food into cells lining the gut
_________ is the largest cell organelle
Nucleus
What is a nuclear envelope?
The nucleus is surrounded by two membranes, forming a structure called the nuclear envelope.
The outer membrane of the nuclear envelope is continuous with
the endoplasmic reticulum
The nuclear envelope has many small pores called
the nuclear pores
What is the function of the nuclear pores
These allow and control the exchange between the nucleus and the cytoplasm
Examples of substances leaving the nucleus through the pores are
messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA) and ribosomes for protein synthesis
Examples of substances entering through the nuclear pores are
proteins (to help make ribosomes), nucleotides, ATP (adenosine triphosphate), and some hormones such as thyroid hormone T3
Chromosomes contain
DNA, the genetic material
DNA is organized into
functional units called
Genes control
the activities of the cell and inheritance
Hoe much DNA does a human cell have
of about 2 metres
The DNA molecules are so long; How are they prevented from being tangled
They are folded into a more compact shape by combining with proteins especially histones.
The combination of DNA and proteins is known as
Chromatin
When a cell is abput to divide,
the nucleus will divide first so that each new cell has its own nucleus
How many nucleoli is it most common to have
One
What is the function of a nucleolus
To make ribosomes using the information in its own DNA
How does the nucleolus make ribosomes
The nucleolus contains a core of DNA from one or more chromosomes which contain the genes that code for making tRNA. Around the core are less dense regions where the ribosomal subunits are assembled, combining the rRNA with ribosomal proteins imported from the cytoplasm.
The more ribosome a cell makes
The larger its nucleolus
The nucleolus as a structure disappears when
ribosome synthesis ceases and the different parts that had come together during the manufacturing of ribosomes separate.
The existence of many of the cell structures had not been suspected until cells were seen using a light microscope. An example of one of these structures is
The endoplasmic reticulum
The membranes of ER form
flattened compartments called sacs or cisternae.
Processes can take inside the cisternae
separated from the cytoplasm
What are the two types of endoplasmic reticulum?
The rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER).
Why did the rough endoplasmic reticulum get its name
Because it is covered with many tiny organelles called Ribosomes
How do the ribosomes look like through a light microscope?
They are just visible as black dots
Ribosomes are the site of
protein synthesis
They can be found
free on the cytoplasm as well as on the ER
What is the function of SER
to make lipids and stereoids, such as cholesterol and the reproductive hormones oestrogen and testosterone
SER is a major storage site for
calcium ions
Why is SER found in large amounts in muscle cells?
It is because calcium ions are required in muscle contraction
What is SER involved in liver
In drug metabolism
At very high magnifications using an electron microscope, Ribosomes can be seen to consist
two subunits: a large subunit and a small subunit
What are S units
These are Svedberg units. These are a measure of how rapidly substances sediment in a high-speed centrifuge (ultracentrifuge).
Eukaryotic ribosomes are
80s ribosomes
Prokaryotic ribosomes are
70s ribosomes
What kind of ribosomes do mitochondria and chloroplasts contain
70s ribosomes
What does ribosomes and mitochondria having 70s ribosomes indicate
Their prokaryotic origins
Ribosomes allow all the molecules involved in protein synthesis such as
mRNA, tRNA, amino acids and regulatory proteins to gather together in one place
Ribosomes are made up of
roughly equal amounts of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and proteins.
What is the Golgi apparatus
The Golgi apparatus consists of a stack of flattened sacs, constantly forming at one end (from the vesicles which bud off from ER) and breaking up into Golgi vesicles at the other end.
What is Golgi apparatus also known as
Golgi body, golgi complex
What are Golgi vesicles
They are vesicles that carry their contents to other parts of the cells, often to the cell surface membrane for secretion.
What is a unique feature of Golgi apparatus
The Golgi vesicles chemically modify the molecule it transports e.g. sugars may be added to protein to make glycoproteins.
What does Golgi apparatus do?
The Golgi apparatus collects and processes molecules particularly proteins from the RER. (It contains hundreds of enzymes for this purpose.) After processing the molecules can be transported to other parts of the cell or out of the cell.
Releasing molecules from the cell is called _________ and the pathway followed by the molecules is called the __________.
secretion…secretory pathway
What are some examples of the functions of the Golgi apparatus
Golgi vesicles are used to make lysosomes
Sugars are added to proteins to make glycoproteins
Sugars are added to lipids to make glycolipids
During plant cell division; Golgi enzymes are involved in synthesis of new cells.
In the gut and gas exchange systems, cells called goblet cells release a substance called mucin from the golgi apparatus. Mucin is one of the main components of mucus
What is the importance of glycolipids and glycoproteins
These are important components of membranes and are important in cell signaling.