Cell biology Flashcards
Features of an animal cell
- nucleus and genetic material (usually DNA)
- cytoplasm
- ribosomes (rough endoplastic reticulum)
- cell membrane
- mitochondria
cell membrane
- exterior of all protoplasm
- very thin layer
- freely permeable to water and gases only
- selectively permeable to other molecules
cytoplasm
- a gel-like substance composed of water and dissolved solutes
- supports organelles
- site of many chemical reactions, including anaerobic respiration
- consistency of egg-white
- up to 80% water, remained mainly protein
- often contains grains of stored food
nucleus
- stores and passes on cell information
- contains many long strands of DNA
Ribosomes
- Invisible (20nm) without the electron microscople.
- protein synthesis: assemble amino acids into proteins, each different according to purpose (instructons for assembly are from the nucleus).
Typical plant cell
- cell membrane
- chloroplast
- nucleus
- cell wall (made from cellulose)
- ribosomes on rough endoplasmic reticulum
- mitochondrion
- cytoplasm
- large, cell sap, permanent vacuole
Why are animal and plant cells both eukaryotic cells?
Their genetic material is enclosed in a nucleus.
What does a typical plant cell have which a typical animal cell doesn’t?
- cell wall
- large, cell sap, permanent vacuole
- chloroplasts
What is a defining feature of prokaryotic cells?
Their genetic material is not enclosed within a nucleus, it is found as a single loop of DNA within the cytoplasm.
As well as the single loop of DNA found in the cytoplasm of prokaryotic cells, what may also be present?
Additional smaller, circular pieces of DNA called plasmids.
The cell membrane of all prokaryotic cells are surrounded by
a cell wall (usually made from a substance called peptidoglycan)
Size of many prokaryotic cells.
1 micrometre
Are eukaryotic cells bigger than prokaryotic cells?
Yes.
Prokaryotic cells
- cell membrane
- circular loop of DNA
- plasmid
- ribosomes
- cytoplasm
- cell wall made from peptidoglycan
Many subcellular structures in eukaryotic cells are _____ than prokaryotic cells.
bigger
order of magnitude
The difference in size calculated by the factor of 10.
Why do prokaryotic cells not contain mitochondria?
Prokaryotic cells do not contain membrane-bound organelles, therefore do not contain mitochondria.
organelles
subcellular ‘compartments’ where specific processes take place within the cell.
What organelles in an animal cell are not visible to a light microscope but are only visible to electron microscopes?
mitochondrion and ribosomes
cell wall
- made up of cellulose (polymer of glucose)
- freely permeable to all kinds of molecules
- supports and protects the cell
- osmoregulates by resisting the entry of excess water into cell
chloroplast
- large bodies containing chlorophyll
- chlorophyll converts sunlight energy into chemical energy (ATP) for photosynthesis.
large, cell sap, permanent vacuole
- contains cell sap; a solution of sugars and salts dissolved in water
- important for keeping the cells rigid to support the plant
- used for storage of certain materials eg: food
mitochondria
- site of most of the reactions involved in aerobic respiration, where energy is released to fuel cellular processes
- cells with high rates of metabolism (carrying out many different cell reactions) have significantly higher numbers of mitochondria than cells with fewer reactions taking place.
A specialised cell
-a cell that has a particular structure and composition of subcellular structures
Structural differences between different types of cells enable them to
perform specific functions within the organism.
cells specialise by undergoing a process called
differentiation
The nerve cell function
The conduction of impulses
Adaptations of a nerve cell
- have an elongated structure which allows them to coordinate information from the brain and spinal cord with the rest of the body.
- has a cell body where most of the cellular structures are located and most protein synthesis occurs
- extensions of the cytoplasm from the cell body form dendrites (which receive signals) and axons (which transmit signals), allowing the neurone to communicate with other nerve cells, muscles and glands.
- the axon (the main extension of cytoplasm away from the cell body) is covered with a fatty sheath, which speeds up nerve impulses. Axons can be up to 1m long in some animals.
components of a nerve cell
- cell body
- ribosome
- dendrites
- cell membrane
- nucleus
- cytoplasm
- axon
- myelin sheath (made from schwann cells)
- nerve ending
components of muscle cells
- protein filament
- cell membrane
- nuclei
- mitochondria
- ribosomes
Function of muscle cells
contraction for movement
Adaptations of muscle cells
- contain layers of fibres which allow them to contract
- there are three different types of muscle in animals: skeletal, smooth and cardiac (heart).
- all muscle cells have protein filaments in them. These layers can slide over each other causing muscle contraction
- muscle cells have a high density of mitochondria to provide sufficient energy (via respiration) for muscle contraction.
- skeletal muscle cells fuse together during development to form multinucleated cells that contract in unison.
Adaptations of a muscle cell
- contain layers of fibres which allow them to contract
- there are three different types of muscle in animals: skeletal, smooth and cardiac
- All muscle cells have layers of protein filaments in them. These layers can slide over each other causing muscle contraction
- Muscle cells have a high density of mitochondria to provide sufficient energy (via respiration) for muscle contraction
- Skeletal muscle cells fuse together during development to form multinucleated cells that contract in unison.
components of sperm cells
- head
- acrosome
- cell membrane
- nucleus
- mid-piece
- cytoplasm
- mitochondria
- tail/flagellum
Function of sperm cells
reproduction (pass on fathers genes)
Adaptations of sperm cells
- the head contains a nucleus which contains half the normal number of chromosomes (haploid, no chromosome pairs)
- the acrosome in the head contains the digestive enzymes that can break down the outer layer of an egg cell so that the haploid nucleus can enter to fuse with the egg’s nucleus
- The mid-piece is packed with mitochondria to release energy (via respiration) for the tail
- The tail rotates, propelling the sperm cell forwards (allowing it to move/swim)
root hair cell components
- ribosomes
- mitochondrion
- nucleus
- cytoplasm
- cell membrane
- cell wall
- root hair
- vacuole
function of root hair cell
absorption of water and mineral ions from the soil
Adaptations of root hair cell
- root hair to increase surface area (SA) so the rate of water uptake by osmosis is greater (can absorb more water and ions than if SA were lower)
- Thinner walls than other plant cells so that water can move through easily (due to shorter diffusion distance)
- Permanent vacuole contains cell sap which is more concentrated than soil water, maintaining a water potential gradient
- Mitochondria for active transport of mineral ions
- chloroplasts are not found in these cells- there is no light for photosynthesis underground
function of a xylem vessel
- it is a transport tissue for water and dissolved ions
Adaptations of xylem cells
- no top and bottom walls between cells to form continuous hollow tubes through which water is drawn upwards towards the leaves by transpiration
- cells are essentially dead, without organelles or cytoplasm, to allow free passage of water
- outer walls are thickened with a substance called lignin, strengthening the tubes which helps support the plant.
- xylem cells lose their top and bottom walls to form a continuous tube through which water moves through from the roots to the leaves.
Phloem cells function
- transport of dissolved sugars and amino acids
Phloem cells adaptations
- Phloem cells form tubes similar to xylem vessels, except the cells still retain some subcellular structures and are therefore living.
- made of living cells (as opposed to xylem vessels which are made of dead cells) which are supported by companion cells.
- cells are joined end-to-end and contain holes in the end cell walls (sieve plates)forming tubes which allow sugars and amino acids to flow easily through (by translocation).
- cells also have very few subcellular structures to aid the flow of materials.
cell differentiation
The process by which a cell changes to become specialised
cells which have not differentiated are
unspecialised
As an organism develops, cells
differentiate to form different types of cells
What is the genetic information like in the cells of a multicellular organism?
Almost all of the cells in a multicellular organism contain the same genetic information (the same genes or alleles), but depending on the role one particular cell needs to have, only some of the total sum of genes in a particular cell are used to control its development.
When a cell differentiates, what does it develop?
a structure and composition of subcellular structures which enables it to carry out a certain function.
To form a nerve cell, what must an undifferentiated cell do?
The cytoplasm and cell membrane of an undifferentiated cell must elongate to form connections over large distances.
Meiosis
- Cells in reproductive organs divide by meiosis to form gametes (sex cells)
- The number of chromosomes must be halved when the gametes are formed
- Otherwise, there would be double the number of chromosomes after they join at fertilisation in the zygote (fertilized egg)
- This halving occurs during meiosis, and so it is described as a reduction division in which the chromosome number is halved from diploid to haploid, resulting in genetically different cells
- It starts with chromosomes doubling themselves as in mitosis and lining up in the centre of the cell
- After this has happened the cells divide twice so that only one copy of each chromosome passes to each gamete
- We describe gametes as being haploid – having half the normal number of chromosomes
- Because of this double division, meiosis produces four haploid cells
Mitosis occurs in
somatic cells
resolution
It refers to the smallest non-zero value that can be detected/measured using a measuring instrument.
Examples of the resolution of different instruments
eg: thermometer- 1 degrees Celsius, Protractor- 1 degree, ruler- 1mm
digital ammeter- 0.01 A
digital voltmeter- 0.01 V
chemical balance - 0.01 g)
Advantage of a higher resolution
The higher the resolution, the lower the percentage uncertainty- greater degree of accuracy.
standard deviation
the degree/value that is away from the mean
error bars
show the deviation above the mean
Light microscope
- low resolution
- low magnification
- certain subcellular structures/ organelles (mitochondria, ribosomes) cannot be detected.