MD Flashcards
the unit structure of all living things
cell
the basic and smallest unit of living matter
cell
First described by Robert Hooke from a thin slice of cork
cell
fundamental unit of life
cell
Cell theory
- All living things are composed of one or more cells
- Cells are the fundamental building block of life
- All cells come from pre-existing cells (life begets life)
Lipid and protein layer surrounding the cytoplasm1
cell membrane
rigid outer-layer of the cell, of varying chemical composition
cell wall
the hereditary material, DNA
nuclear material
contains organelles, enzymes, chemicals. it’s the site of most cellular metabolic activity
cytoplasm
Properties of all cells
- Compartmentalization and metabolism
- Growth
- Evolution
Properties of some cells
- Motility
- Differentiation
- Communication
Basic Types of Cells
-Prokaryotic
-Eukaryotic
- (Greek for “before the nucleus”)
– always have a cell wall, a plasma membrane and a cytoplasm that contains a nucleoid and many ribosomes
Prokaryotic
- (Greek for “true nucleus”)
- always have a plasma membrane, a membrane-bound nucleus, and a cytoplasm that contains a cytoskeleton and membranous organelles, in addition to ribosomes
Eukaryotic
- (Bacteria and Archaea) have no nucleus.
- DNA appears as a granular structure associated with the membrane = the nucleoid
- Only approximately 3% of the nucleoid is DNA.
- Genetic material consists of one single circular DNA molecule
Prokaryotes
Prokaryotes also frequently carry one or more smaller independent circular DNAs called
plasmids or episomes
do not integrate into the main chromosome
Plasmids
can reside in the cell as independent molecules or can integrate into the main chromosome.
Episomes
Both are generally not essential for bacterial growth.
plasmids or episomes
Carry genes that confer desirable traits to the bacteria
Antibiotic resistance
Allow transfer of genetic information from one cell to another by means of
conjugation
Prokaryotes (e.g. E. coli)
- Genome is approx. 4.7 Mbp long
- Sequence det. in 1997
- Dimensions of cell = 1.5 x 2 to 6 μm.
- Therefore, DNA has to be strongly compacted to fit into the cell otherwise it would have a diameter of 430 μm, or a length of a bout 1 mm.
are characterized by a nuclear membrane that surrounds their genetic patrimonium.
Eukaryotes
- is an organelle with a diameter of several μm and is mostly visible in the light microscope.
Nucleus
- The membrane has some 3,000 to 4,000 pores of 9 nm diameter,
allow the passage of macromolecules up to 60,000 Dalton (Da) and contains numerous proteins involved in active transport of small and macromolecules in (proteins, cDNA) and out (mature mRNA) of the nucleus.
Nucleus
DNA replication and transcription take place in the
Nucleus