Module 2 Flashcards
Magnification
- tells you how many times bigger the image produced by the microscope is than the real-life object
Resolution
- the ability to distinguish between objects that are close together
measuring diameter through a light microscope
- use eyepiece graticule
- calibrate graticule using stage micrometer
- calculate length of one epu
- measure diameter of …. in EPU
- take repeat measurements + calculate mean …
- use calibrated EPU to calculate length/diameter of …. in micrometers
Why is using a stain advantageous?
- contrast is higher
- more (internal) structures visible
- some organelles(eg nucleus) more visible because they bind to the stain
- clearer image can be obtained
Optical (light) microscopes
- use light to form an image which limits the resolution of optical microscopes (using light makes it impossible to resolve two objects that are closer than half a wavelength of light)
- Max resolution of 0.2 micrometres (or 200nm)- can see eukaryotic cells and their nuclei but cannot observe smaller organelles eg ribosomes, ER or lysosomes
-max magnification is around x1500
Electron microscopes
-use electrons to form image which greatly increases resolution, giving more detailed image
- beam of electrons has smaller wavelength than light
- max resolution of 0.0002 micrometres (0.2 nm)
- max magnification of x1,500,000
Transmission electron microscopes (TEMs)
- use electromagnets to focus a beam of electrons through a specimen
ADV
-give high resolution images, allowing internal structures within cells to be seen
DISADV
-can only be used on very thin specimens - cannot observe live specimens
-lengthy treatment required to prepare specimens means artefacts can be introduced
-do not produce a colour image
Scanning electron microscopes (SEMs)
- scan a beam of electrons across a specimen
- produce 3 dimensional images that show surface of specimens
ADV
-can be used on thick or 3D specimens
-allow external 3D structure to be observed
DISADV - give lower resolution images than TEMs
- cannot be used to observe live specimens
- do not produce colour image
Laser scanning confocal microscopes
- cells stained with fluorescent dyes
- thick section of tissue or small living organism scanned with laser beam
ADV - can be used on thick/ 3D specimens
- allow external 3D structure to be viewed
- very clear images are produced
DISADV
-slow process - laser can cause photodamage to cells
Cell surface membrane
- controls the exchange of materials between the internal and external cell environment
-partially permeable - formed from a phospholipid bilayer
Cell wall (plant, not animal)
- formed outside cell membrane to offer structural support
- polysaccharide cellulose in plants
- peptidoglycan in bacteria cells
- narrow threads of cytoplasm, called plasmodesmata connect the cytoplasm of neighbouring plant cells
Nucleus
- present in all eukaryotic cells (except RBC)
- double membrane (nuclear envelope) which has many pores
-nuclear pores allow mRNA and ribosomes to travel out of nucleus + allow enzymes and signalling molecules to travel in - contains chromatin, which makes up chromosomes
- nucleolus- sites of ribosome production
Mitochondria
- site of aerobic respiration in all eukaryotic cells
-double-membrane with inner membrane folded to form cristae - matrix formed by cristae contains enzymes for aerobic respiration (eg ATP)
- small circular pieces of DNA and ribosomes also found in matrix (needed for replication)
Chloroplasts
-found in plant cells
-larger than mitochondria, surrounded by double membrane
- membrane-bound compartments called thylakoids containing chlorophyll stack to form structures called grana
- grana joined by lamellae (thin and flat thylakoid membranes)
- site of photosynthesis
- light-dependent stage in thylakoids
- light- independent stage in stroma
- small circular pieces of DNA and ribosomes to synthesise proteins
Ribosomes
- found in all cells
- freely in cytoplasm of cells as part of rough ER in eukaryotic cells
- each ribosome is a complex of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and proteins
- 80S ribosomes (in eukaryotes)
- 70S ribosomes (in prokaryotes, mitochondria and chloroplasts)
- site of translation
Endoplasmic reticulum
Rough ER:
- found in animal and plant cells
- surface covered in ribosomes
- formed from continuous folds of membrane continuous with the nuclear envelope
- processes proteins made by ribosomes
Smooth ER:
- found in plant and animal cells
- no ribosomes on surface
- involved in production, processing and storage of lipids, carbs and steroids
Role of membrane in RER
- compartmentalisation/ maintain different conditions from cell cytoplasm
- separating proteins (synthesised) from cell cytoplasm
- hold ribosomes/enzymes in place
Golgi apparatus (golgi complex)
- found in animal and plant cells
- flattened sacs of membrane
- modifies proteins and lipids before packaging them into Golgi vesicles
- vesicles transport proteins and lipids to their required destination
Large permanent vacuoles
- a sac in plant cells surrounded by tonoplast, selectively permeable membrane
- vacuoles in animal cells are not permanent and small
vesicles
- found in animal and plant cells
- a membrane-bound sac for transport and storage
lysosomes
- specialist forms of vesicles which contain hydrolytic enzymes
- break down waste materials such as worn-out organelles
- used extensively by cells of the immune system and in apoptosis (programmed cell death)
Centrioles
-hollow fibres made of microtubules
- two centrioles at right angles to each other form a centrosome , which organises the spindle fibres during cell division
-not found in flowering plants and fungi
Microtubule
- found in all eukaryotic cells
- makes up cytoskeleton of the cell about 25nm in diameter
- made of alpha and beta tubulin combined to form dimers, the dimers are then joined into protofilaments
- the cytoskeleton is used to provide support and movement of the cell
Microvilli
-found in specialised animal cells
- cell membrane projections
-used to increase the surface area of cell surface membrane to increase the rate of exchange of substances
cilia
- hair-like projections made from microtubules
- allows movement of substances over the cell surface
Flagella
- found in specialised cells
- similar in structure to cilia, made of longer microtubules
- contract to provide cell movement (eg in sperm cells)
Protein synthesis process
- nucleolus manufactures ribosomes for protein synthesis in RER
- The nucleus manufactures mRNA (transcription) which is needed by ribosomes to make proteins
- The ribosomes in the RER make proteins (translation)
- The RER processes proteins which are then sent in vesicles to golgi body
- The Golgi body further processes the proteins and sends them in vesicles to the plasma membrane
- The vesicles fuse with the plasma membrane to secrete the finished protein product.
Describe how the molecule is prepared and secreted by cells of the salivary gland after translation has taken place
-transport vesicle from RER
-modification / processing / folding
- in / at, Golgi (body / apparatus)
- (packaged into) secretory vesicle
- vesicles move along the cytoskeleton
-(vesicle) fuses with, cell surface / plasma,
membrane
-(secretion occurs by) exocytosis
Cytoskeleton
-made up of 2 main types of protein fibres: microfilaments and microtubules
- microfilaments: solid strands made up of protein actin. allow cell movements and movement of organelles within cells
- microtubules: tubular (hollow) strands made up of protein tubulin. organelles are moved along these fibres using ATP
- Intermediate filaments also found in cytoskeleton
Importance of cytoskeleton
- Intracellular movement (movement of vesicles and chromosomes)
- cellular movement (via cilia and flagella)
- strengthening and support (mechanical strength)