Unit 1- Section 3 Cell Structure And Membranes Flashcards
What’s the difference between prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic?
Eukaryotic cells are complex and include all animal and plant cells. Prokaryotic cells are simpler, for example, bacteria
What are the two types of cells?
Prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells
What are organelles?
They are part of cells and each one has a specific function.
How can you see organelles?
Through an electron microscope. You can see the organelles and the internal structure of most of them
Describe a plasma membrane
It’s the membrane found on the surface of animal cells and just inside the cell wall of plant cells and prokaryotic cells. They’re made up of mainly lipids and proteins
What’s the function of plasma membrane?
It regulates the movement of substances into and out of the cell. It also has receptor molecules on it that allow it to respond to chemicals like hormones
Describe microvilli
They are folds in the plasma membrane,
What’s the function of microvilli?
They are found on cells involved in the process like absorption, such as epithelial cells in the small intestine. They increase the surface area of the plasma membrane
Describe the nucleus
It is a large organelle that is surrounded by a nuclear envelope(double membrane) which contains many pores. The nucleus contains chromatin and often a structure called the nucleolus
What’s the function of a nucleus?
Chromatin is made from proteins and DNA, (DNA controls the cells activities) the pores allow substances to move between the nucleus and cytoplasm p, the nucleolus makes ribosomes
Describe lysosomes
A round organelle that is surrounded by a membrane, it has my clear internal structure
What is the function of lysosomes?
It contains digestive enzymes, these are kept separate from the cytoplasm by the surrounding membrane, it can be used to digest invading cells or to break down worn out components of the cell
Describe a ribosome
A very small organelle that floats free in the cytoplasm or is attached to the rough endoplasmic reticulum
What is the function of ribosomes?
Protein synthesis
Describe the endoplasmic reticulum
There are two types:
Smooth: it’s a system of membranes enclosing a fluid filled space
Rough: it is similar but is covered in ribosomes
What are the functions of endoplasmic reticulum?
Smooth: it synthesises and processes lipids
Rough: folds and process proteins that have been made at the ribosomes
Describe Golgi apparatus
Group of fluid filled flattened sacs
What is the function of Golgi apparatus?
It processes and packages new lipids and proteins, which are transported elsewhere by vesicles (membrane bound sacs) it also makes lysosomes
Describe mitochondrion
They’re usually oval shaped and have a double membrane. The inner one is folded to form the structures called cristae. Inside the matrix, which contains enzymes involved in respiration
What’s the function of mitochondrion?
The site of aerobic respiration, which produces ATP. A common energy source in the cell. Mitochondria are found in large numbers in cells and are very active which means they require a lot of energy
Cell function and organelles of an epithelial cells
The walls of the small intestine have lots of villi to increase surface area
The cells on the surface if the villi have microvilli to increase the surface area more
They also have lots of mitochondria to provide energy for the transport of digested food molecules into the cell
Cells function and organelles of red blood cells
They are adapted to carry oxygen around the body, they have no nucleus to make more room for haemoglobin that carries oxygen
Cell function and organelles of sperm cells
Lots of mitochondria to provide large amounts of energy to propel themselves towards the egg
What’s the equation to work out magnification of a cell?
Magnification= length of image%length of specimen
When calculating magnification what must you ensure?
All lengths are in the same units (all in mm)
What is a micrometre (um) in mm?
0.001mm so you would divide it by 1000 to get it into mm
What is a nanometre (nm) in mm?
0.000001 so you would divide it by 1,000,000
What is the resoluton?
It is how detailed the image is, it’s how well a microscope distinguishes between two points that are close together. If a microscope lens can’t separate two objects, then increasing the magnification will not help
What is a light microscope?
They use light
Have a lower resolution then electron microscopes. They have a maximum resolution of about 0.2 micrometers. The maximum useful magnification of a light microscope is about X 1500
What is an electron microscope?
They use electrons instead of light to form an image.
Higher resolution than light microscopes so give a more detailed image
They have a much higher magnification
Produce black and white images, these are often coloured using a computer
The images can sometimes contain artefacts left over from preparing the specimen so they can affect the clarity and reliability of the image
What is a transmission electron microscope? (TEM’s)
They use electromagnets to focus a beam of electrons, which is then transmitted through the specimen. Denser parts of the specimen absorb more electrons which make them look darker on the image
Positives about transmission electron microscopes
High resolution image so you can look and smaller objects
Disadvantages of transmission electron microscope
Got to view the specimen in a vacuum so you cannot look at living organisms. Only work on thin specimens
What is a scanning electron microscope? (SEMs)
Scan a beam of electrons across the specims, this knocks off electrons from the specimen which are gathered in a cathode ray tube to form an image.
Advantages of scanning electron microscope
Images can be 3D
Used on thick specimens
Disadvantages of scanning electron microscope
Lower resolution image and still can’t be used on living organisms
What is homogenisation?
It is the breaking down of cells. It can be done in several ways, vibrating the cells or grinding them up in a blender. This breaks up the plasma membrane and releases the organelles into a solution
Why does the solution for homogenisation have to be kept ice cold?
Reduce the activity of enzymes that may break down the organelles
Why does the solution for homogenisation have to be isotonic?
Same concentration of chemicals as the cells being broken down. it’s prevents the organelles bursting of shrivelling due to osmosis
What three processes are involved in cell fractionation?
1) homogenisation
2) filtration
3) ultracentrifugation