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PMP101 > Week 5 eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells > Flashcards

Week 5 eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells Flashcards

1
Q

Cells intro

A

All living things = organisms
Made of cells -> smallest and fundamental units of life
New cells are made from pre-existing cells

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2
Q

Unicellular organisms

A

-Simpler organisms
-One cell exerting all life functions
-Bacteria
-Protozoa
-Unicellular Fungi

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3
Q

Multicellular organisms

A

-More evolute organisms
-Multiple cells with specialised functions
-Pluricellular Fungi
-Plants
-Animals/humans

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4
Q

Cell specialisation

A

-The human body is made up of ~1013 cells, with 200 types of specialised cells
-Distinct cell types vary in size,
shape, functions
-Cell shape and size determine a
particular specialisation
-Cooperation of different specialised cells allows complex organisms to perform a wide range of functions

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5
Q

Red blood cells

A

Main function:
O2 / CO2 transport
-Biconcave shape
-No nucleus
-Contain haemoglobin
-Small and flexible

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6
Q

Neurons

A

Propagation of nerve impulse
(action potential)
-Thin and long cells
-Branched at their ends
-Different subcellular parts
-Release of neurotransmitter signals

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7
Q

Organisation in the human body

A

The human body is organised into levels of increasing complexity;
Cell -> Tissue -> Organ -> Organ system -> Organism

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8
Q

Light microscope or optical microscope

A

The light microscope:
-Is used to observe living cells in a tissue
-Its resolution limit is ~ 0.2μm (not suitable for organelles)

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9
Q

Properties of microscopes

A

Magnification – the ratio of an object’s image to its real
size (up to 1000 times)
Resolution – it is the ability to distinguish between two very closely positioned objects

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10
Q

Fluorescence microscope

A

A technique to make specific parts of a cell or tissue that uses fluorophore proteins or dyes under a special light causing the fluorescent molecules to absorb this light and emit visible light, which makes them glow
-Used to monitor the localisation of target labelled molecules within a cell / tissue

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11
Q

Electron microscope (EM)

A

EM use:
-High resolution images of cell
structures (e.g. organelles)
-Living cells cannot be observed
-Resolution limit is ≈ 2 nm (nanometres)
Two main EM biomedical applications:
->Transmission EM (TEM) - to study organelles
->Scanning EM (SEM) - to study the cell surface

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12
Q

Two distinct type of cells:

A

-Prokaryotic cell
-Eukaryotic

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12
Q

Prokaryotic cell

A

-Without nucleus
-No internal compartments
-No organelles
-Simple internal organisation

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13
Q

Eukaryotic cell

A

-With nucleus
-Internal membranes that enclose the organelles
-Complex organisation

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14
Q

Basic components of a cell

A

-Plasma membrane
-Cytosol, a concentrated aqueous solution of chemicals
-Ribosomes
-GENOME -> genetic information of a cell represented by DNA
that carry hereditary information and define each species
-Biological macromolecules

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15
Q

Macromolecules in cells

A

Cells of all organisms contain 4 major organic (carbon atoms) macromolecules;
-Carbohydrates/Polysaccharides
-Proteins
-Lipids
-Nucleic acids
Macromolecules are polymers made by specific repeating molecular units, monomers

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16
Q

Monomers

A

mono- (one) and -mer (part)
-Building blocks or subunits
-Smallest units of molecules that can join with each other to form larger molecules, polymers

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17
Q

Anabolism

A

Cells link monomers together to form a polymer through polymerisation / condensation reactions (requiring energy)

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18
Q

Catabolism

A

Polymers are broken down into smaller molecules by hydrolysis (realising energy)

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19
Q

Metabolism

A

Catabolism + Anabolism

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21
Q

Prokaryotic cell overview

A

Smaller (0.1-5 μm) and simpler cells
Intracellular compartment;
-Cytoplasm, nucleoid, ribosomes, plasmids, inclusion bodies
-Lack of nucleus and organelles
Internal boundary/ coating layers;
-Plasma membrane (internal boundary)
-Cell wall
-Glycocalyx/capsule
External appendages;
-Flagella, fimbriae, sex pili

22
Q

Prokaryotic cell – Intracellular composition

A

-Cytoplasm
-Ribosomes
-Bacterial DNA chromosome
-Inclusion bodies
-Plasmids

23
Q

Cytoplasm

A

Internal content of the cell - site of many reactions

24
Ribosomes
Composed of a large (50S) and a small subunit (30S) -Each subunit is made of rRNA and proteins -Involved in protein synthesis, translating mRNA code
25
Bacterial DNA chromosome
-Dispersed in a central cytoplasmic space - Nucleoid -Single circular DNA - not linked to histone proteins
26
Inclusion bodies
Aggregates of reserve material (Storing function)
27
Plasmids
Additional/accessory circular DNA -Confer new ability, such as degradative ability of antibiotics -> drug resistance
28
Prokaryotic cell – surface layers
-Plasma membrane -Cell wall -Glycocalyx
29
Plasma membrane
Internal boundary; -Flexible lipid bilayer, as in eukaryotic cells (with no sterols) -Controls the movement of molecules (nutrients/waste) -Sometimes, site of reactions (respiration/photosynthesis)
30
Cell wall
(Different composition in Gram+ve and –ve) -Rigid structure to preserve cell shape & integrity
31
Glycocalyx
Not always ->Polysaccharides layer: Capsule (organised and stable) or Slime layer (loosely attached) ->Protection against dehydration, immune system (phagocytosis) and antibiotics ->Adherence factor
32
Prokaryotic cell – Appendages
-Flagellum -Fimbriae / pili -Sex pilus (pl. pili)
33
Flagellum
-Long and whip-like appendages -Used for cell motility (movement) -It is also a sensory structure to detect nutrients
34
Fimbriae / pili
-Short and thin projections -Used for attachment to a surface or other cells
35
Sex pilus (pl. pili)
-Rigid hair-like tubular structures (longer than fimbriae) -Use to facilitate genetic material transfer between two bacteria (through the conjugation process)
36
Eukaryotic cell overview
-Cell wall is NOT present in human cells -> but present in plant and fungal eukaryotic cells -Contain a nucleus (or more nuclei) -Many membrane-enclosed organelles ->have specialised functions (like organs)
37
Organelles system
-Nucleus -Endoplasmic reticulum -Mitochondria -Golgi apparatus -Lysosomes -Peroxisomes
38
General usefulness of organelles
-Membrane-bound intracellular components allowing compartmentalisation -Different enzymatic composition -> occurrence of diverse metabolic reactions -> specialised functions -Distinct eukaryotic organisms have different organelles ->Lysosomes are only in animals and chloroplasts are only found in plants
39
Cytoplasm
Content inside the plasma membrane excluding the nucleus -Highly organised and dynamic -It includes: -Cytosol -Distinct cell organelles
40
Cytosol
Gel-like fluid (pH 7.2) to support organelles -It includes ribosomes, cytoskeleton, enzymes, etc -It is the site of many cellular activities: -Protein synthesis and degradation -Metabolic reactions (e.g. glycolysis) -Cell signalling pathways
41
Distinct cell organelles
-Enclosed by membranes (separated by the cytosol)
42
Ribosomes
Function: Cell machinery for protein synthesis Structure: Made by 2 subunits: large (60S) & small (40S)  forming 80S -> bigger than the prokaryotic ones (50s and 30S  70S) Both subunits are combinations of : Ribosomal proteins + ribosomal RNA (rRNAs) Types: Free floating in the cytosol or bound to the rough endoplasmic reticulum
43
Cytoskeleton
A network of protein filaments and tubules that provides structural support
44
Cytoskeleton functions
-Structural support: cell shape & resists mechanical stress -Intracellular transport: facilitates movement of organelles, vesicles, and molecules -Regulates cellular processes (eg cell division & motality)
45
Cytoskeleton structures - Composition
3 types of filamentous protein polymers (long repetitions of 1 or more proteins): -Microfilaments (7 nm in diameter) -Intermediate filaments (10 nm in diameter) -Microtubules (25 nm in diameter)
46
Cytoskeleton - microfilaments
-Actin filaments -Long, thread-like filaments of 2 helical strands of actin protein repetitions - (7nm in ⌀) -Depending on interaction with actin binding proteins (e.g. myosin). Very dynamic- Rapid assembly and disassembly for quick rearrangements; -Muscle contraction -Assist with cell movement -Support cell’s shape (e.g. microvilli in intestinal cells) -Cell division: formation of contractile ring in cytokinesis
47
Cytoskeleton - Intermediate filaments
Structure; Rope-like fibres formed by many long strands of several types of proteins twisted together - (10nm in ⌀) Function; -Provide mechanical strength and stability to cells and tissues (abundant in muscle cells) -Anchor cells in extracellular matrix -No effect in cell motility (not bound to motor proteins). More stable
48
Cytoskeleton - Microtubules
Structure; -Long and rigid hollow cylinders made by repetitions of two tubulin protein subunits (α & β) - (25nm in ⌀) Major; -Cell structural support -Intracellular transport linked to motor proteins -Generate force and cell movement (cilia and flagella) -Cell divisions ->forming Centrioles -> DNA segregation
49
Cytoskeleton defects
-Cytoskeleton defects can lead to cardiomyopathies, cancer -Some anti-cancer drugs interfere with microtubule formation to block the uncontrolled cancer cell divisions

PMP101 (43 decks)

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