Module 3: Cell Structures and their Functions
Cell: Basic living unit of organisms
Functions of Cell
• Basic unit of life
• Protection and support
• Movement
• Communication
• Cell metabolism and energy release
• Inheritance
Cell Structure
1. Cell membrane
- Outermost component of a cell
- Encloses the cell
- Supports the cell contents
- Selective/semipermeable
- Plays a role in communication between cells
- Composed of phopholipid bilayer and proteins
Ways of passing through the cell membrane
- Directly through phospholipid membrane
- Membrane channels
- Carrier molecules
- Vesicles
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Types of movement across cell membranes
- Diffusion
o Movement of molecules from higher to lower concentration
o Depends on differences in concentration gradient
o For small non-lipid proteins such as oxygen and carbon
dioxide - Osmosis
o Depends on solute and water concentration
- Filtration
o Partition containing small holes is placed in a stream of
moving liquid o Depends on pressure difference on either side
of partition
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o Particles small enough to pass through the holes move through the
partition with the liquid, but particles larger than the holes are
prevented from moving beyond the partition.
- Facilitated diffusion
o Diffusion aided by carrier proteins and protein channels
- Active transport
o Mediated transport process that requires energy provided
by ATP o Na+-K+ pump
- Secondary active transport
o Requires a first active transport to proceed
o Happens in intestines, when glucose is going in epithelial cells
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- Endocytosis
o Internalization of substances
o Phagocytosis
▪ cell-eating, solid particles
▪ WBC (elimination of harmful substances)
o Pinocytosis
▪ cell-drinking, liquid
▪ kidneys, epithelial cells of intestines, liver cells
- Exocytosis
o Expulsion of substances
o Secretions from cells such as pancreas (digestive enzymes),
salivary glands, mammary glands
2. Cytoplasm
- Contains a fluid portion, cytosol, and cytoskeleton which consists of
microtubules, microfilaments, and intermediate filaments
- Supports the cell and holds the organelles in place
3. Organelles
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a. Nucleus
∙ Large organelle usually located near the center of the cell
∙ Contains the DNA which is the hereditary material of the cell and
controls cellular activities
b. Nucleolus
∙ Rounded, dense, well-defined nuclear bodies with no
surrounding membrane
∙ Consist of RNA and proteins
∙ Sites of ribosomal subunit assembly
c. Ribosome
∙ Where proteins are produced
d. Endoplasmic Reticulum
∙ Series of membranes forming sacs and tubules that extend from the
outer nuclear membrane into the cytoplasm
∙ Rough ER: with ribosomes attached; major site of protein
synthesis ∙ Smooth ER: without ribosomes attached; major site of
lipid synthesis and detoxification of chemicals
e. Golgi apparatus
∙ Collects, modifies, packages, distributes proteins and lipids
synthesized by the ER
∙ Chemically modifies proteins
f. Vesicles
∙ Transports and stores materials within cells
∙ Pinch off and carry substances from the golgi apparatus and move
to the surface of the cell (secretory)
g. Lysosomes
∙ Membrane-bound vesicles formed from the golgi apparatus which
contains enzymes
∙ Break down phagocytized material
h. Peroxisomes
∙ Break down fatty acids, amino acids, and hydrogen
peroxide i. Mitochondria
∙ Small, bean-shaped, rod-shaped, or long, threadlike organelles with
inner and outer membranes separated by a space
∙ Major sites of ATP production within cells and carry out aerobic
respiration j. Centriole
∙ Development of spindle fibers in cell division
k. Cilia, Flagella, Microvilli
∙ Cilia
o Cylindrically-shaped structures that project from the surface
of cells o Capable of moving substances over the surface of
cells
∙ Flagella
o Much longer than cilia
o Propel sperm cells
∙ Microvilli
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o Specialized extensions of the cell membrane that are supported by
microfilaments but do not actively move like cilia and flagella
o Increase the surface area of cells and aid in absorption
Whole-Cell Activity
• Cell Metabolism
• Sum of all the chemical reactions in the cell
• Glycolysis
• Aerobic respiration
• Anaerobic respiration
• Protein synthesis
• Transcription
• Translation
• Cell Division
• The formation of two daughter cells from single parent cell
• Mitosis: Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase
• Differentiation
• The process by which cells develop with specialized structures and
functions • Active and inactive sections of DNA are within cells and they
are selectively activated and inactivated in a specific cell
Cellular Aspects of Aging
• Cellular clock
• Death genes
• DNA damage
• Free radicals
• Mitochondrial damage
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