BIOLOGY STD- IX
L- 5 CELL- THE FUNDAMENTAL UNIT OF LIFE
Smallest structural and functional unit of life- cell.
Discovery-
Year Scientist Discovery
1665 Robert Hooke Cells in cork slice
1674 Leewenhoek Cells in pond water
1831 Robert Brown Nucleus
1839 Purkinje Coined the term ‘protoplasm’
1839-3 Schleiden and Schwann Cell theory- all plants and animals are
8 made up of cells, cells are basic units
of life
1855 Virchow Expanded cell theory- cells arise from
pre-existing cells
Organisms --------- 1. Unicellular- Amoeba
2. Multicellular- Humans
Cells may be of different shapes and sizes depending on the function they
perform
Eg: muscle cell, nerve cell, RBC, ovum, sperm etc.
Cells show division of labour- even in single cell.
Each cell organelle performs special function.
Postulates of the Cell Theory-
● All living organisms- plants and animals are made up of cells.
● Cells are the fundamental and structural unit of life.
● Cells arise from pre-existing cells.
● Every organism begins life as a single cell.
CELL THEORY- POSTULATES
● All plants and animals are made up of cells
● Cells are basic units of life
● Cells arise from pre existing cells
● Evry organism starts life as a single cell.
*NOTE- Viruses are exception to cell theory
COMPONENTS OF CELL-
1. Plasma membrane
2. Nucleus
3. Cytoplasm
PLASMA MEMBRANE:
● Separates cell contents from outer environment.
● Gives definite shape
● Selectively permeable
● Lipid- protein structure
Diffusion: spontaneous movement of a substance from a region of high
concentration to a region where its concentration is low.
Osmosis: Movement of water molecules through a selectively permeable
membrane or passage of water from a region of high water concentration to a
low water concentration through a semi permeable membrane. ( Special case
of diffusion)
Hypotonic solution
Osmosis ------ Isotonic solution
Hypertonic solution
Hypotonic solution Isotonic solution
Hypertonic solution
( Cell swells) ( cell remains the same) ( Cell
shrinks)
Diffusion --- important for exchange of gases
Osmosis ---- absorption of water by roots, unicellular fresh water organisms,
most plants- gain water.
● Nutrition also derived from environment. Molecules move in and out of
cell through transport which requires energy.
● Endocytosis- Ability of cell membrane to engulf food material from
external environment. Eg. Amoeba
● CELL WALL- Only in plant cells.
Made of cellulose.
Provides structural strength and shape to the cell.
Helps to withstand dilute external media ( without
bursting).
Gives definite shape to the cell.
● Plasmolysis- The loss off water by a living cell through osmosis
resulting in the shrinkage or contraction of the contents of the cell away
from the cell wall is known as plasmolysis.
● Cell wall- In bacteria- peptidoglycan, In plants- cellulose, In fungi-
Chitin
Cell wall Cell membrane
Present only in plant cell Present in plant and animal cell
Made of cellulose Made of proteins and lipids
Fully permeable Semi- permeable
Rigid Flexible
Thick Thin
Non living Living
Determines the shape and offers Protects protoplasm and maintains a
protection constant internal environment.
NUCLEUS:
Has double layered nuclear membrane with pores.
Pores allow transfer of material.
Contains chromosomes(visible only when cell is about to divide) +
nucleoplasm.
When not dividing chromatin material present
Chromatin -----------------------------🡪 Chromosomes -------------------------🡪
genes
( entangled mass of thread ( DNA and proteins) (
segments- here like structure)
information is stored
for
inheritance)
Prokaryotic- undefined nucleus- lack nuclear
membrane- nucleoid
Cells-------------------
Eukaryotic- well defined nucleus- have nuclear
membrane
Functions of nucleus-
● Central role in cellular reproduction.
● Plays important role along with the environment in determining the
way the cell will develop and differentiation of cell.
● Directs all chemical activities of the cell.
CYTOPLASM-
● Fluid content of the plasma membrane
● Contains various cell organelles.
CELL ORGANELLES-
Enclosed by membranes, therefore absent in prokaryotes .
Viruses lack membranes, therefore no characteristics of life until they enter
the host body and use its cell machinery to multiply.
ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM-
● Network of membrane bound tubes, - may be long, spherical or oblong.
● Similar in structure to plasma membrane.
● Looks like tubules forming channels.
● Two Types-
● Rough ER- ribosomes attached to its surface. Ribosomes ae sites for
protein synthesis.
● Smooth ER – helps in manufacture of fat molecules or lipids.
Some of these proteins and lipids help n building plasma membrane. This
process is known as Membrane biogenesis.
Functions-
● Forms network system
● Protein / lipid synthesis
● Serve as channels for transport of materials between various regions of
cytoplasm or cytoplasm and nucleus.
● Provides surface for some biochemical activities of cell.
● In some animals, in liver cells SER plays important role in detoxifying
many poisons and drugs.
GOLGI APPARATUS-
● Consists of system of membrane bound vesicles arranged parallel to
each other in stacks called cisterns.
● Have connections with the membranes of the ER.
Functions-
● Material synthesized near ER is packaged and distributed to various
targets (Intra and inter cellular)
● Storage, modification and packaging of products.
● In some, complex sugars are made from simple ones.
● Also involved in formation of lysosomes.
LYSOSOMES-
● Membrane bound sacs
● Contain powerful digestive enzymes made by RER.
● Known as waste disposal system or suicidal bags of cell because they
burst and enzymes digest their own cell.
Functions-
● Help in cleaning- by digesting foreign material or even old organelles (
in worn out cells)
MITOCHONDRIA-
● Sites for cellular respiration.
● Power houses of the cell
● Energy released in the form of ATP- known as energy currency of the
cell.
● Have two membranes- outer very porous, while inner deeply folded-
which creates large surface area for ATP generating chemical reactions.
● Have their own DNA and ribosomes. Hence can make some of their
own proteins ( self replicating organelles)
● Mitochondria are absent in bacteria and mammalian RBC.
PLASTIDS-
● Present only in plant cells.
● Two types- chromoplasts- coloured and leucoplasts- colourless or white
● Chromoplasts- contain coloured pigments, if chlorophyll present-
chloroplasts
● Leucoplasts- contain starch,oil and protein granules stored.
● Consists of numerous membrane layers embedded in the stroma.
● Similar in structure to mitochondria(external)
● Have own DNA and ribosomes.
Functions-
● Chloroplasts- important for photosynthesis.
● Chromoplasts- important as contain orange, yellow pigments that give
colour to flowers and fruits.- attract pollinators
● Luecoplasts-store starch, proteins.
VACUOLES-
● Storage sacs ( solid or liquid)
● Membrane bound spaces.
● Plant cell- Large – full of cell sap( 50- 90 % of cell volume), Animal
cell- small
Functions-
● Plant cells- provide turgidity and rigidity to the cell.
● Substances like amino acids, sugars, proteins stored.
● In single celled, contains food.
● In some, specialized vacuoles expel water and wastes.
Leocoplasts Chromoplasts
colourless Coloured- brownish to reddish
Take part in storage Attract pollinators
