A CELL

A cell is a basic unit of life.

Types of cells

1. Animal cell
2. Plant cell

An animal cell

CELL MEMBRANE

CYTOPLASM

RIBOSOME

NUCLEUS

MITOCHONDRION

An animal cell has the following pats:

a) A nucleus
b) Cell membrane
c) Cytoplasm
d) Ribosomes
e) Mitochondria
f) Glycogen granules

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A plant cell
CHLOROPLASTS

VACUOLE

RIBOSOMES

NUCLEUS

CELL WALL

CELL MEMBRANE

MITOCHONDRION

A plant cell has the following parts:

a) Nucleus
b) Cell membrane
c) Cytoplasm
d) Ribosomes
e) Mitochondria
f) Starch granules
g) Chloroplasts
h) Vacuole
i) Cell wall

Similarities between a plant cell and animal cell

Both have the following parts:

1. Nucleus
2. Cell membrane
3. Cytoplasm
4. Ribosome
5. Mitochondria

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Differences between a plant cell and an animal cell

A plant cell An animal cell

It has a cell wall Has no cell wall

It has chloroplasts Has no chloroplasts

It has a vacuole Has no vacuole

It stores food as starch granules Stores food as glycogen granules

Functions of the parts of a cell

1. Nucleus – it controls all the chemical activities/reactions taking place in a cell.

For example, it controls cell division, cell specialization, protein synthesis etc.

2. Cell membrane – it controls substances entering and leaving the cell.

For example, it keeps out harmful substances from entering the cell and prevents the cell
from losing some of its components/structures.
It is therefore said to be selectively permeable.

3. Mitochondrion – it is a region where energy is released [a site for respiration]

4. Ribosome – a site for protein synthesis[a region where proteins are produced]

5. Cytoplasm – a site for chemical reactions

6. Chloroplast – a region where photosynthesis takes place; it also contains chlorophyll which
is needed for photosynthesis. Chlorophyll is a green pigment which traps/absorbs light
energy for photosynthesis.

7. Cell wall – it is made up of cellulose. It protects the plant cell and prevents it from
bursting/breaking when it fully filled with water.

8. Vacuole – it supports the plant cell by making it turgid [firm and strong] when fully filled
with water.

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 A SPECIALISED CELL
This is a cell that has finished dividing and growing.

A specialized cell

1. Has one particular function

2. Has a distinct shape/a particular type of shape

Examples of specialized cells in plants and animals.

Animal cells Plant cells

(i) Red blood cell (i) Xylem cell

(ii) White blood cells (ii) Phloem cell
(iii) Muscle cell (iii) Root hair cell
(iv) Nerve cell (iv) Palisade cell
(v) Sperm (v) Guard cell
(vi) Ovum
(vii) Ciliated cell
(Viii) Goblet cell

Animal cells

1. Red blood cell

Function : it transports oxygen around the body

Structure

(a) It has a red pigment called haemoglobin which traps oxygen

(b) It has no nucleus which creates more space for more haemoglobin to be packed hence more
oxygen absorbed
(c) It has a biconcave disc-like shape which allows oxygen to diffuse into and out of the cell
quickly/rapidly
(d) It has a spongy cytoplasm which allows it to squeeze through the tiny blood
vessels[capillaries]

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2. White blood cells

Function : they protect the body against infections or diseases.

Types of white blood cells

a) Phagocyte

Function : it engulfs, digests and destroys bacteria

Structure
It has a lobed nucleus which allows it to change shape to surround the bacteria.

b) Lymphocyte

Function: it produces antibodies which attack and destroy bacteria.

Structure

It has a large centered nucleus

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3. A muscle cell

Function : it is allows movement of body parts

Structure

It is long & thin, can contract and shorten to allow movements

4. Nerve cell [neurone]

Function : a nerve cell carries impulses [electrical signals] to and from the brain and spinal cord.

Types of neurones

(a) Sensory neurone : carries impulses from sense organs to the brain and spinal cord
(b) Relay neurone : carries impulses from sensory neurone to motor neurone
(c) Motor neurone : carries impulses from brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands

Structure

(i) It has a long nerve fibre which allows it to carry impulse to and from distant pats of the
body
(ii) It has myelin sheath[insulation sheath] around the nerve fibre to prevent loss of
impulses
(iii) It has a dendrites which allow impulses to cross from one nerve cell to another

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Plant cells

1. Root hair cell

Function

(i) It absorbs water and mineral salts from the soil

(ii) It anchors the plant on the ground [attaches and supports the plant on the ground]

Structure

(i) It has a finger-like projection[extension] which increases surface area for absorption of
water and mineral salts
(ii) It has many mitochondria which provide more energy for absorption of mineral salts by
active transport.

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2. Xylem cell

Function : it transports water and mineral salts from the roots up the plant to the leaves.

Structure

(i) Xylem cells are cylindrically shaped and joined end to end to form a long tube called
xylem vessel
(ii) The tube formed is hollow[empty] as it loses its cytoplasm, hence allow free movement
of water and mineral salts
(iii) The walls of the xylem cells are strengthened by the deposition of lignin, which prevents
the vessel from collapsing due to the pressure of water.

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3. Phloem cell

Function : it transports organic food substances [glucose, sucrose, amino acids etc] from the
leaves to the rest of the plant.

Structure

(i) The phloem cells are cylindrically shaped and are joined end to end to form a long tube
called sieve tube[phloem tissue]
(ii) At the cross walls there are perforations/pores/holes which form a sieve plate to allow
easy movement of food

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4. Guard cells

Function : they control the opening of the stoma for gaseous exchange.

Structure

They are bean- shaped and positioned in pairs to create an opening [stoma]

5. Palisade cell

Function : where photosynthesis highly takes place.

Structure

It has many chloroplasts which have chlorophyll to absorb more light for photosynthesis.

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 CELL ORGANISATION

1. A tissue
 A group of cells similar in structure performing the same function

2. An organ
 A group of different tissues performing a particular function.

3. A system
 A group of organs whose functions are closely related

4. Organism
 A living thing made up of systems and organs

EXAMPLES

IN ANIMALS IN PLANTS

TISSUES Muscle , nerve, bone, blood, epithelium Epidermis, xylem, phloem,

mesophyll palisade, mesophyll
spongy

ORGANS Nose, lung, heart, brain, mouth, ovary, etc Leaf, stem,root,branch,flower

SYSTEMS Circulatory, respiratory, nervous, skeletal, Root system, shoot system

endocrine, urinary, reproductive, etc

ORGANISMS Man, butterfly, cow, bird, etc Grass, morula plant, mowana plant,
etc
CELL PROCESSES

Diffusion

This is the movement of molecules from a region where they are at a higher concentration to a region
where they are at a lower concentration i.e. down the concentration gradient.

 Concentration gradient is the difference in the amount of a substance in two regions.

Examples in animals

1. Digested food moving from small intestine into the blood

2. Oxygen moving from alveoli into the blood
3. Carbon dioxide from blood into the alveoli [air sacs in the lungs]
4. Oxygen and food from the blood into the cells
5. Etc

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Examples in plants

1. Movement of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the leaf

2. Movement of oxygen from the leaf to the atmosphere
3. Etc

The effect of particle size on the rate of diffusion

Smaller molecules diffuse/move faster than larger molecules. Therefore, the smaller the molecules the
higher the rate of diffusion.

The effect of temperature on the rate of diffusion

An increase in temperature increases the rate of diffusion. This is because molecules gain more kinetic
energy and move faster.

The effect of concentration gradient on the rate of diffusion

A higher concentration gradient increases the rate of diffusion.

OSMOSIS

This is the movement of water molecules from a region of their higher concentration to a region of their
lower concentration through a selectively permeable membrane.

The effect of osmosis on plant tissues/cells

(a) A plant cell surrounded by pure water

The cell will have a lower water potential [lower water concentration] than outside. Therefore
water will move from outside into the cell by osmosis. The vacuole will expand pushing the
cytoplasm and cell membrane against the cell wall. This makes the cell to be turgid.

 The cell does not break because it has a protective cell wall.

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 (b) A plant cell surrounded by a concentrated sugar solution

The cell will have a higher water potential than the concentrated solution outside. Therefore
water will leave the cell by osmosis. The vacuole will shrink, pulling the cytoplasm and cell
membrane away from the cell wall. When the cell has lost its firmness/turgidity due to loss of
water it is said to be flaccid.
If the cell has lost excessive amount of water, it becomes plasmolysed.

 A plant which has lost a lot of water wilts.

The effect of osmosis on animal tissues/cells

(a) An animal cell surrounded by pure water

Pure water has a higher water potential than the cell. Water enters the cell by osmosis. The cell
expands until it bursts or breaks because it does not have a protective cell wall.

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 (b) An animal cell surrounded by a concentrated sugar solution

The cell has a higher water potential than the concentrated sugar solution. Water leaves the cell
by osmosis. The cell then shrinks.

ACTIVE TRANSPORT

This is the movement of molecules/particles from a region of their lower concentration to a

region of their higher concentration i.e. against the concentration gradient. This process
requires energy.

Examples of active transport

1. Absorption of mineral salts from the soil

2. Absorption of mineral ions between the blood and the cell

Differences between diffusion, osmosis and active transport

Diffusion Osmosis Active transport

Involves movement of any Involves movement of water Involves movement of any

molecules molecules only molecules

Molecules move from where Molecules move from where Molecules move from where
they are more to where they are they are more to where they are they are less to where they are
less [down the concentration less [down the concentration more [against the concentration
gradient] gradient] gradient]
Requires a selectively permeable Requires a living [selectively
Does not require a selectively membrane permeable] membrane
permeable membrane

Does not require energy Does not require energy Requires energy

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