Cells

The basic structural and functional unit of life.

Celley’s Trip To Cell City

Celley just arrived in Cell City via train from New Jersey in order to meet her friend Phyll. The train depot was located right outside the Cell City border and she would have to figure out how she would be traveling the rest of the way. She noticed that the city was surrounded by a huge concrete wall. Celley thought this was weird because the city she is from doesn’t have any protective barrier surrounding it. There was an opening in the wall which Celley walked through. She did not know what to expect, since Cell City was an area that she was not too familiar with.

Once Celley walked through the opening in the city’s protective wall, she came across another barrier. This time it was a large chain-Link fence with a gate. Celley was familiar with this large chain-link fence because her city also had one. Since she was not the only person traveling into Cell City, she carefully observed another person try to gain entry. The person placed his hand onto an identification key pad and the screen said, “NO ADMITTANCE!” Once the man angrily walked away, Celley walked up to the identification pad, and placed her hand on it. To Celley’s surprise, the screen said, “ADMITTANCE GRANTED.” As Celley walked through the gate, she was suddenly surrounded by a broth-like liquid that engulfed the whole city. It took her a minute to adjust to this environment, however, she did so without too much difficulty, because she was an avid swimmer.

Celley’s Trip To Cell City

Celley realized that she had no way of knowing how to navigate such a large and busy place. She decided the best thing to do would be to go to Town Hall since that was like the control center of the whole city, where everything is managed and processed. She saw a sign that directed her to town hall. The arrow pointed to the entrance of what appeared to be a highway/thruway. Celley realized that she would have to catch a cab in order to get to Town Hall since the highway looked extremely long and windy. Once getting the attention of a cab driver, she got into the car and paid close attention to her surroundings. Throughout her travels on the highway she noticed many small circular structures. These structures were protein factories. There were many of these protein factories on this particular stretch of highway, since Cell City was a growing place that was constantly building and repairing its structures. However, Celley noticed that there were also long stretches of the highway that did not contain these protein factories. She preferred these sections since they did not seem as congested. Celley questioned the cab driver about the city’s disposal management vehicles. She wondered why she didn’t see any since they were so prevalent in her city. The driver said that he never heard of them and then questioned Celley as to their purpose. She told the driver that in her city, they are circular vehicles that usually travel quickly around the city as they need to load up and dispose of (or transfer) materials that can be harmful.

Celley’s Trip To Cell CityOnce reaching the control center, Celley planned on asking for directions

to the food processing factories where her friend Phyll worked as a food engineer. Similar to the entrance to Cell City, Celley came across a chain-link fence, but this one was a lot smaller since it only surrounded Town Hall. As she did before, she went to the gate and placed her hand on the identification pad. Once again, to her surprise, the screen said, “ADMITTANCE GRANTED.” Once entering the facility, a kind man at a desk smiled at Celley and asked her if he could help her. Celley asked for directions to the food processing factory. The man said, “There are a few food processing factories in Cell City, which are you looking for?” Celley recalled Phyll saying he worked near a power plant. When she passed this info on to the man, he said, “Oh, that one. You must first get a cab and go East on city highway 210, until you get to the end. At that point you will reach the reservoir and you must travel to the rest of Cell City by foot. Keeping the reservoir to your left, you should follow the path all the way around. After a few minutes, you will pass the South-Side Food Processing Plant on your right. Be careful not to take a right after the food processing plant because you will get very lost and that is not the type of place to get lost in. There are support beams that help hold the city together there and it is highly guarded. You will know that you are on the right track if you then see the South Side Packaging Plant soon after. Just remember to keep the reservoir to your left.

Celley’s Trip To Cell City

Currently, it is extremely visible because it is full of water so it should not be too difficult to reference. Good thing you weren’t here a few weeks ago when the level was extremely low. Celley commented how most of the reservoirs in her city are very small and they would be too difficult to use as a point of reference. “Anyway,” said the man, “you will then pass the East-Side Power Plant. This Power Plant is huge compared to the one that your friend Phyll works near. Continue around the reservoir and then you need to take a right after you see the Central Packaging Plant. You will notice the North-West Food Processing Factory on your left. This is where your friend works. You need to continue along the road and the entrance is around back, across from the small, North-West Power Plant. Once there, ask one of the guards at the front desk to call down your friend Phyll.” “Thanks so much,” said Celley. “No Problem,” said the man.

Celley spent quite some time traveling to the North-West Food Processing Factory. However, she realized that it was well worth the trip because she got to see her friend Phyll and she also got to learn about the unique place known as Cell City.

Celley’s Trip to Cell City - Review Questions

1. Retrace Celley’s travels and try to list the structures/parts of Cell City that she encountered during her trip.

2. What was the one thing that Celley had encountered when first approaching Cell City that she did not have where she was from?

3. How many types of highway were present in Cell City? Explain.

4. What was the thing that was common in the city that Celley was from, however, she did not find in Cell City?

5. What aspect of the reservoir would have caused Celley’s journey to be more difficult if she had come a few weeks earlier?

6. How did Celley describe the reservoirs in her city?

Cell City MapRemember: All cities do not have to look alike or have the same physical structures.

Start

Finish

Concrete Barrier

Large Chain-Link Fence

Highway/ThruwayTown Hall

(Control Center)

Protein FactoryReservoir

South-Side Food Processing Factory

South-Side Packaging Plant

East-Side Power Plant

Central Packaging Plant

North-West Food Processing Factory

North-West Power Plant

Broth/Fluid

Small Chain-Link Fence

City Support Beams

Cell Parts Activity

For this activity you will be given 42 sheets to organize into 14 groups of three

Each group must contain: a picture the name of the cell part that the picture

is representing a mnemonic/analogy that will help to

remember the part (or its function)

Cell History - Timeline

1590 - Hans & 1590 - Hans & Zacharias Zacharias JanssenJanssen

Took the normalTook the normal hand lens and hand lens and

doubled its power doubled its power by combining it by combining it with another…with another…

the first COMPOUND the first COMPOUND microscope!microscope!

1665 – Hooke

viewed cork cells

under a microscope

and thought they

were similar to

small rooms in a

monastery called cells

1676- 1676- LeeuwenhoeLeeuwenhoe

kkobserved smaller observed smaller

creatures creatures (bacteria);(bacteria);

first to see living first to see living cellscells

1838- 1838- SchleidenSchleidenviewed plants viewed plants

under the under the microscope;microscope;

first to find that first to find that plants are indeed plants are indeed

made ofmade ofcellscells

1839- 1839- SchwannSchwann

viewed animal viewed animal parts under a parts under a Microscope;Microscope;

first to find that first to find that animals are animals are

made made of cellsof cells

1855- 1855- VirchowVirchowdiscovered discovered

that that

all living all living things things

come from come from other other

living thingsliving things

1590 - Hans & 1590 - Hans & Zacharias JanssenZacharias Janssen

1665 – Hooke

1676- Leeuwenhoek1676- Leeuwenhoek

1838- Schleiden1838- Schleiden

1839- Schwann1839- Schwann

1855- Virchow1855- Virchow

Cell Theory

Development of the CELL THEORY These discoveries all led to important components of

CELL THEORY1. All living things are made of cells2. The cell is the basic unit of structure & function in all

living things3. All cells come from pre-existing cells4. Cells contains hereditary information which is passed

from cell to cell during cell division. 5. All cells are basically the same in chemical

composition.

6. All energy flow (metabolism & biochemistry) of life

occurs within cells.   

Cell Significance Nutrition Digestion

Absorption Biosynthesis Respiration

Excretion Secretion Response

Reproduction

Life Span of Various Cells

Cell Type Life SpanLining of esophagus 2-3 Days

Lining of small intestine 1-2 Days

Lining of large intestine 6 Days

Red blood cells Less than 120 Days

White blood cells 10 hours to decades

Smooth Muscle Long-lived

Cardiac (heart) muscle Long-lived

Skeletal Muscle Long-lived

Neuron (nerve cell) Long-lived

Two Basic Cell Types Prokaryotes

Cells that lack nuclei and organelles

Single-celled organisms

Ex. - Bacteria

Eukaryotes Cells that contain a

nucleus and organelles with membranes

Usually multi-cellular organisms

Ex. – Animal cell

Cells are primarily composed of water – around 90%

Two Basic Cell Types

The cells of eukaryotes and prokaryotes. - This figure illustrates a typical human cell (eukaryote) and a typical bacterium (prokaryote). The drawing on the left highlights the internal structures of eukaryotic cells, including the nucleus (light blue), the nucleolus (intermediate blue), mitochondria (orange), and ribosomes (dark blue). The drawing on the right demonstrates how bacterial DNA is housed in a structure called the nucleoid (very light blue), as well as other structures normally found in a prokaryotic cell, including the cell membrane (black), the cell wall (intermediate blue), the capsule (orange), ribosomes (dark blue), and a flagellum (also black).

Endosymbiotic Theory States that mitochondria and chloroplasts are the

result of years of evolution initiated by the endocytosis (consumption) of bacteria and blue-green algae which, instead of becoming digested, became symbiotic.

The Evolution of Organelles

                                                                                               

    

Imagine PACMAN eating the Ghosts, but them not dying. They just liveinside of him and continue performing their daily activities.

MOSES CIRCLE INTERACTIVE - Pac-Man

Basic Cell Parts Cell Membrane & Nuclear Membranes Nucleus with Nucleolus Cytoplasm Endoplasmic Reticulum Ribosomes Mitochondria Golgi Apparatus Lysosome Microfilaments and Microtubules VacuoleVacuole PlastidsPlastids Cell WallCell Wall

Membranes

Cell (Plasma) Membrane

A flexible membrane separating the inside of a cell from its surroundings

Nuclear Membranes

A membrane that surrounds the cell nucleus

Cell Membrane

NuclearMembrane

Membrane Close-Up (Phospholipid Bilayer)

Nucleus with Nucleolus The control center (or

“brain”) of all cell activity Contains chromosomes which

carry hereditary information (DNA)

Nucleolus prominent structure in the nucleus that makes ribosomes

Cell Nucleus

Nucleolus

Cytoplasm jelly-like material that is eighty percent water usually clear in color It is the substance that fills the cell holds cells organelles

Cytoplasm

Endoplasmic Reticulum a network of folded membranes that form

channels from the cell membrane through the cytoplasm to the nuclear membrane

Two types: rough (contains ribosomes) and smooth

RoughE.R.

SmoothE.R.

Ribosomes

tiny, dense organelles where DNA is translated into protein

Ribosomes

Mitochondrion (Mitochondria – pl.) one of the largest

organelles in the cytoplasm

they break down carbohydrates and sugars, making energy from the food we eat

center for cellular respiration

Mitochondria

Golgi Apparatus (Bodies) Prepares and packages

protein secretions of the cell

Resemble stack of pita breads

Golgi Bodies

Lysosome the disposal and recycling units of the

cell contain the enzymes necessary for

digesting and refining cellular materials

Lysosome

Only found in animal cells

Microfilaments and Microtubules Contributes to the support, movement, and the

division of cells Microfilaments cellular movement Microtubules maintain cellular shape,

tracks for organelle movement, and movement of chromosomes during division

Microtubules/Microfilaments

Vacuole Fluid filled cavity or sac in the cell Many functions

Storage Protection against predators (contain poisonous

compounds) Pump water out of cell

Typically more pronounced in Plant Cells

Vacuoles

Plastids (Chloroplasts, Leucoplasts, Chromoplasts)

organelles that typically store “things” found in the cells of most plants Most popular plastid = chloroplast

Chloroplast – contains chlorophyll (green pigment in plants used for photosynthesis)

Chloroplasts

Plastids

Cell Wall a rigid multi-layered structure found in plant and

bacterial cells designed to hold the cells together and protect the cell

from injury made of cellulose

Cell Wall

Levels of Organization

Levels of Organization in Organisms

LEVEL 1 - Cells Are the basic unit of structure and function in living things.

May serve a specific function within the organism

Examples- blood cells, nerve cells, bone cells, etc.

LEVEL 2 - Tissues Made up of cells that are similar in structure and function

and which work together to perform a specific activity

Examples - blood, nervous, bone, etc. Humans have 4 basic tissues: connective, epithelial, muscle, and nerve

LEVEL 3 - OrgansMade up of tissues that work together to perform

a specific activity

Examples - heart, brain, skin, etc.

LEVEL4 - Organ Systems Groups of two or more tissues that work together to perform a specific

function for the organism.The Human body has 11 organ systems - circulatory, digestive, endocrine, excretory (urinary), immune (lymphatic), integumentary,

muscular, nervous, reproductive, respiratory, and skeletal.

Examples - circulatory system, nervous system, skeletal system, etc.

LEVEL 5 - Organisms

Entire living things that can carry out all basic life processes. Meaning they can take in materials, release energy from food, release wastes, grow, respond to the

environment, and reproduce. Usually made up of organ systems, but an organism may be made up

of only one cell such as bacteria or protist.

Examples - bacteria, amoeba, mushroom, sunflower, human

Levels of Organization (Visual Illustration)

Links Concepts in Biochemistry - Interactive Animatio

ns CELLS alive! Cell Structure and Functions Interactive Animal Cell Typical Plant Cell

Various MicroscopesMuseum of Microscopy - Sixteenth and Seventeenth Century Microscopes

Museum of Microscopy - Eighteenth Century MicroscopesMuseum of Microscopy - Nineteenth Century MicroscopesMuseum of Microscopy - Twentieth Century Microscopes

Microscope “Stuff”

Virtual Microscopy: Magnification SEM - Image Gallery Zoom In! - SEM