What is a Cell?
Cell is the structural and functional unit of life. It contains a centre which is called nucleus (as it controls the different functions and activities of cell). Plant cell is hexagonal or pentagonal is shape. Whereas animal cells are oval or round in shape. Plant cell contains cell wall which is found just outside the cell membrane. Human body is made up of trillion of cells. Cells are undergoes division to increase in number. Animal cell doesn’t contain any cell wall. Cells are consist of different organelles . These are mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi body, ribosome, centrosome etc.
Cell is made up of cytoplasm and nucleus surrounded by cell membrane.
Cytoplasm - It is a belly like structure that contains nucleus and different organelles.
Nucleus - It is the main control centre of cell. It consists of nuclear membrane, nucleolus, nuclear reticulum, nucleoplasm. It contains genetic materials.
Ribosome - Associated with protein synthesis.
Mitochondria – Power House of cell that provides ATP.
Lysosome and peroxisome - It is associated with destruction of different ergastic material of cells.
Endoplasmic reticulum - Rough endoplasmic reticulum contains ribosome and associated with protein synthesis. On the other hand smooth endoplasmic reticulum associated with fat and glucose synthesis.
Centrosome - Centrioles are associated with producing spindle during cell division in animal cells.
Golgi body - Packaging of molecules for transport out of the cell.
Types of cell - According to the type of cell it can be divided into prokaryotic cell and eukaryotic cell.
Prokaryotic cell - These are premitive cell . This type of cells do not contain any well defined nucleus , membrane bound organelles. Their genetic material is scattered on the cytoplasm. Example of prokaryotic cell is bacteria.
Eukaryotic cell - This type of cells are modern or advanced cell with well defined membrane bound nucleus where chromosome are located. It also contains membrane bound cell organelles.Examples of eukaryotic cell is any plants and animals cells.
Functions of Cell
Cells have different functions. They are –
1. Building blocks of body- Cell is the structural and functional unit of body. It is called the building block of the body.
2. Give rise to different system –Different cells are associated to form tissues. Different tissues according to their function and structure associated to form together organs. Different organs have different purposes. Group of organs give rise to different system. All the systems together form organisms.
3. Takes part in absorption – Cells absorbed different nutrients from the food after digestion. Different types of specialised cells are there for absorption of food like microvilli, lacteal etc.
4. Transport different biomolecules- Cell membrane contains different gate and receptors for transport and movements of biomolecules.
5. Contains genetic material – Nucleus of cell contains genetic material called chromosome. Which contains genes (carry properties from one generation to other).
6. Help in providing nutrients to different parts of the body by transport.
7. Help in providing energy- Due to metabolism chemical energy that is converted into kinetic energy is stored in mitochondria in cell as ATP.
8. Play role in different metabolic activity- It contains different enzymes for metabolic activity.
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This in 1954 first was the first to observed microbodies. Microbodies are spherical or oval in shape with the diameter of 0.2 to 1.5 micrometer. It has outer covering with lipid and lipoprotein membrane. It contains different enzymes for catalase but do not contain any
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Centrosome and Centrioles | Distribution of the Centrosome | Structure
Definition of Centrosome - Centrosomeis a more or less spherical mass of dense cytoplasm situated close to the nucleus and contains a pair of cylindrical bodies which are concerned with spindle formation during cell division. In 1888 Boveri first discovered these organelles
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Cilia and Flagella | Definition | Location | Origin |Types of Flagella
Definition – Cilia and flagella are hair like micro tubular organelles projecting from the cell surface into the extra cellular medium and are concerned with cell motility.
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Explain about Nucleus | Nuclear Envelope | Nucleoplasm |Nuclear matrix
Robert Brown in 1831 first discovered a double membrane covered protoplasmic body that contains hereditary information. A cell usually contains a single nucleus (uninucleate, monokaryote).
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Explain about Ribosomes | Distribution and Origin of Ribosomes
Ribosomes are small ,granular, non- membranous structure which is mafe up of RNA and protein and concerned with protein synthesis. In 1943 presence of ribosomes are first observed by Claude and later in 1955 Palade described a detailed description of it by define the name.
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Cytoskeletal Structure | Functions and Types of Cytoskeleton Structure
Cytoskeletal structures are fibrous or fine tubular structures that consists of supportive structure of cell. The term cytoskeletal is coined by Koltzoff in 1928.
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Define the Plastids | Structure of Plastids | Types of Plastids
Plastids are semi-autonomous cell organelles which are surrounded by double membrane envelope, take part in storage and synthesis of organic compounds which occurred in some plant and protistans.Plastidome consists of all the whole plastids complex of cell.
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Explain about Mitochondria | Functions of Mitochondria | Distribution
The term mitochondria can be broken into mito and chondrion. The term “mito “ means fibril and” chondrion “means granule. Definition of mitochondria - The rod like filamentous, spherical or oval, double membrane bound cytoplasmic organelles of eukaryotic cells ,which are
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Endomembrane System | Endoplasmic Reticulum | Golgi Apparatus
Endoplasmic reticulum-It is discovered by Porter et al and Thompson in 1945. The name was given by Porter in 1953.It is a system of membrane lines channels found in all eukaryotic cells except mature erythrocytes.
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Cell Wall | Definition of Cell Wall |Middle Lamella|Primary, Secondary
Definition of cell wall- The thick and rigid , nonliving covering present just outside the plasma membrane of plant cells is called cell wall. It is discovered by Robert Hooke in 1665 while observing cell in the section of cork.
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