What You Are Expected To Learn: Science Ii Cell Structure and Function What This Module Is About
What You Are Expected To Learn: Science Ii Cell Structure and Function What This Module Is About
What You Are Expected To Learn: Science Ii Cell Structure and Function What This Module Is About
Module 2
Cell Structure and Function
This module will help you gain knowledge about the cell: the basic unit of life on
earth. Cells are the fundamental units of living organisms. The cell is the key to biology
because it is at this level that life truly springs. As you read this, you will learn more about
the activities of the cell, the structures and the material of life that fills them. Later on, you
will discover what a living material is made of.
I know you are excited to start this adventure just as I am but remember to
do the following tips to successfully achieve the objectives of this self-learning kit.
GOOD LUCK!
1. Where is the site of protein synthesis?
a. nucleus c. ribosome
b. lysosome d. mitochondria
2. Organisms whose cells do not have a nucleus are called
a. plants c. eukaryotes
b. organelles d. prokaryotes
3. What type of cell has these characteristics: contains DNA but no nucleus, contains
flagella, ribosomes, cytoplasm, and a cell membrane.
a. plant c. animal
b. fungi d. bacteria
4. A cell with relatively few energy needs will probably have a relatively small number of
a. ribosomes c. mitochondria
b. lysosomes d. chromosomes
5. In which of the following items would you expect to find cells?
a. strawberry c. silver dollar
b. eyeglasses d. plastic flower
6. Which of the following organelles transports materials inside the cell
a. lysosome c. mitochondria
b. chloroplast d. endoplasmic reticulum
7. Which of the following structures are common to both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells?
a. nucleus c. both b and c
b. ribosomes d. cell membrane
8. Which of the following forms of life is not eukaryotic?
a. a bacterial cell c. a plant cell like gumamela
b. protist such as an amoeba d. a human cell such as a red blood cell
9. Plant cells often have a box-like shape because of the
a. nucleus c. cytoplasm
b. cell wall d. cell membrane
10. Which organelle has no membrane?
a. vacuole c. ribosome
b. lysosome d. chloroplast
11. Which of the following statements is always true?
a. All cells have a cell wall. c. All cells contain a chloroplast.
b. All cells contain a nucleus. d. All cells have a cell membrane.
12. A cell is observed to contain a nucleus, mitochondria and chloroplasts. From this
information you can conclude that the cell is:
a. a plant cell c. a bacterial cell
b. an animal cell d. a prokaryotic cell
13. Which of the following is found in the nucleus?
a. vacuoles c. mitochondria
b. chloroplasts d. chromosomes
14. Digestive enzymes or hydrolytic enzymes are terms associated with
a. ribosomes c. golgi apparatus
b. lysosomes d. smooth endoplasmic reticulum
15. What site regulates what goes in and out of the cell?
a. cell wall c. cell membrane
b. vacuole d. nuclear membrane
16. The site of ATP production and the site of photosynthesis are the _______________
and _________________.
a. ribosomes and vacuoles c. mitochondria and chloroplast
b. chloroplast and lysosome d. Golgi complex and chloroplast
17. Which is the “brain” of the cell?
a. nucleus c. golgi bodies
b. chloroplast d. mitochondri
18. A cell that lacks a nucleus and membrane bound organelles is known as a(an)
______________ cell.
a. plant c. eukaryote
b. animal d. prokaryote
19. What is the outermost boundary of an animal cell?
a. the cell wall c. the cell membrane
b. the cytoplasm d. the nuclear envelope
The CELL THEORY, or cell doctrine, states that all organisms are composed of
similar units of organization, called cells. The concept was formally articulated in 1839 by
Schleiden & Schwann and has remained as the foundation of modern biology. The idea
predates other great paradigms of biology including Darwin's theory of evolution (1859),
Mendel's laws of inheritance (1865), and the establishment of comparative biochemistry
(1940).
Ultrastructural research and modern molecular biology have added many tenets to the
cell theory, but it remains as the preeminent theory of biology. The Cell Theory is to
Biology as the Atomic Theory is to Physics.
1. The cell is the unit of structure, physiology, and organization in living things.
2. The cell retains a dual existence as a distinct entity and a building block in the
construction of organisms.
3. Cells form by free-cell formation, similar to the formation of crystals
(spontaneous generation).
We know today that the first two principles are correct, but the third is clearly
wrong. The correct interpretation of cell formation by division was finally promoted by
others and formally announced in Rudolph Virchow's powerful statement, "Omnis cellula e
cellula"... "All cells only arise from pre-existing cells".
Prior to 1931 when the first electron microscope was developed, magnification of
microscopes was limited to about 2 000 times. The small cell structures did not show up
well or remained invisible. The electron microscope not only showed more detail of
previously known parts of the cell but also revealed new parts. Cells and cell structures
can now be examined at magnifications of up to 500 000 times and more.
1. What contributions did van Leeuwenhoek, Hooke, Schleiden, Schwann, and Virchow
make to the development of the cell theory?
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2. What role did the invention of the microscope play in the development of the cell
theory?
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Have you tried to look closely at something? You may have picked up a coin and
looked closely at its surface. You may also have examined the face of a stamp or looked
at a blade of grass.
Such curiosity led early investigators to examine living things in the hope of getting
a better view of their structure. Little by little, they discovered that all living things are
made of cells. Cells are the basic units of structure and function in living things. All
organisms such as the birds you watch, the cork trees and so on are made of living cells.
FIND OUT!
Imagine that you could become smaller, down to the size of one micron (1 micron =
1/1000 inch). Your whole body would be smaller than the typical animal cell (see figure
2.2). Imagine, that you could step inside this cell and explore it. Find out some structures
inside a cell. Be able to explore how bacterial cells are different from other cells such as
plant and animal cells.
cytoplasm
While cells differ in size and shape, most of them have common structures. The
cells of animals, plants, and related organisms have three basic structures:
Construct This
Just as the cell membrane covers the cell, a nuclear membrane covers the
nucleus of the cell. It regulates the passage of materials in and out of the nucleus.
Cytoplasmic Structures
As you walk through the cytoplasm, you might bump into sausage-shaped bodies
called mitochondria. They are commonly called the “power houses” of the cell. They trap
the energy that results when food is broken down. Just as a power plant supplies energy
to a business, mitochondria provide energy for the cell. Some types of cells are more
active than others, that’s why they can have more mitochondria.
Analyze This
Muscle cells are always undergoing some type of movement. Muscles are also the ones
exposed to strenuous activities like doing some household chores, running, walking, etc.
Ever since you entered the cell, you have been walking on a network of canals
called the endoplasmic reticulum. The endoplasmic reticulum extends from the nucleus
to the cell membrane and takes up quite a lot of space in some cells. It moves material
from one place to another place inside the cell.
Ribosomes are the tiny dots you see on the edges of some of the endoplasmic
reticulum. Some cells may contain millions of ribosomes. The actual building blocks of the
cell (proteins) are made on the surfaces of these very tiny structures.
Applying a Concept
Do you know that cells also produce wastes? In the cytoplasm, structures called
lysosomes contain chemicals that digest wastes and worn-out/damaged cell parts. When
a cell dies, chemicals in the lysosomes act to quickly break down the cell. In a healthy cell,
the membrane around the lysosome keeps it from breaking down the cell itself. Plant cells
do not have lysosomes.
Many businesses have warehouses for storing products until they are sold.
Vacuoles are storage areas in cells. They may store water, food, or waste products. In
plant cells, vacuoles are big. In animal cells, vacuoles are small. Why do you think so?
Feedback: Plants are said to be the producers of food in the environment. They may
produce sugar, oil, nectar, etc. They are in need of bigger vacuoles to store such
materials.
You have just looked at the inner workings of an animal cell. Imagine now that you
are taking a microscopic tour through the green plant cell below. You will find that some
structures in this cell are quite different from the structures in an animal cell. Take note of
them.
The outer covering of the plant cell is not soft and thin. Instead, it is surrounded by
a rigid/tough structure called the cell wall that supports and protects the plant cell.
Once you pass through the cell wall, you see the same structures you saw in the
animal cell.
Hold on! Something new appears. The dark green bodies you see around you are
chloroplasts. Substances inside the chloroplast help a green plant cell trap the sun’s
energy and then produce food.
Imagine you could take a trip into a tiny bacterial cell. Bacteria and blue-bacteria
are quite different from other cells. They have fewer structures than plant or animal cells.
However, they carry out all of the life processes that other cells carry out. You can see
that a bacterium has a cell wall, a cell membrane, and cytoplasm. The chromosome
material (nucleoid), which directs the cell’s activities, floats freely through the cytoplasm.
The other structures are lacking.
Challenge
Let us see how well you can make a summary of what you know about the cell.
Below is a table that lists the names of the cell structure(s). Now, compare animal, plant
and bacterial cells by putting a (/) if the structure is present and an (X) if the structure is
absent under each column.
Perfect?! If yes, fantastic! If not, just try and try again. Remember, no pain, no
gain.
What you will do
Self-Test 2.2
A Tale of a Tail
Mrs. Gonzales' class studied the parts of plant and animal cells. The class captured
tiny tadpoles in a local stream. Mrs. Gonzales showed the students how to care for the
tadpoles in the classroom. Gradually, as the animals grew, the bodies were changing in
shape. Back and front legs grew out. The mouth expanded from a small hole to a large
opening capable of swallowing large insects. In addition, the tails started to disappear.
Mrs. Gonzales told the whole class that there would be a bonus question about the
tadpoles in the test on animals. For a study clue, she told them to review their notes on
cells. What do changes in the body parts of the tadpoles have to do with cells?
Ooops! Take a deep breath. Relax for a while. What?! You want to move on? All right,
your wish is granted! You may continue. Are you enjoying the module? I hope so. If yes,
well and good! Hold on! We will now take the path to the next lesson. Keep on having fun
as you learn!
Just as there is variety among organisms, there is also variety among cells. Your own
body contains over a hundred different kinds of cells. Some of these cells are round.
Others are shaped like long, tangled strings.
Cells vary greatly in size, too. The bacteria that naturally live deep inside your body are
very tiny. The ostrich egg cell below is 800,000 times bigger than the bacterial cells.
The living arrangement of cells also varies. The bacteria and other cells you might find
in a drop of pond water live by themselves. These cells are one-celled organisms.
You, your classmates, the cork trees and a variety of other organisms are many-celled
organisms.
Now that we’ve learned all about cells and their contents, it’s time to learn how cells
are categorized. The first grouping is Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes. These are hard to
pronounce Latin words, but their meanings are simple. Prokaryote refers to bacterial
cells. Eukaryote refers to everything else. So, streptomyocin bacteria are prokaryote
cells. Animals, plants and fungi (mushrooms) are made of eukaryote cells.
What do they have in common? Well, while the prokaryotes do not have internal
membranes, they do have a cell membrane just like the eukaryotes. They are also filled
with cytoplasm. Finally, they have organelles which do not require membranes, (e.g.
ribosomes).
Imagine you could take a trip into a tiny bacterial cell. Bacteria and blue-bacteria
are quite different from other cells. They have fewer structures than plant or animal cells.
However, they carry out all of the life processes that other cells carry out. You can see
that a bacteria has a cell wall, a cell membrane, and cytoplasm. The chromosome
material, which directs the cell’s activities, floats freely through the cytoplasm. The other
structures are lacking.
A single-celled bacteria: The one-celled organism A human red blood cell
E. coli Amoeba proteus
Figure 3.2 Some cell types.
Source: http://web.jjay.cuny.edu/~acarpi/NSC/13-cell.htm
The second cell grouping is Plants versus Animal cells. Both of these cell types are
eukaryotes. This means they have a lot of organelles in common. One organelle they
don’t have in common is chloroplasts, which only plants have. Another organelle
difference is the vacuoles. In animal cells the vacuoles are small and plenty. In the plant
cells, there is a large central vacuole that occupies over 50% of the plant cell’s volume.
This vacuole is filled with water and nutrients under pressure. The pressure helps
maintain the plant cell’s rigid shape.
The rigid shape results in plant cells looking rectangular as compared to the round-
like animal cells. While both cell types have cell membranes, the plant cell’s rigidity is
further maintained by an additional cell wall outside the membrane.
Let’s Summarize
a. Cell Membrane
b. Cytoplasm
c. Nucleus
However in plants, a rigid "Cell wall" is present outside the cell membrane or
plasma membrane.
6. Cell Theory: All living things are composed of cells. Cells are the basic units of
structure and function in living things. All cells come from preexisting cells.
Whew! At last! You have finished studying the module. But, before you completely
exit from this module, let us find out how much you learned from this material.
Posttest
Multiple Choice. Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a
separate sheet of paper.
4. What type of cell has these characteristics: contains DNA but no nucleus, contains
flagella, ribosomes, cytoplasm, and a cell membrane.
a. plant c. animal
b. fungi d. bacteria
9. A cell with relatively few energy needs will probably have a relatively small number of
a. ribosomes c. mitochondria
b. lysosomes d. chromosomes
11. Which of the following structures are common to both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells?
a. nucleus c. both b and c
b. ribosomes
12. A cell is observed to contain a nucleus, mitochondria and chloroplasts. From this
information you can conclude that the cell is:
a. a plant cell c. a bacterial cell
b. an animal cell d. a prokaryotic cell
16. The site of ATP production and the site of photosynthesis are the _______________
and _________________.
a. ribosomes and vacuoles c. mitochondria and chloroplast
b. chloroplast and lysosome d. Golgi complex and chloroplast
18. A cell that lacks a nucleus and membrane bound organelles is known as a(an)
______________ cell.
a. plant c. eukaryote
b. animal d. prokaryote
Key to Answers
Pretest
1. c 6. d 11. d 16. c
2. d 7. b 12. a 17. a
3. d 8. a 13. d 18. d
4. c 9. b 14. b 19. c
5. a 10. c 15. c 20. c
Lesson 1
Activity 1.1
Lining the passageways are special cells that release a mixture of water,
carbohydrates, and salts, called mucus. The particles of dust and dirt that are
inhaled are trapped in this sticky mucus. Underneath this layer of mucus is another
group of specialized cells that have cilia. As the cilia move, they create a sweeping
action. This action keeps the most vital passageways in the body clean and open
for business.
Self-Test 1.1
2. The microscope opened up the world of the very small to biologists. It enabled
scientists to discover that all living things are made up of cells.
Lesson 2
Self-Test 2.1
Self-Test 2.2
The body parts of the tadpoles change in response to the activity of the cells which
is cell division. When cells divide, their number increases. Growth results when
cells increase in number.
The tails of the tadpole disappear due to the lysosomal activity. The lysosome, if
you will recall, contains powerful chemicals which are used to digest or breakdown
materials
Lesson 3
Activity 3.1
Feedback: One-celled organisms may have fewer or different structures from plant
or animal cells. However, they carry out all of the life processes (reproduction,
digestion, excretion, respiration, etc.) that other cells carry out.
Self-Test 3.1
1. plant
2. prokaryote
3. prokaryote
4. false
5. true
Posttest
1. c 6. b 11. b 16. c
2. d 7. a 12. a 17. a
3. d 8. c 13. d 18. d
4. b 9. c 14. b 19. c
5. c 10. d 15. a 20. c
References
Books:
Alexander, G.; Balzer, L.; Collins, A.; Goodson, P.; Lauer, L.; Slesnick, I. (1984).
Introduction to biology. Glenview, Illinois: Scott Foresman And Company.
Biggs, A.; Daniel, L.; Ortleb, P. (1994). Life science. Westerville, OH: Merrill Publishing
Co., Mcmillan/McGraw-Hill.
Miller, K.R. & Levine, J. (1991). Biology. New Jersey, Massachusetts: Prentice Hall.
Hopson, J.L. & Wessells, N.K. (1990). Essentials of biology. USA: McGraw-Hill
Publishing Company.
Wong, H.K. & Dolmatz, M.S. (1986). Biology: The key ideas. New York, NY: Globe Book
Company, Inc.
Electronic Sources: