Cell Structure and Function

LECTURE 8
CELL STRUCTURE
EHSAN ULLAH
Subject Specialist
• M.Phil
• Pharmacist
• Medical Technician
 Cytoplasm
• The living contents of eukaryotic cells are divided into nucleus and cytoplasm,
the two together forming the protoplasm.

• Cytoplasm is aqueous (water containing) substance containing a variety of cell

organelles and other structures such as insoluble wastes and storage products.

• The soluble part of the cytoplasm forms the ground substance between the cell
organelles and is called cytosol. It is formed of about 90% water and forms a
solution which contains all the fundamental biochemicals of life.

• In cytosol, small molecules and ions may form true solutions, and some large
molecules form colloidal solutions. A colloidal solution may be a sol (non-
viscous) or a gel (jelly like or viscous).
• Often the outer region of cytoplasm is more gel like.

• Apart from acting as storage of vital chemicals, the ground substance (cytosol) is
the site of certain metabolic pathways, such as glycolysis.

• In living cells the cytoplasm contains several cell organelles such as endoplasmic
reticulum, mitochondria, Golgi complex, nucleus, plastids, ribosomes,
lysosomes, centrioles and various others.

• In the cytosol mitochondria move about in cytoplasm due to cytoplasmic

streaming movements. This is an active mass movement of cytoplasm which is
called cyclosis.
 Cytoplasmic Organelles
1. Endoplasmic Reticulum
• Under the electron microscope a net work of channels is seen running through
the cytoplasm of all the eukaryotic cells.

• These channels are often continuous with plasma membrane and also appear to
be in contact with the nuclear membrane. The whole system of channels is said
to be endoplasmic reticulum.

• These membranes vary widely in appearance from cell to cell . These channels are
separated from the cytoplasmic materials by the spherical or tubular
membranes one above the other, called cisternae (singular: cisterna).
• There are two morphological forms of endoplasmic reticulum; rough form with
attached ribosome and a smooth form without ribosome.
• Rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) are mostly present outside the nuclear
membrane and thus involved in protein synthesis. After synthesis the proteins
are either stored in the cytoplasm or exported out of the cell through these
channels.
• The Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum (SER) helps in metabolism of a number of
different types of molecules particularly lipid synthesis.
• They also help to detoxify the harmful drugs. In some cells SER is responsible
for the transmission of impulse, for example, muscle cells, nerve cells etc.
• In addition, SER play an important role in the transport of materials from one
part of the cell to the other. It provides mechanical support to the cell so that its
shape is maintained.
Endoplasmic Reticulum
• First time observed by Garnier.
• He give the term Ergastoplasm.
• The credit of discovery of ER goes to Porter.
• The ultra structure of ER was first time described by Porter, Claude and
Fullman.
Structure
• The ER is made up of three types of structure.
a)ER Cisternae
• Unbranched structure.
• It is 400A – 500A in diameter.
• Surface of cisternae is rough because ribosomes attached on the surface
(80s Ribosomes).
b)ER Tubule
• Branched and smooth structure
• It is 500- 1000 A in diameter.
• Ribosomes are not attached on the surface.

c)ER Vesicles
• These are rounded, swollen structures.
• Their diameter is 250-5000A.
• All these structures are surrounded by a single membrane
which is 50A in thickness.
Function of ER
• Endoskeleton formation
• It provides mechanical support.
• Exchange of material from one cell to another.
• Protein synthesis by ER.
• In eukaryotic cell, ribosomes are attached on the ER membrane.
• Synthesis of cholesterol and steroids by SER.
• Cell toxic detoxification by SER.
• Lipid synthesis and its storage by SER.
• Glycogen synthesis and its storage by SER.
• Formation of Golgi body by SER.
• In muscles the ER is known as Sarcoplasmic reticulum. It stores calcium.
Ribosomes
• These are tiny cell organelles, about 20 nm in diameter and were first studied by
Palade (1955). Eukaryotic ribosomes are composed of almost equal amount of
RNA (ribonucleic acid) and protein; hence they are ribonucleoprotein
particles.
• The RNA present in ribosomes is ribosomal-RNA.
• Ribosomes exist in two forms; either freely dispersed in the cytosol or attached
with RER as tiny granules and are the site of protein synthesis.
• Ribosomes are synthesized in nucleolus of the nucleus. An example of protein
synthesized by free ribosomes is Haemoglobin in young RBCs.
• Each ribosome consists of two subunits; one large and one small subunit.
• Sedimentation has revealed two basic types of ribosomes called 70S (50S and
30S) and 80S(60S and 40S) ribosomes (S = Svedberg unit used in
ultracentrifugation). The 70S ribosomes are found in prokaryotes while slightly
larger 80S in eukaryotes.

• The two subunits on attachment with each other require Mg ions.

• The ribosomes are attached to mRNA through small ribosomal units. A group of
ribosomes attached to mRNA are called polysomes.

• Due to small size ribosomes are the last organelle to 'be sedimented in a
centrifuge requiring a force of 150,000 times gravity for 3 hours. Chloroplast
and mitochondria contains 70S ribosomes, showing their prokaryotic origin.
Ribosomes
• First observed by Claude as a part of Microsome.
• The credit of discovery of Ribosomes goes to Palade.
• Palade proposed term Ribosome.
• Ribosomes also known as Palade granules.
• Ribosomes are the smallest cell organelle of the cell.
• Only visible with the help of electron microscope.
• Ribosomes are universal components of cells.
• ribosome; organelle within the organelle, also present inside
chloroplast and mitochondria.
Types of Ribosomes
• Depending upon the sedimentation coefficient, the Ribosomes are of
three types.
• 80s Type
• 70s Type
• 55s Type
80s type Ribosomes
• Present in the cytosol of eukaryotic cells.
• Attached to ER (Forming RER).
• Made up of two unequal subunits.
• Larger sub unit :60s
• Smaller sub unit :40s
• Both unit joined with the help of Mg++ ion.
• Larger subunit: 3 types of rRNA and 40 types of proteins.
• Ribosomal RNA of larger subunit or 60s are : 5.8s, 5s and 28s.
• Smaller subunit: single rRNA which is of 18s.
• Smaller subunit have 30 types of proteins.
• Single Ribosome is called Monosome.
• Inactivated by Cycloheximide.
70s type Ribosomes
• Present in the cytoplasm of prokaryotic cells, stroma of chloroplast
and matrix of plant mitochondria.
• Made up of two unequal subunits.
• Larger sub unit: 50s
• Smaller sub unit: 30s
• Both subunit joined with the help of Mg++ ion.
• Inactivated by Chloromycetin.
• Chloramphenicol, Erythromycin and Tetracycline antibiotics
inhibit 70s ribosomes.
55s type Ribosomes
• Present in the matrix of mitochondria of animal cells.
• Made up of two unequal subunit.
• Larger subunit: 35s
• Smaller sub unit: 25s
• Both sub unit joined with the help of Mg++ ion.
Structure of Ribosome
• Each ribosome is made up of two unequal subunits: one is larger subunit and
other is smaller subunit.
• Larger subunit has three sides:
• Decoding site
• Condensing site
• Exit site
• Peptidyl transferase enzyme present in the larger unit of ribosome and play
role in the formation of peptide bond between amino acids.
• In cell rRNA>tRNA>mRNA.
• Ribosomes are concerned with protein synthesis.
• They are known as—protein factories of the cell.
• Nucleolus –ribosomal factory
 80 s Ribosome

60 S 40 S
40 type of proteins 30 type of proteins
3 types of rRNA 1 types of rRNA

5.8 S 5S 28 S 18 S

Ehsan Ullah
 70 s Ribosome

50 S 30 S
34 type of proteins 21 type of proteins
2 types of rRNA 1 types of rRNA

5S 23 S 16 S

Ehsan Ullah
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