The Fundamental Unit of Life

The Fundamental Unit
of Life: Cell
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Introduction of Cell
The cell (from Latin cella, meaning "small room) is the basic structural,
functional, and biological unit of all known living organisms. Cells are the
smallest unit of life that can replicate independently, and are often called the
"building blocks of life". The study of cells is called cell biology.
Cells consist of cytoplasm enclosed within a membrane, which contains many

biomolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. Organisms can be classified
as unicellular (consisting of a single cell; including bacteria) or multicellular
(including plants and animals).
Discovery of Cell
The cell was first discovered by Robert Hooke in 1665, which can be found to
be described in his book Micrographia. In this book, he gave 60 observations
in detail of various objects under a coarse, compound microscope. One
observation was from very thin slices of bottle cork. Hooke discovered a
multitude of tiny pores that he named "cells".
Robert Hookes
microscope
Drawing of the Cells of

the cork
Cell Theory
In biology, cell theory is a scientific theory which describes the properties of cells.
These cells are the basic unit of structure in all organisms and also the basic unit of
reproduction. With continual improvements made to microscopes over time,
magnification technology advanced enough to discover cells in the 17th century. This
discovery is largely attributed to Robert Hooke, and began the scientific study of cells,
also known as cell biology.
Cell theory was eventually formulated in 1838. This is usually credited to Matthias
Schleiden and Theodor Schwann. However, many other scientists like Rudolf Virchow
contributed to the theory. Cell theory has become the foundation of biology and is the
most widely accepted explanation of the function of cells.
The three tenets to the cell theory are as described below:
All living organisms are composed of one or more cells.
The cell is the most basic unit of life.
All cells arise from pre-existing, living cells.
Components of Cell:
Cell Wall
Cell Membrane
Nucleus
Cytoplasm
Cell Organelles:
Mitochondria
Endoplasmic Reticulum
Golgi Apparatus
Lysosomes
Plastids
Vacuoles
Cell Wall: The cell wall acts to protect the cell mechanically and chemically
from its environment, and is an additional layer of protection to the cell
membrane. Different types of cell have cell walls made up of different
materials
Cell Membrane: The cell membrane (also known as the plasma membrane or
cytoplasmic membrane) is a biological membrane that separates the interior of
all cells from the outside environment. The cell membrane is selectively
permeable to ions and organic molecules and controls the movement of
substances in and out of cells. The basic function of the cell membrane is to
protect the cell from its surroundings.
Nucleus: Cell nuclei contain most of the cell's genetic material, organized as
multiple long linear DNA molecules in complex with a large variety of proteins,
such as histones, to form chromosomes. The genes within these chromosomes
are the cell's nuclear genome. The function of the nucleus is to maintain the
integrity of these genes and to control the activities of the cell by regulating
gene expressionthe nucleus is, therefore, the control center of the cell.
Cytoplasm: Cytoplasm is a thick solution that fills each cell and is enclosed by
the cell membrane. It is mainly composed of water, salts, and proteins. In
eukaryotic cells, the cytoplasm includes all of the material inside the cell and
outside of the nucleus.
Animal Cell
Cell Organelles
Mitochondria and Chloroplasts: generate energy for the cell. Mitochondria are self-replicating organelles that
occur in various numbers, shapes, and sizes in the cytoplasm of all eukaryotic cells. Respiration occurs in the
cell mitochondria, which generate the cell's energy by oxidative phosphorylation, using oxygen to release
energy stored in cellular nutrients (typically pertaining to glucose) to generate ATP. Mitochondria multiply by
binary fission, like prokaryotes. Chloroplasts can only be found in plants and algae, and they capture the sun's
energy to make carbohydrates through photosynthesis.
Endoplasmic reticulum: The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a transport network for molecules targeted for
certain modifications and specific destinations, as compared to molecules that float freely in the cytoplasm.
The ER has two forms: the rough ER, which has ribosomes on its surface that secrete proteins into the ER, and
the smooth ER, which lacks ribosomes. The smooth ER plays a role in calcium sequestration and release.
Golgi apparatus: The primary function of the Golgi apparatus is to process and package the macromolecules
such as proteins and lipids that are synthesized by the cell.
Lysosomes and Peroxisomes: Lysosomes contain digestive enzymes (acid hydrolases). They digest excess or
worn-out organelles, food particles, and engulfed viruses or bacteria. Peroxisomes have enzymes that rid the
cell of toxic peroxides. The cell could not house these destructive enzymes if they were not contained in a
membrane-bound system.
Centrosome the cytoskeleton organiser: The centrosome produces the microtubules of a cell a key
component of the cytoskeleton. It directs the transport through the ER and the Golgi apparatus. Centrosomes
are composed of two centrioles, which separate during cell division and help in the formation of the mitotic
spindle. A single centrosome is present in the animal cells. They are also found in some fungi and algae cells.
Vacuoles: Vacuoles sequester waste products and in plant cells store water. They are often described as liquid
filled space and are surrounded by a membrane. Some cells, most notably Amoeba, have contractile vacuoles,
which can pump water out of the cell if there is too much water. The vacuoles of plant cells and fungal cells are
usually larger than those of animal cells
Plant Cell
Differences b/w Prokaryotic and

Eukaryotic cell

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The Fundamental Unit

Cells consist of cytoplasm enclosed within a membrane, which contains many

Drawing of the Cells of

The three tenets to the cell theory are as described below:

All living organisms are composed of one or more cells.

The cell is the most basic unit of life.

All cells arise from pre-existing, living cells.

Differences b/w Prokaryotic and

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