1.1 IB Cell Theory

CELL THEORY
Outline the cell theory.
Cells are the basic unit of life.
New cells are formed from other pre-

KEY existing cells.
POINTS
Cells and cell products make up all of

the structures in living things.
What is the difference between a

TOK scientific theory and the more general
use of the word “Theory”
Discuss the evidence for cell theory
1665 Englishman Robert Hooke

examines cork under a compound
microscope. Comes up with the
term “cells” to
describe what
he sees.
Hooke names “cells” in his book
1665 “Micrographia” after observing
cork under a lense.
are made of cells.

All living things
1837 German Botanist
Mathias Schleiden posts
that all plants are made of
cells
1839 German physiologist
Theodor Schwann, after a
lovely dinner with his mate
Schleiden and a chat about
nuclei, realised that animals
were comprised of cells too
and stated: “All living things
are composed of cells and
cell products”
1855 German doctor,
pathologist and biologist
Rudolf Virchow
(A.K.A. the father of
modern pathology)
Omnis cellula
He built on the work of e cellula
others to come up with the
statement: “every cell Virchow vehemently disagreed with another
scientist about a theory. What was it? Find out
comes from another why he was opposed.
existing cell like it” TOK Comment on how modern day celebrities and
scientists “weigh in” on scientific fields
in which they may not be experts.
Hint: Google Jenny McCarthy and Lord
Monckton for starters
Unicellular Organisms
carry out all the functions of life
M ovement
R espiration
S ensitivity
G rowth
R eproduction
E xcretion
N utrition
Some units that I use & know
Unit abbr. Metric equivalent
kilometer km 1,000m 1 x 103m
X 1,000
meter m 1m 1m
centimeter cm 0.01m 1 x 10-2m ÷1,000
millimeter mm 0.001m 1 x 10-3m
÷1,000
micrometer μm 0.000 001m 1x 10-6m
÷1,000
nanometer nm 0.000 000 001m 1x 10-9m
Molecules ≈ 1nm
Cell Membrane ≈ 10nm thick
Virus ≈ 100nm
Bacteria ≈ 1μm (1000nm)
Eukaryotic animal cell ≈ 10μm
Eukaryotic plant cell ≈ 100μm
What must get in?
What must get out?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thejcb/5136606417/
If a cell is too large,
the SA:Volume ratio is
too small for diffusion
to accommodate the
requirements of the
cell
IN:
 Oxygen
 Nutrients
 Water
The plasma membrane

of a cell is the surface of
exchange for materials
between the inside and
the outside of the cell.
OUT:
 Carbon dioxide
 Waste
 Products (e.g. proteins)
As the cell gets larger, it requires
more resources to be imported and
produces more products (and waste)
to be exported.
Therefore, a larger volume requires

more exchange across the membrane.
As the cell gets larger…
…the surface area to
volume ratio
actually gets
smaller…
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Sphere
…the surface area to
volume ratio
actually gets
smaller…
…so the
exchange
processes
become less
efficient with
increasing size. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Sphere
Diffusion Pathways
are shorter (and

more efficient)
in
with a larger
surface are to
volume ratio.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Sphere
Individually, these cardiac
muscle cells can’t do much.
Together they make cardiac

muscle tissue that beats in
time to a pacemaker impulse.
Cardiac muscle tissue plus

valves plus arteries and veins
makes the heart, an organ that
pumps blood.
2.1.8 Explain that cells in multicellular organisms differentiate to carry out specialised functions
by expressing some of their genes but not others.
Every cell contains a copy of every

gene possessed by an organism
(at some stage of the cell’s life)
But only certain genes are turned on
So, for example, the cells in your kidney do

not produce the pigments in your skin cells
and the cells in your fingers don’t produce the
insulin that cells in your pancreas can make.
Stem Cells
Stem Cells retain the capacity to divide and can
differentiate along divergent pathways.
Totipotent
Can differentiate into any type
of cell.
Pluripotent
Can differentiate into many
types of cell.
Multipotent
Can differentiate into a few
closely-related types of cell.
Unipotent
Can regenerate but can only
differentiate into their
associated cell type
(e.g. liver stem cells can only
make liver cells).
The morula just after fertilisation
is comprised of totipotent cells
that can differentiate into
anything
At the blastocyst
stage the inner
cells are
pluripotent and
can differentiate
into almost any
cells
(The outer layer of the

blastocyst goes on to
form the placenta)
Stem Cells retain the capacity to divide and can
differentiate along divergent pathways.
Therapeutic Uses of Stem Cells
Treatment for Leukemia
Cancer of the blood or bone marrow,
Problem resulting in abnormally high levels of poorly-
functioning white blood cells.
Chemotherapy and radiotherapy can be used

to destroy the white blood cells, but these
Treatment need to be replaced with healthy cells. Bone
marrow transplants are often used for this.
Hematopoetic Stem Cells (HSCs) can be

harvested from bone marrow, peripheral
blood or umbilical cord blood. As these can
differentiate to form any type of white blood
Role of
cell, they can be used to repopulate the bone
Stem Cells marrow and produce new, healthy blood cells.
The use of a patient’s own HSCs means there
is far less risk of immune rejection than with a
traditional bone marrow transplant.

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CELL THEORY

Outline the cell theory.

Cells are the basic unit of life.

New cells are formed from other pre-

Cells and cell products make up all of

What is the difference between a

1665 Englishman Robert Hooke

are made of cells.

What must get out?

The plasma membrane

Therefore, a larger volume requires

are shorter (and

Together they make cardiac

Cardiac muscle tissue plus

Every cell contains a copy of every

But only certain genes are turned on

So, for example, the cells in your kidney do

(The outer layer of the

Chemotherapy and radiotherapy can be used

Hematopoetic Stem Cells (HSCs) can be

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