Magnification
How much larger the image size is compared to the actual object
Resolution
The ability to distinguish between 2 separate points.
What is the max magnification and resolution of a light microscope
Mag- x1500
Res- 0.2 micrometre
Whats a light microscope
Shines a beam of light through specimen. It has a long wavelength so lower resolution because if object is smaller than 0.2 micrometer it will appear as one object.
Whats an electron microscope
Uses a beam of electron in a vacuum at a dead specimen. It has a short wavelength so higher resolution because it can pass through every part of the specimen so will appear clearer.
Whats the max magnification and resolution of an electron microscope.
Max resolution- 0.2nm
Max mag - x1,500,000
Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM)
A beam of electrons that pass through specimen. Denser areas absorb more electrons so appear darker on image.
What are the advantages of TEM?
Higher resolution - 0.1nm
High magnification - x500,000
Why must the electron microscope be used ina vacuum?
The electrons may be absorbed by the air, so not enough electrons would be absorbed by the specimen creating an unclear image. The electrons would be scattered.
What is a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
Beams of electron scattered, bouncing off of specimen to form 3D images
Hat are the advantages of SEM
Thick specimen
Forms 3D iage
Max mag- x250,000
Max resolution - 20nm
Limitations of SEM
Lower resolution
Dead specimens
Black and white image
Lower resolution
What is cell fractionation?
Breaking up whole cells to release all of the organelles inside to study their functions
Before cell fractionation can start, the tissue is placed in a cold, buffered solution with the same water potential as the tissue. Why cold?
To reduce enzyme activity, that might break down organelles.
Before cell fractionation can start, the tissue is placed in a cold, buffered solution with the same water potential as the tissue. Why buffered?
So the pH doesnt fluctuate, changes in pH can change structure of organelles or affect the functioning of enzymes.
Before cell fractionation can start, the tissue is placed in a cold, buffered solution with the same water potential as the tissue. Why with the same water potential?
To prevent osmosis so the organelles to shrink or burst
What is homogenation?
Cells are broken up by a homogeniser to release organelles. The resultant fluid is known as the homogenate. Its filtered to remove any whole cells or large debris
What is ultracentrigugation?
Fragments in the filtered homogenate are separated in a centrifuge. This spins the tube at high speeds to produce a centrifugal force.
Describe the process of ultracentrifugation
The tube is spun at a low speed in the centrifuge
The heaviest organelle - nucleus collects at the bottom and the lightest fluid collects at the top
The supernatant is removed and placed into another test tube
The centrifuge is spun at a higher speed.
What are the ultra structures of chloroplasts
What are the ultrastructures of mitochondria?
Double membrane- controls what leaves and enters
Cristae- inner membrane folded over to give large surface area for attachment of enzymes and proteins for respiration
Matrix- makes up the rest of the mitochondria- proteins found here to help production of their own proteins. Many enzymes involved in respiration are found here.
What are the ultrastructures of Golgi apparatus?
Folded flatten sacs surrounded by vesicles
Processes, packages and labels lipids and proteins to be sent to correct destination.
Add carbohydrates to proteins and lipids
Modified proteins are sent to vesicles where it merges with cell membrane and released out.
Forms lysosomes
What are the ultrastructures of lysosomes
Vesicles containing digestive enzymes such as lysozymes that break down cell walls of bacteria.
Digests worn out cells
Breaks down cells after they have died
What are the ultrastructures of ribosomes
2 sub units and site of protein synthesis
Each sub uniit has ribosomal RNA and protein.
Eukaryotic cells are 80S
Prokaryotic cells are 70S
What are the ultrastructures of cell walls
Consists of microfibrils of cellulose embedded in matrix
Cellulose contributes to cells strength
Middle lamella -boundary between adjacent walls and cements them together
Prevents bursting, allows water in, provides strength
What are the ultrastructures of a vacuole
Fluid filled sac bound by single membrane - tonoplast
Contains solution of amino acids, salts,sugars,wastes and some pigments
Makes cells turgid
Sugars and amino acids are food storage
Pigment colour petals to attract pollen insecte
Ultrastructures of nucleus
Nuclear envelope- double membrane, outermemebrane is continuous with ER of cells
Nuclear pores- 3000 pores for large molecules like mRNA
Nucleoplasm- granular, jelly like substance that takes up rest of the space.
Chromosomes- chromatin- protein and DNA that control cell activity
Nucleolus- site of ribosome production
Ultrastructures of chloroplasts
Chloroplasts envelope- double membrane
The grana - stack of 100 thylakoids for first stage of photosynthesis
Thylakoids- holds chlorophyll extension to connect to other grana
Stroma- fluid filled matrix- second stage of photosynthesis
Ultrastructures of endoplasmic reticulum
Rough ER - flattened sacs enveloped by membrane with ribosomes on surface. Synthesises and transports rproteins made at ribosomes
Smooth- more tubular shaped, lacks ribosomes. Synthesises, stores and transports carbohydrates and lipids
If all cells contain the same genes, how are cells specialised?
Genes are switched on or off
Epithelial cells
Sheets of cells where the body meets the outside world
Squamous epthelial
Thin single layer of cells , closely packed together , each attached to basement membrane
Cells are thin so nucleus creates a bump and provides a short diffusion distance
Found in alveoli of lungs, walls of blood capillaries, in renal capsule of kidneys, lining of ducts, arteries and veins
Ciliated epithelial
Single layer , cube shaped or column cells attached to basement membrane
Cilia is present opposite basement membranes, moves mucus and other materials
Found in trachea, bronchi, oviduct
Why are arteries and veins organs but capillaries aren’t?
Arteries and capillaries are organs because they are made of different tissues that performs one function. They contain squamous, muscle and connective tissue.
But capillaries are only made up of one type of tissue.
Why is the stomach an organ?
Muscle tissues to churn up food
Epithelial cells to protect the stomach wall and produce secretions
Connective tissues to connect other tissues together
Why is a leaf an organ
Palisade mesophyll tissue to carry out photosynthesis
Spongy mesophyll for gas diffusion
Epidermis to protect the leaf and for gas diffusion
Phloem to transport organic material away from the leaf
Xylem transport water and minerals into leafs
Prokaryote
A single celled organism that contains no nucleus and membrane bound organelles
Differences of nucleas in eukaryotes and prokaryotes
Prokaryotes - no nucleus or membrane bound organelles
Eukaryotes- have a nucleus and membrane bound organelles
Difference in size between prokaryotes and eukaryotes
Prokaryotes are smaller than eukaryotes
Difference in DNA in prokaryotes and eukaryotes
Prokaryotes- circular DNA, floats free in cytoplasm, no protein coat
Eukaryotes - linear DNA , wrapped around by proteins(histones), contained in a nucleus
Structures in prokaryotes not found in eukaryotes
Plasmids sometimes containing antibiotic resistance genes
Pilli attach to other bacterial cells, DNA is stolen and forms new plasmid in donor
Thick protective slimy capsule to retain moisture and protect itself from hosts immune system
Some have flagellum that creates locomotion
Mesosmes- inner foldings of the inner membrane which contain enzymes required for respiration. Increases SA of cell.
Difference in ribosomes between prokaryotes and eukaryotes
Prokaryotes have 70S and eukaryotes have 80S
Difference in cell walls in prokaryotes and eukaryotes
Prokaryotes- cells walls made up of glycoproteins called peptidoglycan (Murein)
Eukaryotes- plants have cellulose in cells walls and fungi have chitin in cell walls
Describe the structure of viruses
Acellular, non living structures, consisting of nucleic acids either DNA OR RNA enclosed in a protective protein coat called the capsid, sometimes covered with a lipid layer called the envelope
They also have attachment proteins that bind to proteins that bind to receptors on host cells
What are the 5 stages of binary fission
Circular DNA, plasmids replicated
Cell get bigger and DNA moves at bigger ends of cell
Cytoplasm divides and new cell wall forms
Cell wall completely forms creating 2 daughter cells
Each daughter cell contain one copy of circular DNA but can variable amounts of plasmids.
What is the Endosymbiosis theoryhough that eukaryotic cells
It is thought that eukaryotic cell organelles like nuclei, mitochondria, chloroplast are derived from prokaryotic cells that became incorporated inside larger prokaryotic cells
What observation supports endosymbiosis
Organelles contain circular DNA, like bacterial cells
Contains 70S ribosomes
Organelles have double membranes, as tough a single membrane cell had been engulfed and surrounded by a larger cell
Organelles reproduce by binary fission like bacteria
Orgenelles are very alike to some bacteria that are still alive today
What is mitosis
Cell division that results in each of the daughter cells having an exact copy of the DNA of the parent cell.
Occurs in eukaryotic cells
What occurs during Interphase of mitosis
Chromosomes aren’t visible yet.
DNA is replicated and joined at the centromere
What occurs at the prophase stage of mitosis
Chromosomes become visible by condensing . Animal cells have centrioles that move to opposite ends of the cell. The nuclear envelope breaks down and nucleolus disappears. Chromosomes are free in the cytoplasm, and drawn to equator of the cell by spindle fibres attached to centromere.
What do plant cells have instead of spindle fibres
Spindle apparatus but don’t need centrioles.
What occurs in the metaphase stage in mitosis
Double chromatids formed. spindle fibres begin to attach to centromere on each sister chromatid
Chromosomes line up on equator of cell
What occurs in the anaphase stage of mitosis
Centromere divide into 2 and spindle fibres pull the individual chromatids apart, moving to opposite ends of the cell
WHat occurs at the telophase stage of Mitosis
Chromosomes reach opposite ends of poles, becoming longer and thinner therefore disappearing. It leaves behind spread out chromatin
Nuclear envelope and nucleolus re form.
What occurs at the cytokinesis stage of mitosis
The cytoplasm divides and 2 daughter cells form containing genetically identical information.
Each daughter cell starts the interphase part of the cell cycle
What are plasma membranes
Membranes surrounding cells and cell organelles
What are cell surface membrane
The membrane surrounding the cell
Where are phospholipid bilayer found
Cell surface membrane
Structure of phospholipid membrane
Hydrophillic polar, phosphate group head that attracts water so face outwards
Hydrophobic tail made of fatty acids (non polar) that repels water so faces inwards
Functions of phospholipids in membrane
Allow lipid soluble substances to enter and leave the cell
Prevent water soluble substances entering and leaving the cell
Make the membrane flexible and self sealing
What are the function of proteins that are only on the inner or outer surface (peripheral)of phospholipid bilayer?
For mechanical strength
Connects glycoproteins that acts as receptors together with glycolipids
What are the function of integral proteins( spans the phospholipid bilayer from one side to the other)
Protein channels - facilitates diffusion of water of water soluble ions across the membrane
Carrier proteins - bind to large molecules and then change shape in order to move these molecules across the membrane
What is the function of cholesterol within the phospholipid bilayer?
Add strength to cell surface membrane
Hydrophobic so prevent water loss and dissolved ions from cell
Reduce lateral(side to side)movement of fatty acids of phospholipids, without not making the cell too rigid.
Makes membrane less fluid at high temperatures
Functions of glycolipids in the phospholipid bilayer
Acts as recognition sites
Helps maintain stability of the membrane
Helps cells to attach to one and other so form tissues
What are glycolipids and their functions
Carbohydrate chains attached to extrinsic proteins
Acts as recognition sites
Helps cells recognise each other to form tissues
Help lymphocytes recognise their own cells
What properties would prevent substances to pass through cell surface membrane?
Non lipid soluble substances(non polar)
Water soluble(polar molecules)
Electrically charged molecules.
Large molecules
Why is it called the fluid mosaic model?
Fluid- phospholipid molecules move relative to one another so constantly changing in shape
Mosaic- proteins embedded in the phospholipid bilayer vary in shape size and pattern
What affects the phospholipid bilayer to be more fluid
Higher temperature
More fatty acids
Shorter tails
What affects the phospholipid bilayer to be less fluid
More cholesterol
What does passive mean
Processes rely on inbuilt kinetic energy of the molecules not ATP released from respiration.
Do particles stop moving when they reach equilibrium
All particles are constantly in random motion due to the kinetic energy they possess
What is diffusion
Net movement of molecules or ions from a area of high concentration to an area of low concentration until evenly distributed
What type of molecules can pass through cell surface membrane?
Small, non polar molecules such as oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Facilitated diffusion
Charged ions ands polar molecules can’t diffuse easily because of the hydrophobic nature of the tails, so they need protein channels and carrier proteins to get across the membrane.
Protein channels
Transports specific water soluble ions, through water filled hydrophillic channels.
Selective as it only opens in the prescience of a specific ions
Ion binds to protein, changing shape so it closes on one side of the membrane and opens it on the other side
Carrier proteins
Transports specific molecules e.g. glucose.
Specific molecules bind to proteins causing a change in shape. This causes particles to be released on the other side of the membrane
Osmosis
Net movement of water molecules or ions from an area of high water potential to an area of low after potential through a partially permeable membrane.
Why is there sometimes osmosis in the phospholipid bilayer
Water ions are weakly charged and is a small molecule
What is a solute
The substance that is being dissolved
What is the solvent
The substance the solute is being dissolved in
Solution
The solute dissolved in solvent
Aquaporins
Water selective Protein channels that facilitate diffusion of water
Water potential
Measure of pressure created by water molecules, units are kiloPascals.(kPa)
What happens to the water potential when a solute is added to pure water
It lowers and has a negative water potential because pure water has 0kPa.
What happens when more solute is added to pure water
The water potential lowers more because solution is more concentrated
Ie the more concentrated a solute the lower the water potential.
What prevents animal cells from bursting by osmsis?
Don’t have cell wall
Animals cells live in blood plasma which has the same water potential as the water potential inside red blood cell.