Cell: The Unit of Life

Flashcards derived from lecture notes on cells, their structures, functions, and key historical figures in cell biology.

What is the basic structural and functional unit of life?

Cell

Who was the first person to observe cork cells?

Robert Hooke

What did Robert Brown discover in cells?

The nucleus

According to the cell theory, what are all living organisms composed of?

Cells

Who modified the cell theory to include that all cells come from pre-existing cells?

Rudolf Virchow

What is composed of a double membrane and is the powerhouse of the cell?

Mitochondria

What term describes the gel-like substance found inside all cells?

Cytoplasm

What type of cells do not have membrane-bound organelles?

Prokaryotic cells

What is the smallest known living cell?

Mycoplasma

What is the structure that provides rigidity to plant cells?

Cell wall

What cellular structure is responsible for protein synthesis?

Ribosome

What is the function of lysosomes in cells?

To digest waste materials and cellular debris.

What do we call cells that contain a true nucleus?

Eukaryotic cells

What are the two main types of organisms based on cell type?

Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic organisms.

What is the term for the living outermost layer of the cell?

Plasma membrane

What is the longest cell in the human body?

Neuron.