Cell Biology: Key Concepts and Cell Theory Principles

Cellulose

what the cell wall of plants is made of, gives plants support and protection

Cell theory

all organisms are composed of cells, the cell is the basic unit of life, all cells come from pre-existing cells

Robert Hooke

first person to name a cell, observed cork cell under the microscope

Rudolf Virchow

concluded that all cells come from pre-existing cells, observed cells that were going through cell division

Anton von Leeuwenhoek

first person to construct a microscope

Scanning electron microscope (SEM)

electron microscope that produces a 3 dimensional image

Compound light microscope

type of microscope used in most classrooms, uses two lenses to magnify objects

Cell wall

supports and protects plant cells, made of cellulose

Mitochondria

organelle that converts food into energy, powerhouse of the cell, converts glucose into ATP, found in plants and animals

Organelles

small parts inside of cells that have specific functions

Cytoplasm

fluid part of cell that contains organelles

Chloroplast

type of plastid that contains chlorophyll, where photosynthesis takes place

Cilia

short hair-like extensions from the cell used for cell movement

Transmission electron microscope

type of microscope that uses electrons to produce a 2 dimensional image

Cytoskeleton

supporting framework of the cell, helps to move things through the cell

Lysosome

organelle filled with acid that breaks down old and worn out cell parts

Chlorophyll

green pigment found in plants that absorbs sunlight, located in the chloroplast

Chromatin

uncoiled DNA in the nucleus

Nucleolus

dark spot in the nucleus where ribosomes are made

Chromosomes

coiled DNA in the nucleus

Ribosomes

smallest, most numerous organelle that makes protein, site of protein synthesis, may be floating freely in the cytoplasm or attached to the ER

Golgi apparatus

packaging and shipping department of the cell, flattened stack of membranes, that modifies cell products and places a vesicle around them so that they can be exported out of the cell

Prokaryotes

small, primitive cells without a nucleus, contain cytoplasm, DNA, ribosomes, plasma membrane and cell wall, examples are bacterial cells

Nucleus

organelle that contains all of the cell's DNA, control center of the cell, determines which proteins are produced

Eukaryotes

larger, more advanced cells that contain a nucleus and membrane bound organelles, plant and animal cells

Matthias Schleiden

concluded that all plants are made of cells

Theodor Schwann

concluded that all animals are made of cells