Cells: The Living Units

Chapter 3: Cells: The Living Units

3.1 Cells are the smallest unit of life

LO 3.1a: Define Cell

  • Cell: The structural units of all living things.

Identify and Describe Cell Shapes

  1. Three Different Cell Shapes: Refer to Figure 3.1 for graphical representation.
    • Shape 1: Example description.
    • Shape 2: Example description.
    • Shape 3: Example description.

LO 3.1b: Name and Describe the Composition of Extracellular Materials

  1. Most Abundant Extracellular Material Options:
    • (a) Extracellular matrix
    • (b) Extracellular fluid
    • (c) Cellular secretions
    • (d) Interstitial fluid
  2. Blood Plasma:
    • Blood plasma is an example of: (a) Extracellular matrix (b) Extracellular fluid (c) Cellular secretions (d) Interstitial fluid.

LO 3.1c: List the Major Regions of a Generalized Cell and Their Functions

  1. The Three Main Parts of a Generalized Cell:
    • (1) Plasma Membrane
    • (2) Cytoplasm
    • (3) Nucleus

3.2 The Plasma Membrane

LO 3.2: Chemical Composition of the Plasma Membrane

  1. Chemical Composition Fill in the Blanks:
    • The plasma membrane is a phospholipid bilayer with embedded proteins, arranged as a fluid mosaic. The polar head of a phospholipid is hydrophilic, and the nonpolar tails are hydrophobic. Membrane proteins are responsible for most of the specialized functions of the plasma membrane.
  2. Function of Cholesterol in Plasma Membrane: Acts to stabilize the fluidity of the membrane under various temperatures.
  3. Function of Glycocalyx: Provides protection, immunity to infection, and is involved in cell recognition and adhesion.
  4. Four Functions of the Plasma Membrane:
    • Defines cell boundaries
    • Controls entry and exit of substances
    • Communicates with other cells
    • Involved in cell signaling.

3.3 Intercellular Junctions

LO 3.3: Structure and Function of Cell Junctions

  1. Types of Cell Junctions:
    • Tight Junction: Impermeable junction helps keep cells from separating.
    • Desmosome: Anchoring junctions that prevent tearing.
    • Gap Junction: Allows ions to pass from cell to cell, facilitating communication.

3.4 Passive Membrane Transport

LO 3.4a: Passive Transport Processes

  1. Definitions:
    • Passive Transport: Movement of substances across membranes without the use of energy.
    • Concentration Gradient: The difference in concentration of a substance between two areas.
  2. Types of Diffusion:
    • Simple Diffusion: Movement of small, nonpolar molecules across the membrane.
    • Facilitated Diffusion: Requires a transport protein to move molecules across.
    • Osmosis: Movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane.
  3. Key Characteristics for Plasma Membrane Crossing:
    • Size of the molecule
    • Polarity of the molecule.
  4. Selective Permeability: The plasma membrane allows some substances to pass while restricting others.
  5. Osmosis Explanation:
    • The movement of water through a membrane that is impermeable to solute; water moves from a region of low solute concentration to high solute concentration.

3.5 Active Membrane Transport

LO 3.5a: Active Transport Mechanisms

  1. Differences Between Passive and Active Transport: Active transport requires energy (ATP) to move substances against their gradient, whereas passive transport does not.
  2. Primary Active Transport Energy Source: Direct use of ATP.
  3. Secondary Active Transport Energy Source: Indirectly uses energy from primary active transport.
  4. Similarities of Active Transport and Carrier-Mediated Facilitated Diffusion:
    • Both require a transport protein in the membrane.
    • Both can move substances in opposite directions.
  5. Sodium-Potassium Pump Details:
    • For each ATP used, 3 Na+ are pumped out and 2 K+ are pumped in; results in a higher concentration of K+ inside and Na+ outside.

LO 3.5b: Types of Vesicular Transport

  1. Type of Transport for Hormone Release: (c) Exocytosis.
  2. Transport Processes Characteristics:
    • Requires ATP
    • Involves transport proteins
    • Moves large substances or bulk transport of substances

LO 3.5c: Endocytosis Types

  1. Pinocytosis: Nonselective sampling of extracellular fluid.
  2. Phagocytosis: Involves the formation of pseudopods to engulf large particles.
  3. Receptor-mediated Endocytosis: Specific movement of molecules such as cholesterol into a cell.

3.6 Selective Diffusion and Membrane Potential

LO 3.6: Membrane Potential

  1. Definition of Membrane Potential: The voltage difference across the plasma membrane.
  2. Resting Membrane Potential: Reference example, skeletal muscle cell is determined to be −70 mV (cytoplasmic side is negative relative to the extracellular side).
  3. Cations in Extracellular and Intracellular Fluid:
    • Extracellular: Na+
    • Intracellular: K+.
  4. Leaky Channels: More leakage channels for K+.
  5. Diffusion Explanation: Outward diffusion of K+ is greater than inward diffusion of Na+, making the cytoplasmic side more negative.
  6. Sodium-Potassium Pump Role: Maintains the resting membrane potential by routine transport of Na+ and K+ ions.

3.7 Cell Adhesion Molecules

LO 3.7: Functions of Cell Adhesion Molecules

  1. Roles of Cell Adhesion Molecules (CAMs):
    • Cell signaling and communication
    • Help cells adhere to surroundings
    • Regulate cell growth and movement.
  2. Definition of Ligand: A molecule that binds to a receptor. Examples include hormones and neurotransmitters.

3.8 Cytoplasmic Organelles

LO 3.8a: Structure and Function of Mitochondria

  1. Function of Mitochondria: Produce ATP through aerobic respiration.
  2. Cristae: Infoldings of the inner mitochondrial membrane that increase surface area for ATP production.
  3. Mitochondrial Content in Skeletal Muscle Cells vs Blood Cells: Skeletal muscle cells contain more mitochondria due to higher energy demands.

LO 3.8b: Ribosomes and Endoplasmic Reticulum

  1. Location and Protein Production of Free Ribosomes: Found in cytosol, produce cytosolic proteins.
  2. Location and Protein Production of Membrane-bound Ribosomes: Attached to the endoplasmic reticulum, produce proteins for export or for membrane integration.
  3. Functions of Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum:
    • Synthesizes proteins for secretion
    • Helps form cellular membranes
    • Modifies and packages newly formed proteins.
  4. Functions of Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum:
    • Lipid synthesis
    • Detoxification processes
    • Calcium ion storage.

LO 3.8c: Lysosomes vs. Peroxisomes

  1. Enzymes in Lysosomes: Digestive enzymes that break down waste materials and cellular debris.
  2. Enzymes in Peroxisomes: Oxidative enzymes that detoxify harmful substances and metabolize fatty acids.
  3. Liver and Phagocyte Examples: Liver cells have numerous peroxisomes for detoxifying; phagocytes have abundant lysosomes for degrading pathogens.

LO 3.8d: Cytoskeletal Elements

  1. Types of Cytoskeletal Elements:
    • Microfilaments: Smallest diameter, involved in cell shape and motility.
    • Intermediate Filaments: Provide strength to the cell, most stable.
    • Microtubules: Largest diameter, form the mitotic spindle and assist in organelle movement.

3.9 Cilia and Microvilli

LO 3.9a: Centrioles

  1. Cilia and Flagella Formation: Extensions formed from centrioles, termed basal bodies.

LO 3.9b: Function and Example of Cilia and Microvilli

  1. Function of Microvilli: Increase surface area for absorption, e.g., intestinal epithelial cells.
  2. Function of Cilia: Move substances across the cell surface, e.g., respiratory tract epithelial cells.
  3. Function of Flagella: Propel cells, e.g., sperm cells with a single flagellum.

3.10 The Nucleus

LO 3.10: Structure and Function of Nucleus Components

  1. Fundamental Units of Chromatin: Nucleosomes or histones.
  2. Short Bar-like Bodies: Formed from coiled chromatin during cell division, termed chromosomes.
  3. Parts of the Nucleus and Their Functions:
    • Nuclear Envelope: Encloses the nucleus and separates it from cytoplasm; controls entry/exit.
    • Nucleoli: Synthesize ribosomal RNA (rRNA).
    • Chromatin: Genetic material, condenses to form chromosomes during cell division.

3.11 The Cell Cycle

LO 3.11a: Phases and Key Events of the Cell Cycle

  1. Subphases of Interphase:
    • G1 (Gap 1): Cell growth and preparation for DNA replication.
    • S (Synthesis): DNA replication occurs.
    • G2 (Gap 2): Prep for mitosis, including further growth and organelle replication.
  2. Phases of Mitosis:
    • (a) Anaphase
    • (b) Metaphase
    • (c) Prophase
    • (d) Telophase
    • From start to finish the order of the phases is: Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase.

LO 3.11b: DNA Replication Process

  1. Replicated Chromosome Structure: Consists of two sister chromatids attached at a centromere.
  2. Enzyme for Complementary Nucleotide Positioning: DNA polymerase.
  3. Result of Semiconservative Replication: Each new DNA molecule consists of one parental strand and one newly synthesized strand.

3.12 Messenger RNA and Protein Synthesis

LO 3.12a: Define Gene and Genetic Code

  1. Gene: A segment of DNA that codes for a protein.
    • Genetic Code: The set of rules defining how the information in DNA is translated into proteins.
  2. Number of Protein-Encoding Genes: Approximately 20,000-25,000 genes in the human genome.

LO 3.12b: Phases