The cell is the basic unit of life. Cells are living. They grow, reproduce (divide), and die.
Some organisms are single – celled (like bacteria and protozoa) and others are
multicellular (like animals). Humans are made of trillions of cells.
The cell performs functions such as:
● communicating/signaling with other cells;
● making energy for life processes;
● bringing in food and other raw materials into the cell;
● exporting proteins/materials out of the cell;
● recycling cell components
● cell division;
● making proteins/protein synthesis;
● cell repair;
● functions particular to that type of cell.
Let’s look at the structure of cells.
The diagram to the right is a typical animal cell. The cell diagram shows the
various organelles in the cell. Each organelle has a specific function to perform.
The actual organelles themselves are made of the molecules you studied earlier:
proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. An animal cell is surrounded by
a cell membrane, but has no cell wall. Not all animal cells are capable of moment
, and have a flagellum.
Plant cells have a similar structure. However they have a rigid cell wall made of
cellulose. This makes their shape more square and consistent than animal cells. Plant
cells also have organelles called plastids. One type of plastid is a chloroplast.
Chloroplasts are green in colour and capable of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis allows
them to convert CO2 and the sun’s energy into glucose for the cell. Glucose is
connected through glycosidic linkages to make starch, a polysaccharide. Starch is
stored in the large organelle in the centre called the vacuole.
Some organisms are single – celled (like bacteria and protozoa) and others are
multicellular (like animals). Humans are made of trillions of cells.
The cell performs functions such as:
● communicating/signaling with other cells;
● making energy for life processes;
● bringing in food and other raw materials into the cell;
● exporting proteins/materials out of the cell;
● recycling cell components
● cell division;
● making proteins/protein synthesis;
● cell repair;
● functions particular to that type of cell.
Let’s look at the structure of cells.
The diagram to the right is a typical animal cell. The cell diagram shows the
various organelles in the cell. Each organelle has a specific function to perform.
The actual organelles themselves are made of the molecules you studied earlier:
proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. An animal cell is surrounded by
a cell membrane, but has no cell wall. Not all animal cells are capable of moment
, and have a flagellum.
Plant cells have a similar structure. However they have a rigid cell wall made of
cellulose. This makes their shape more square and consistent than animal cells. Plant
cells also have organelles called plastids. One type of plastid is a chloroplast.
Chloroplasts are green in colour and capable of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis allows
them to convert CO2 and the sun’s energy into glucose for the cell. Glucose is
connected through glycosidic linkages to make starch, a polysaccharide. Starch is
stored in the large organelle in the centre called the vacuole.
