SRI KRISHNA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
(An Autonomous Institution, Accredited by NAAC with ‘A’ Grade)
Kuniamuthur, Coimbatore – 641008
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
23SB102 Biology for Engineers
MODULE I – BASIC CELL BIOLOGY FOR ENGINEERS
1.2 Cell and its Structure
Presented by,
Mr. S.BOOBALAN,
Assistant Professor
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology
Kuniamuthur, Coimbatore-641008
1
What is Cell?
• Cell is the basic structural and functional unit of living
organisms.
• In other words, cells make up living things and carry out
activities that keep a living thing alive.
• An organism that is made up of only one cell is called as
unicellular organism.
Animal cell
1.Nucleus
2.Golgi body
3.Vesicle
4.Plasma membrane
5.Mitochondria
6.Cytoskeleton
7.Centriole
8.Lysosome
9.Cytoplasm
10.Rough endoplasmic reticulum
11.Smooth endoplasmic reticulum
12.Nucleolus
Plant Cell
1.Nucleus
2.Golgi body
3.Vesicle
4.Lysosome
5.Plasma membrane
6.Mitochondria
7.Chloroplast
8.Cell wall
9.Vacuole
10.Rough endoplasmic reticulum
11.Smooth endoplasmic reticulum
12.Nucleolus
Bacterial Cell
1.Capsule
2.Cell wall
3.Plasma membrane
4.Cytoplasm
5.Flagellum
6.Food granule
7.Plasmid(DNA)
8.Ribosomes
9.Nucleoid
10.Pili
Human Cell
Introduction
1.Plasma membrane
• All living things are made up of 2.Nucleus
cells. 3.Cytoplasm
• Cells are the smallest working
A.Cytosol
units of all living things
• All cells come from pre-existing B.Cell Organelles
cells through cell divisions a)Endoplasmic
• A cell is the smallest unit that reticulum
is capable of performing life b)Golgi body
functions C)Lysosomes
d)Vacuoles
e)Mitochondria
f)Plastids
g)Centrosome
h)Cytoskeleton
Plasma Membrane
• Extremely delicate, thin , elastic, living
and semi -permeable membrane
• Made up of two layers of lipid molecules
in which protein molecules are floating.
• Thickness varies from 75-110 A°
• Can be observed under an electron
microscope only
Functions:
• Maintains shape & size of the cell
• Protects internal contents of the cell
• Regulates entry and exit of substances
in and out of the cell
• Maintains homeostasis
Golgi body
• Discovered by Camillo Golgi
• Formed by stacks of 5-8 membranous sacs
• A Golgi body, also known as a Golgi
apparatus, is a cell organelle that helps
process and package proteins and lipid
molecules, especially proteins destined to
be exported from the cell.
• Functions:
• Modifies, sorts and packs materials
synthesized in the cell
• Delivers synthesized materials to various
targets inside the cell and outside the cell
• Produces vacuoles(vacuoles are generally small
and help sequester waste products) and secretory
vesicles
Golgi body at work
Cell wall
• Non-living and outermost covering of a
cell plants & bacteria)
• Can be tough, rigid and sometimes
flexible
• Made up of cellulose, hemicellulose and
pectin
• May be thin or thick, multilayered
structure
• Thickness varies from 50-1000 A°
Functions:
• Provides definite shape, strength &
rigidity
• Prevents drying up(desiccation) of cells
• Helps in controlling cell expansion
• Protects cell from external pathogens
Cytoplasm
• The cytoplasm is the gel-like fluid inside the cell.
It is the medium for chemical reaction.
• It provides a platform upon which other
organelles can operate within the cell.
• All of the functions for cell expansion, growth and
replication are carried out in the cytoplasm of a
cell.
• Jelly-like material formed by 80 % of water
• Present between the plasma membrane and the
nucleus
• Contains a clear liquid portion called cytosol and
various particles
• Particles are proteins, carbohydrates, nucleic
acids, lipids and inorganic ions
Nucleus
• Dense spherical body located near the centre of the
cell
• Diameter varies from 10-25 µm
• The nucleus contains nearly all of the cell's DNA,
surrounded by a network of fibrous intermediate
filaments and enveloped in a
double membrane called the "nuclear envelope".
• The nuclear envelope separates the fluid inside
the nucleus, called the nucleoplasm, from the rest of
the cell.
• Few types of cells have more than one nucleus
(skeletal muscle cells)
Nucleus
• Chromosomes contain stretches of DNA
called genes
• Genes transfer the hereditary information
from one generation to the next
Functions:
• Control all the cell activities like
metabolism, protein synthesis, growth and
cell division
• Nucleolus synthesizes ribonucleic acid
(RNA) to constitute ribosomes
• Store hereditary information in genes
Endoplasmic Reticulum
• Network of tubular and vesicular structures
which are interconnected with one another
• Some parts are connected to the nuclear
membrane, while others are connected to the
cell membrane
• Two types: smooth(lacks ribosomes) and
rough(studded with ribosomes)
Functions:
• The endoplasmic reticulum can either be smooth
or rough, and in general its function is to produce
proteins for the rest of the cell to function
• Gives internal support to the cytoplasm
• RER synthesize secretory proteins and
membrane proteins
• SER synthesize lipids for cell membrane
Lysosome
• Small, spherical, single membrane sac
• Found throughout the cytoplasm
• Filled with hydrolytic enzymes
• Occur in most human and animal cells
A lysosome has three main and in few of plant cells
functions:
Functions:
the breakdown/digestion of • Help in digesting of large molecules
macromolecules (carbohydrates,
lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids), • Protect cell by destroying foreign
invaders like bacteria and viruses
cell membrane repairs, and
responses against foreign
• Degradation of worn out organelles
substances such as bacteria, • Help in self-destruct in a process called
viruses and other antigens
programmed cell death, or apoptosis.
Vacuole
• Small, rod shaped organelles bounded by
two membranes - inner and outer
• Outer membrane is smooth and encloses
the contents of mitochondria
• Inner membrane is folded in the form of
shelf like inward projections called cristae
• Inner cavity is filled with matrix which
contains many enzymes
• Contain their own DNA which are
responsible for many enzymatic actions
Functions:
• vacuoles help maintain water balance.
• Synthesize energy rich compound ATP
• ATP molecules provide energy for the vital
activities of living cells
Mitochondria
• Small, rod shaped organelles bounded by two membranes
- inner and outer
• Outer membrane is smooth and encloses the contents of
mitochondria
• Inner membrane is folded in the form of shelf like inward
projections called cristae
• Inner cavity is filled with matrix which contains many
enzymes
• Contain their own DNA which are responsible for many
enzymatic actions
Functions:
• that generate most of the chemical energy
needed to power the cell's biochemical reactions.
• Synthesize energy rich compound ATP
• ATP molecules provide energy for the vital activities of
living cells
Ribosomes
• Ribosomes are the organelles that help in protein
synthesis.
• Protein is required for many cell activities such as
damage repair and other chemical processes.
Cytoskeleton
• Formed by microtubules and microfilaments
• Microtubules are hollow tubules made up of
protein called tubulin
• Microfilaments are rod shaped thin filaments
made up of protein called actin
Functions:
• helps cells maintain their shape and internal
organization, and it also provides mechanical
support that enables cells to carry out essential
functions like division and movement
• Determine the shape of the cell
• Give structural strength to the cell
• Responsible for cellular movements
Centrosome
• Centrosome is the membrane bound
organelle present near the nucleus
• Consists of two structures called centrioles
• Centrioles are hollow, cylindrical structures
made of microtubules
• Centrioles are arranged at right angles to
each other
Functions:
• A centrosome is a cellular structure involved
in the process of cell division
• Form spindle fibres which help in the
movement of chromosomes during cell
division
• Help in the formati on of cilia and flagella
