Download 6.12 - The Cell

6.12 - The Cell
Cell Theory
Cell - The basic unit of structure and function in living things. All of an organism’s process or functions are
carried out in the cell.
Robert Hooke - One of the first people to observe cells through his own compound microscope. He observed
the structure of a thin slice of cork and called the empty spaces he saw cells, which meant “small rooms.”
Anton van Leeuwenhoek - He observed drops of lake water, scrapings from teeth and gums, and water from
rain gutters through a simple microscope. He called one-celled organisms animalcules which meant “little
animals.”
Cell Theory - A widely accepted explanation of the relationship between cells and living things.
 All living things are composed of cells.
 Cells are the basic units of structure and function in living things.
 All cells are produced from other cells.
6.12 - The Cell
Inside Plant and Animal Cells
Organelles - Tiny cell structures that carry out specific functions within a cell.
Cell Wall - Rigid layer of non-living material (found only in plant cells) that protect and support the cell. It is
made up of cellulose in which only water and oxygen gas can pass through.
Cell Membrane - Controls what come in and out of the cell. Found in both plant and animal cells.
Nucleus - This is the control center of the cell in which this directs all of the cell’s activities.
Nuclear Envelope - The membrane that surrounds the nucleus.
Chromatin - Thin strands that control the genetic information and is the instructions for directing the cell’s
functions.
Nucleolus - Place in the nucleus where ribosomes, or organelles that produce proteins, are made.
Chromosomes - Thread-like structures located inside the nucleus of plant and animal cells consisting of DNA
and protein that carries specific information.
Cytoplasm - The region between the cell membrane and the nucleus.
Mitochondria - Rod-shaped organelles that are the powerhouse of the cell because they convert energy in food
to the cell to carry out its functions.
Endoplasmic Reticulum - A maze of passageways that carry proteins and other materials from one part of the
cell to another.
Ribosomes - Grain-like organelles that float in the cytoplasm and make proteins. Some proteins that are
produced are released through the wall of the endoplasmic reticulum and then to the Golgi bodies.
Golgi bodies - The cell’s mail room that receives proteins and other materials from the endoplasmic reticulum
and then packages them and distributes them to other parts of the cell.
Chloroplasts - Only found in plant cells, these organelles capture sunlight and use it to produce food for the
cell (this is what makes leaves green).
Vacuoles - A water-filled sac that is a storage area for the cell. This sac stores food, material, and waste.
Lysosomes - Small, round structures that act like cleaning crews to break down materials in the cell.
Types of Cells
 Eukaryote - Cells that contain a nucleus (animal, fungi, and plant cells)
 Prokaryote - Cells that do not contain a true nucleus (bacteria and single-celled microorganisms)
6.12 - The Cell