Life at the Cellular Level Flashcards
(133 cards)
Prokaryotic Cells
- Bacteria, archaea
- lack nuclear membrane
- no membrane bound organelles
Eukaryotic Cells
- Animals, plants, fungi, algae and protozoa
- nucleus with membrane
- Membrance bound organelles
Describe human (eukaryotic) cells
- surrounded by a cell membrane
- contain a number of different organelles that from the machinery of the cellular factory
Describe the cell/plasma membrane /plasmalemma
- Comprises a double layer of lipid with attached phosphate groups = phospholipid bilayer.
- Forms a selective barrier, being choosy about what it allows to cross in or out of the cell.
- Embedded in the membrane are proteins which act as receptors to detect chemical messengers and signalling molecules in the fluid surrounding cells (extracellular fluid).
Describe the cytoskeleton
- Supports and maintains cell shape.
- Holds organelles in position – internal cell order.
- Helps move organelles around the cell – intracellular transport.
- Drives and guides cellular migration – movement.
- Protein fibres of the cytoskeleton connect with protein fibres in the extracellular space – Assembly of cells into tissues
What does the cytoskeleton include?
- Microfilaments - actin
- Intermediate filaments - keratin, neurofilament protein
- Microtubles - tublin
What do some cells have (cytoskelton related)
Surface projections supported by the cytoskelton:
1. cilia short usually many present, move with stiff power stroke and flexible recovery stroke (e.g. lung cilia)
2. Flagella longer, usually one or two present, movemnt is snakelike (e.g. sperm)
Both made of microtubules
Describe the nucleus
- Contains DNA - the brain of the cell.
- Nucleoli are sites of ribosomal RNA synthesis and ribosomal assembly.
- The nucleus is enclosed in the nuclear membrane/envelope which, like all biological membranes, is a phospholipid bilayer.
- It is closely associated with the Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum
Describe the Endoplasmic Reticulum
- Membrane bound organelle
- Endoplasmic reticulum comes in rough (RER) and smooth (SER) varieties
- RER has ribosomes attached giving it the “rough” appearance
- Ribosomes synthesise proteins
- RER modifies proteins.
- SER has no ribosomes attached and is mainly associated with lipid and steroid hormone production and metabolism of toxins
Describe the golgi apparatus
- Membrane bound organelle
- Golgi Apparatus packages up protein in preparation for transport out of the cell
Mitochondria
- Organelles bound by a phospholipid bilayer.
- Outer membrane contains pores
- Inner membrane has cristae (folds which inc surface area)
- Matrix contains most of the enzymes required for metabolising food molecules (e.g. Krebs cycle).
Other Mitochondria facts
- They have their own circular DNA.
- They have their own ribosomes – similar to bacterial ribosomes.
- They synthesise most of their own proteins.
- They can self-replicate.
Lysosomes and Peroxisomes
Lysosomes and peroxisomes are membrane bound vesicles containing enzymes – they separate enzymes from the rest of the cell. Enzymes are one form of protein packaged by the Golgi apparatus that catalyse reactions in cells, but need to be stored until needed.
Lysosomes
Lysosomal enzymes are degradative and they are responsible for the digestion of biological materials (cells own materials; autophagy) or digestion of engulfed particles (e.g. bacteria).
peroxisomes
Peroxisomal enzymes degrade long-chain fatty acids and other foreign toxic molecules. These reactions generate hydrogen peroxide, which is toxic. Peroxisomes break the hydrogen peroxide (catalase enzyme) protecting the cell.
Ribosome
Site of protein synthesis in a cell.
Reads mature mRNA transcript and sysnthesises sequence of amino acids, which can then be folded to form proteins
What are Stem Cells?
Stem cells are cells that can differentiate into many (multipotent) or any (pluripotent) cell types of the body.
Clinically they have been used in the treatment of certain diseases including some cancers.
Explain cell differentiation
- Undifferentiated stem cells divide and give rise to (genetically identicle) daughter cells
- Differences in gene expression and the local cellular environment cause daughter cells to develop into different cell types
Stem cells in the lab
Stem cells canbe differentiated into almost any type in the lad and used as models for reserch
What is constantly happening to our tissues
Tissues are collections of cells sharing a similar function and are as such contantly being remodelled with cells dying…
Apoptosis
Controlled and programmed cell death at a predetermined time. It is a normal process and essential for normal function.
necrosis
Untimely death of cells in **response to injury or infection. **It is NOT a normal process
What 2 things are intimately coupled?
Apoptosis and cell proliferation
What happens when the balance betweel apoptosis and proliferation is lost?
Cancers can occur:
* Divide without any control
* Fail to coordinate with normal cells.
* Fail to differentiate into specialized cells
* Displace and replace the normal cells – if not stopped.