Module 2 Flashcards
Magnification
- tells you how many times bigger the image produced by the microscope is than the real-life object
Resolution
- the ability to distinguish between objects that are close together
measuring diameter through a light microscope
- use eyepiece graticule
- calibrate graticule using stage micrometer
- calculate length of one epu
- measure diameter of …. in EPU
- take repeat measurements + calculate mean …
- use calibrated EPU to calculate length/diameter of …. in micrometers
Why is using a stain advantageous?
- contrast is higher
- more (internal) structures visible
- some organelles(eg nucleus) more visible because they bind to the stain
- clearer image can be obtained
Optical (light) microscopes
- use light to form an image which limits the resolution of optical microscopes (using light makes it impossible to resolve two objects that are closer than half a wavelength of light)
- Max resolution of 0.2 micrometres (or 200nm)- can see eukaryotic cells and their nuclei but cannot observe smaller organelles eg ribosomes, ER or lysosomes
-max magnification is around x1500
Electron microscopes
-use electrons to form image which greatly increases resolution, giving more detailed image
- beam of electrons has smaller wavelength than light
- max resolution of 0.0002 micrometres (0.2 nm)
- max magnification of x1,500,000
Transmission electron microscopes (TEMs)
- use electromagnets to focus a beam of electrons through a specimen
ADV
-give high resolution images, allowing internal structures within cells to be seen
DISADV
-can only be used on very thin specimens - cannot observe live specimens
-lengthy treatment required to prepare specimens means artefacts can be introduced
-do not produce a colour image
Scanning electron microscopes (SEMs)
- scan a beam of electrons across a specimen
- produce 3 dimensional images that show surface of specimens
ADV
-can be used on thick or 3D specimens
-allow external 3D structure to be observed
DISADV - give lower resolution images than TEMs
- cannot be used to observe live specimens
- do not produce colour image
Laser scanning confocal microscopes
- cells stained with fluorescent dyes
- thick section of tissue or small living organism scanned with laser beam
ADV - can be used on thick/ 3D specimens
- allow external 3D structure to be viewed
- very clear images are produced
DISADV
-slow process - laser can cause photodamage to cells
Cell surface membrane
- controls the exchange of materials between the internal and external cell environment
-partially permeable - formed from a phospholipid bilayer
Cell wall (plant, not animal)
- formed outside cell membrane to offer structural support
- polysaccharide cellulose in plants
- peptidoglycan in bacteria cells
- narrow threads of cytoplasm, called plasmodesmata connect the cytoplasm of neighbouring plant cells
Nucleus
- present in all eukaryotic cells (except RBC)
- double membrane (nuclear envelope) which has many pores
-nuclear pores allow mRNA and ribosomes to travel out of nucleus + allow enzymes and signalling molecules to travel in - contains chromatin, which makes up chromosomes
- nucleolus- sites of ribosome production
Mitochondria
- site of aerobic respiration in all eukaryotic cells
-double-membrane with inner membrane folded to form cristae - matrix formed by cristae contains enzymes for aerobic respiration (eg ATP)
- small circular pieces of DNA and ribosomes also found in matrix (needed for replication)
Chloroplasts
-found in plant cells
-larger than mitochondria, surrounded by double membrane
- membrane-bound compartments called thylakoids containing chlorophyll stack to form structures called grana
- grana joined by lamellae (thin and flat thylakoid membranes)
- site of photosynthesis
- light-dependent stage in thylakoids
- light- independent stage in stroma
- small circular pieces of DNA and ribosomes to synthesise proteins
Ribosomes
- found in all cells
- freely in cytoplasm of cells as part of rough ER in eukaryotic cells
- each ribosome is a complex of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and proteins
- 80S ribosomes (in eukaryotes)
- 70S ribosomes (in prokaryotes, mitochondria and chloroplasts)
- site of translation
Endoplasmic reticulum
Rough ER:
- found in animal and plant cells
- surface covered in ribosomes
- formed from continuous folds of membrane continuous with the nuclear envelope
- processes proteins made by ribosomes
Smooth ER:
- found in plant and animal cells
- no ribosomes on surface
- involved in production, processing and storage of lipids, carbs and steroids
Role of membrane in RER
- compartmentalisation/ maintain different conditions from cell cytoplasm
- separating proteins (synthesised) from cell cytoplasm
- hold ribosomes/enzymes in place
Golgi apparatus (golgi complex)
- found in animal and plant cells
- flattened sacs of membrane
- modifies proteins and lipids before packaging them into Golgi vesicles
- vesicles transport proteins and lipids to their required destination
Large permanent vacuoles
- a sac in plant cells surrounded by tonoplast, selectively permeable membrane
- vacuoles in animal cells are not permanent and small
vesicles
- found in animal and plant cells
- a membrane-bound sac for transport and storage
lysosomes
- specialist forms of vesicles which contain hydrolytic enzymes
- break down waste materials such as worn-out organelles
- used extensively by cells of the immune system and in apoptosis (programmed cell death)
Centrioles
-hollow fibres made of microtubules
- two centrioles at right angles to each other form a centrosome , which organises the spindle fibres during cell division
-not found in flowering plants and fungi
Microtubule
- found in all eukaryotic cells
- makes up cytoskeleton of the cell about 25nm in diameter
- made of alpha and beta tubulin combined to form dimers, the dimers are then joined into protofilaments
- the cytoskeleton is used to provide support and movement of the cell
Microvilli
-found in specialised animal cells
- cell membrane projections
-used to increase the surface area of cell surface membrane to increase the rate of exchange of substances