The Fundamental Unit of Life

The Fundamental Unit of Life
Notes
Class 9
Discoveries about Cells – The Fundamental Unit of Life

Discovered By Period of What did they discover?
time
Robert Hooke 1665 noticed the presence of cells in a cork slice
Leeuwenhoek 1674 found the presence of living cells in the pond water
Robert Brown 1831 recognized the existence of a nucleus in the cell
Purkinje 1839 invented the term ‘Protoplasm’ which is the liquid present in a cell
Schleiden and 1838, 1839 presented the cell theory that all organisms are actually made up
Schwann of cells
Virchow 1855 suggested that all cells come from cells that already exist in nature
The Cell Theory

1. A cell is the structural and functional unit of all living organisms.
2. All living organisms are made up of cells.
3. Cells are formed from pre-existing cells.

 Unicellular Organisms – The organisms that consist of a single cell such as Amoeba, Paramecium,
Bacteria. Single cell carries all life functions.
 Multicellular Organisms – The organisms which contain various cells that perform different
functions in the organism such as plants fungi and animals. The division of labour is observed in cells
and different group of cells perform different functions.
The Shape of the Cell

 The shape of the cell may vary dep ending upon the type of function they perform in an
organism.
 Cells are capable of changing their shape. For example, the white blood cells and amoeba
can change shapes on their own.
Figure 1 - Cells can have different Shapes and Sizes

Types of cells
Parts of cell
1. Plasma/Cell membrane: This is the outermost covering of the cell that separates the contents of the cell from
its external environment. The plasma membrane allows or permits the entry and exit of some materials in and
out of the cell so the cell membrane is called a selectively permeable membrane. The plasma membrane is
made up of bilayer of lipid and protein channels. The structure is also called as Fluid Mosaic Model.
Some substances like CO2 or O2 gases can move across the cell membrane by a process called diffusion. The
movement of water molecules (liquid) through such a selectively permeable membrane is called osmosis.
The plasma membrane is flexible and is made up of organic molecules called lipids and proteins. The
flexibility of cell membrane also enables the cell to engulf in food and other material from its external
environment. Such process is known as endocytosis. It is observed in Amoeba.
2. Cell wall (Protective wall): Plants cells, in addition to the plasma membrane have another rigid outer
covering called cell wall. The cell wall lies outside the plasma membrane. The plant cell wall is mainly
composed of cellulose. It is a complex substance and provides structural strength to plant cells. When a living
plant loses water through osmosis there is shrinkage or contraction of contents of the cell away from cell wall.
This phenomenon is known as plasmolysis.
3. Nucleus (Brain of a cell): The nucleus has a double-layered covering called nuclear membrane. The nuclear
membrane has pores which allow the transfer of material from inside the nucleus to its outside, i.e., to the
cytoplasm. The nucleus contains chromosomes, which are visible as rod-shaped structures only when the cell
is about to divide.
Chromosomes — contain information for inheritance of features from parents to next generation in form of
DNA [Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid] molecules. Chromosomes are composed of DNA and protein. Functional
segments of DNA are called genes. The nucleus plays a central role in cellular reproduction. In prokaryotic
cells the nucleus does not have a nuclear membrane and membrane bound organelles and thus the nucleus is
called as Nucleoid.
Functions of nucleus is as follows-
a) It regulates the cell cycle.
b) It controls metabolic activities of life
c) It contains genes that helps in transmission of characters from parents to offspring.
4. Cytoplasm: The cytoplasm is the fluid content inside the plasma membrane. It also contains many specialised
cell organelles. Each of these organelles performs a specific function for the cell.
5. Cell Organelles: Every cell has a membrane around it to keep its content separate from the external
environment. The different components of cell perform different function and these components are called cell
organelles.
(i) Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) (Channels, Network for transport): The ER is a large network of
membrane-bound tubes and sheets. It looks like long tubules or round or oblong bags.
There are two types of ER-Rough endoplasmic reticulum [RER] and smooth endoplasmic reticulum [SER].
RER has particles called ribosomes attached to its surface. The ribosomes Endoplasmic Reticulum are the
sites of protein manufacture. The SER helps in the manufacture of fat molecules, or lipids, important for cell
function. They play an important role in detoxification of chemicals. Some of these proteins and lipids help in
building the cell membrane. This process is known as membrane biogenesis. Some other proteins and lipids
function as enzymes and hormones. Another function of ER is to serve as channels for the transport of
materials between various regions of the cytoplasm or between the cytoplasm and the nucleus. The ER also
functions as a cytoplasmic framework providing a surface for some of the biochemical activities of the cell.
(iii) Golgi Apparatus (Packaging): The golgi apparatus, first described by Camillo Golgi, consists of a
system of membrane-bound vesicles arranged approximately, parallel to each other in stacks called cisterns.
The material synthesised near the ER is packaged and dispatched to various targets inside and outside the cell
through the Golgi apparatus. It’s function include the storage, modification and packages of products in
vesicles. In some cases complex sugar may be made from simple sugar in the Golgi apparatus. It is also
involved in the formation of lysosomes.
 (iii) Lysosomes [Suicide bags] (Cleanliness of cell): Lysosomes are a kind of waste dispatch and
disposal system of the cell. Lysosome help to keep the cell clean by digesting any foreign material as
well as worn-out cell organelles. Foreign materials entering the cells such as bacteria or food, as well
as old organelles, end up in the lysosome, which break them up into small pieces. They are able to do
this because they contain powerful digestive enzymes capable of breaking down all organic material.
Under abnormal condition, when the cell gets damaged, lysosomes may burst and the enzymes digest
their own cell. Therefore, they are also known as “suicide bags”
 (iv) Mitochondria (Powerhouse, Energy provider): Mitochondria are known as powerhouses of
the cell. The energy required for various chemical activities needed for life is released by
mitochondria in the form of ATP [Adenosine Triphosphate] molecules. ATP is known as energy
currency of the cell. Mitochondria have two membrane coverings instead of just one. The outer
membrane is very porous while the inner membrane is deeply folded. They are able to make some of
their own protein. The have their own DNA and ribosomes.
 (v) Plastids: Plastids are present only in plant cells. There are three types of plastids chromoplasts,
chloroplast and leucoplasts. Chromoplasts are the coloured plastids present in leaves, flowers and
fruits. Plastids containing the pigment chlorophyll are known as chloroplasts. They are important for
photosynthesis in plants. Chloroplasts also contain various yellow or orange pigments in addition to
chlorophyll. Leucoplasts are found primarily in organelles in which materials such as starch, oils and
protein granules are stored. The internal organisation of the plastids consists of numerous membrane
layers embedded in a material called stroma. Plastids are similar to mitochondria in external
structure. Plastids have their own DNA and ribosomes.
 (vi) Vacuoles (Storage): Vacuoles are storage sacs for solid or liquid contents. Vacuoles are small-
sized in animal cells while plant cells have very large vacuoles [50% to 90% cell volume]. In plant
cells, vacuoles are full of cell sap and provide turgidity and rigidity to the cell. In Amoeba, the food
vacuole contain the food items that is consumed it and contractile vacuoles expels excess water and
some wastes from the cell.

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Discoveries about Cells – The Fundamental Unit of Life

The Cell Theory

2. All living organisms are made up of cells.

3. Cells are formed from pre-existing cells.

The Shape of the Cell

Figure 1 - Cells can have different Shapes and Sizes

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