Cell Biology:

What is a Cell?
A cell is the structural and fundamental unit of life. The study of cells from its basic structure to the
functions of every cell organelle is called Cell Biology. All organisms are made up of cells. They
may be made up of a single cell (unicellular), or many cells (multicellular).
Cells are the lowest level of organization in every life form. From organism to organism, the count
of cells may vary. Humans have the number of cells compared to that of bacteria.
Cells are complex and their components perform every function in a living being. They are of
different shapes and sizes, pretty much like bricks of the buildings. Our body is made up of cells
of different shapes and sizes.
Cells are the structural, functional and biological units of all living beings. A cell can replicate
itself independently. Hence, they are referred to as the building blocks of life.
Each cell contains a cytoplasm which is enclosed by a membrane and contains several
biomolecules like proteins, nucleic acids, etc. Moreover, cellular structures called cell organelles
are suspended in the cytoplasm.

Mycoplasmas are the smallest known bacteria. They are cell wall deficient
microorganisms. It is a common cause of atypical pneumonia.
Mycoplasma is a mollicute genus of bacteria that lack a cell wall around
their cell membranes. This characteristic makes them naturally resistant to
many common antibiotics such as penicillin or other beta-lactam antibiotics
that target cell wall synthesis. They can be parasitic or saprotrophic.

Class: Mollicutes
Order: Mycoplasmatales
Scientific name: Mycoplasma
Rank: Genus
Phylum: Firmicutes
Lower classifications: Mycoplasma pneumoniae, MORE
Did you know: Pelvic (lower belly) pain may be a symptom of pelvic inflammatory disease*
brought on by mycoplasma, alone or with other STDs. encyclopedia.com

Cells are the building blocks of all living beings. They provide structure to the body and convert
the nutrients taken from the food into energy.
Cells comprise several cell organelles that perform specialized functions to carry out life
processes. Every organelle has a specific structure. The hereditary material of the organisms is
also present in the cells.
Discovery of the Cell
Discovery of cells is one of the remarkable advancements in the field of science. It helped us know
that all the organisms are made up of cells and these cells help in carrying out various life
processes. The structure and functions of cells helped us to understand life in a better way.

Who discovered cells?

The cells were discovered by Robert Hooke and Anton Van

Leeuwenhoek in the 1660s. Robert Hooke (July 18, 1635–March 3,
1703) was a 17th-century "natural philosopher"—an early
scientist—noted for a variety of observations of the natural world.
But perhaps his most notable discovery came in 1665
when he looked at a sliver of cork through a microscope lens
and discovered cells.

observed a piece of cork under a compound microscope and

noticed minute structures that reminded him of small rooms. He
named these rooms as cells. But the cells he observed were dead.
Later Anton Van Leeuwenhoek observed living things under the microscope and observed minute
parts which were named as animalcules since they resembled animals. It was he who discovered
bacteria in 1676, his observations on the plaque between his own teeth. He repeated these
observations on two ladies (probably his own wife and daughter) and on two old men who had
never cleaned their teeth in their lives. He found an unbelievably great company of living
animalcules. These were among the first observations on living bacteria ever recorded. He
observed and recorded living cells for the first time.

Characteristics of Cells
Following are the various important characteristics of cells:
 Cells provide structure and support to the body of an organism.
 The cell interior is organized into different special compartments or organelles surrounded
by a separate membrane.
 The nucleus(major organelle) holds genetic information necessary for reproduction and cell
growth.
 Every cell has one nucleus and other types of organelles exist in multiple copies in the
cytoplasm.
 Mitochondria, a double membrane-bound organelle is mainly responsible for the energy
transactions vital for the survival of the cell.
 Lysosomes digest unwanted materials in the cell.
 Endoplasmic reticulum plays a significant role in the internal organization of the cell by
synthesizing selective molecules and processing, directing and sorting them to their
appropriate locations.
Types of Cells
Cells are similar to small factories with different labourers and departments that work all the time
to make life possible. Various types of cells perform different functions.
There are two major kinds of living organisms based on their cellular structure namely:

 Prokaryotes
 Eukaryotes

Prokaryotes
1. Prokaryotes are made up of cells with no nucleus.
2. They all are single-celled microorganisms including archaea, bacteria and photosynthetic
blue-green algae known as cyanobacteria.
3. The cell size ranges from 0.1 to 0.5 µm in diameter.
4. The hereditary material DNA is found in the nucleoid present in the central part of the cell.
5. They reproduce by binary fission.
A prokaryote is a unicellular organism that lacks a membrane-bound nucleus, mitochondria, or any
other membrane-bound organelle. The word prokaryote comes from the Greek πρό (pro)
"before" and κάρυον (karyon) "nut or kernel". Prokaryotes are divided into two domains,
Archaea and Bacteria. Bacteria are examples of prokaryotic cell like E.coli (Escherichia coli) a
type of bacteria that normally lives in your intestines, found in warm blooded organisms.
Detailed Information: Prokaryotic Cells

Eukaryotes
1. Eukaryotes are made up of cells consisting of a true nucleus.
2. This large category involves all plants, fungi (such as moulds, yeast, and mushrooms),
protozoa (Plasmodium falciparum and parasite that cause malaria) and animals.
3. The plasma membrane is responsible for monitoring the transport of nutrients and
electrolytes in and out of the cell and also responsible for cell to cell communication.
4. Cellular life is entirely dependent on the various chemical process for survival. These
chemical reactions mainly occur in a watery solution within the cell known as cytoplasm.
5. They reproduce sexually as well as asexually.
6. There are some contrasting features between plant and animal cell. For eg., the plant
cell contains chloroplast, central vacuoles, and other plastids, whereas the animal cell does
not.
Eukaryotes (/juːˈkærioʊt, -ət/) are organisms whose cells have a nucleus enclosed within
membranes, unlike prokaryotes (Bacteria and Archaea), which have no membrane-bound
organelles. Eukaryotes belong to the domain Eukaryota or Eukarya.

.
Cell Structure
The cell structure comprises of certain components with specific functions essential to carry out life’s
processes. These components include- cell wall, cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, and cell
organelles.

Cell Membrane

 The cell membrane supports and protects the cell. It controls the movement of substances in
and out of the cells. It separates the cell from the external environment. The cell membrane
is present in all the cells.
 The cell membrane is the outer covering of a cell within which all other organelles including
cytoplasm and nucleus are enclosed. It is also referred to as the plasma membrane.
 By structure, it is a porous membrane (with pores) which permit the movement of selective
substances in and out of the cell. Besides this, the cell membrane also protects the cellular
component from damage and leakage.
 It forms the wall like structure between two cells as well as between the cell and its
surroundings.
 Plants are special, so are their cell structures. Since plants are immobile and cannot hide or
run away as animals do during the atmospheric changes. Plants have an advanced cell
structure that protects them and makes them rigid and is called a cell wall.

Cell Wall

 The cell wall is a thick outer layer and is present only in plants cell which protects the
plasma membrane and other cellular components. The cell wall is the outermost layer of
plant cells.
 It is a rigid and stiff structure surrounding the cell membrane.
 It provides shape and support to the cell and protects it from mechanical shocks and
injuries.
 The cell wall of the plant cell is made up of cellulose which provides shape to the cells.
Cytoplasm

 The cytoplasm is a thick, clear, jelly-like substance present inside the cell membrane.
 Most of the chemical reactions within a cell take place in this cytoplasm.
 The cell organelles including endoplasmic reticulum, vacuoles, mitochondria, ribosomes, are
all suspended in this cytoplasm.
Nucleus

 The nucleus contains the hereditary material of the cell, the DNA.
 It sends signals to the cells to grow, mature, divide and die.
 The nucleus is surrounded by the nuclear envelope that separates the DNA from the rest of
the cell and protects the DNA.

Cell Organelles
Cells are composed of various cell organelles that perform certain specific functions to carry out
life’s processes. The different cell organelles along with its important functions are mentioned in
the table provided below:

Cell Organelles Functions

Nucleolus It is the site of ribosome synthesis. Also, it is involved in controlling cellular activities
and cellular reproduction.

Nuclear Protects the nucleus by forming a boundary between the nucleus and other cell
membrane organelles.

Chromosomes They play an important role in determining the sex of an individual. Each human cells
contain 23 pairs of chromosomes.

Endoplasmic Involved in the transportation of substances throughout the cell. It plays a primary
reticulum role in the metabolism of carbohydrates, synthesis of lipids, steroids, and proteins.

Golgi Bodies It is called the cell’s post office as it is involved in the transportation of materials
within the cell.
Ribosome They are the protein synthesizers of the cell.

Mitochondria It is called the cell’s powerhouse as it is involved in producing and transforming the
energy (ATP).

Lysosomes It protects the cell by engulfing the foreign bodies entering the cell and helps in cell
renewal. Therefore, it is the cell’s suicidal bags.

Chloroplast They are mainly involved in photosynthesis. As it contains the green coloured pigment
called chlorophyll.

Vacuoles Stores food, water, and other waste materials.