APPRECIATING THE UNIQUENESS OF THE CELL

Learning Outcomes: At the end of the lesson, students should be able to

• Predict the state of certain cell without a particular cellular components
• Discuss the synthesis and secretion of substances synthesized in the cell

A cell is the basic unit of all living organisms that is capable of functioning on its own.
The presence of organelles divides the cell into small compartments in which specific
function can take place.

Table 1 The effects of the absence of certain cellular components in animal and plant cell
Organelles The resulting cell condition
Plasma membrane No regulation of substansces entering and leaving the cell
Cell wall Plant cell loses its shape and turgidity, excessive uptake of
water will lead the cell to burst
Cytoplasm There no place to house the organelles
Nucleus Cellular activities cannot be carried out and cell dies after
a short time
Rough ER The transportation of protein synthesized by ribosomes is
disrupted
Smooth ER The synthesis and transportation of lipid and glycerol is
disrupted
Golgi Apparatus Cell cannot packages, modifies, transports and secretes
digestive enzymes, certain hormones and mucus
Mitochondria Cell doesnot have energy to perform cell activity
Lysosomes No intracellular digestion of food, bacteria, worn out
organelles, old or damaged cell
Ribosomes Cell doesnot be able to synthesis protein and growth is
retarded
Chloroplast Cells do not have chlorophyll to absorb light for
photosynthesis
Vacuole The cell become flaccid and plant could dehydrate and
dies, no space to store soluble food and waste product
Centriole Spindles would not be formed during division of animal
cell
Protein Synthesis and Secretion

1. Nucleus – sends information to ribosomes to synthesis protein

2. Ribosomes – synthesis the protein
3. Rough ER – transport the protein synthesized by ribosomes
4. Transport vesicle – pinched off from RER to fuse with Golgi apparatus
5. Golgi apparatus – modifies protein into substansces required by body ( such as
hormones) and packages the modified protein in a vesicle
6. Secretory vesicle – pinched off from golgi apparatus and fuse with plasma
membrane to release the processed protein outside the cell
7. Plasma membrane