1

AP Biology – Cell SG
For review, see AP Biology – Organic Chemistry
1) Cell Diagrams

2) Organelles
A) Exterior
Cell Membrane
-a lipid bilayer (double phospholipid membrane) that controls the ease at which
nutrients, wastes, and other substances pass in and out of the cell; selectively
permeable
*about 60% protein and 40% lipid
*Integral Proteins are mainly composed of helix (α) and beta-pleaded (β)
sheets
-Fluid Mosaic Model is the membrane’s mosaic nature of the scattered proteins
and litheness
 2

Cell Wall
-lies outside the cell membrane in plant cells
-supports and protects the cell
*made up of cellulose; mature cells may have a second cell wall made up of
lignin
*found in algae, fungi, and plants; prokaryotes’ cell walls do not contain
cellulose
-acts as a filtering mechanism
B) Interior
Cytoplasm & Nucleoplasm
-the liquid contained by the cell membrane but not including the nucleus
*holds the cell’s organelles and metabolic pathways
-the Nucleoplasm holds the contents of the nucleus disregarding the cytoplasm
*divides the cytoplasm from the nucleus
Plastids
-found in plant cells; surrounded by a double membrane
*have their own DNA
-leucoplasts store mostly starch, oils, and proteins; found in storage
tissues/roots
-chromoplasts store pigments such as orange, yellow, blue etc
-chloroplasts contain chlorophyll in which photosynthesis occurs; encloses a
system of flattened membranous sacs called thylakoid (individual sacs are
called grana)
Golgi Bodies
-modify proteins and lipids releasing them into the membrane as vesicles
*called “Dictyosomes” in plants
-Peroxisomes are vesicles containing destructive enzymes
*breaks down Purines and H2O2
Mitochondria
-large organelles that convert organic compounds into ATP
*process of ATP creation is called “cell respiration”
*ATP drives most of the chemical reactions in a cell
-outer membrane protects the mitochondria and cytoplasm
*inner membrane is folded = Cristae; enlarges the surface area for more
chemical reaction space
 3

-have their own DNA

Vacuole
-fluid-filled sac containing wastes and enzymes
*90% of volume in plan cells
-exert “turgor” (pressure) in plant cells to maintain a plant cell’s rigidity; w/o
plants would wither
Lysosome
-small spherical organelles that enclose hydrolytic enzymes within a single
membrane
*digest proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, DNA, RNA, old organelles, viruses,
and bacteria
-found mostly in animal cells, fungi, and protists
Ribosomes
-are the most numerous of cell organelles
*not surrounded by a membrane
*composed of two subunits of a protein and DNA
-create proteins from amino acids and attach to ER (Rough Endoplasmic
Reticulum)
*located in the cytoplasm of a cell
Endoplasmic Reticulum
-membranous tubes and sacs; closely associated with the nucleus
*intracellular highway that moves molecules from one part of the cell to
another
-Rough ER has ribosomes attached; found in cells that export and import
proteins
-Smooth ER is involved in the synthesis of steroids, lipids, regulation of calcium,
and breakdown of toxins
Nucleus
-surrounded by a double membrane called the nuclear envelope
-contains chromatin which code for DNA and protein
*stores hereditary information
*site where RNA is copied from DNA
-contains at least one nucleolus where ribosomes are synthesized and
assembled
-controls the activities of the cell
Centrioles
-found in centrosomes (appear during a cell’s prophase of mitosis)
*create the spindle used to separate chromosomes
*chromatin coil up to create chromosomes; holds hereditary info
-made up of microtubules
-centrosomes in plant cells lack centrioles
-“2” centrioles are located outside the nucleus in eukaryotic cells; cell division
process
Cytoskeleton
-made up of long protein strands that maintain the size and shape of a cell;
moves organelles, assisted in the cell reproduction process by pulling apart
chromosomes
*determines a cell shape
 4

*allows for motility (cilia and flagella); allows for the redistribution of cell
components
-made up of microtubules, microfilaments (actin), and intermediate filaments
(all polymers!)
*microtubules are made up of globular proteins called “tubulin;” shapes and
support; creates cilia (power/recovery stroke) and flagella (undulation);
*microfilaments (actin filaments) are made up of the globular proteins called
“actin;” can form structural networks; present in all eukaryotes
*intermediate filaments are comprised of different cytoskeletal elements;
more permanent than microtubules and –filaments
3) Eukaryotic Cells
-has a nucleus (surrounded by a double membrane)
*i.e.: plants and animals
-cell membrane encloses the cytoplasm
*10 to 1000 times larger than a prokaryote
*made up of phospholipids (hydrophobic tails; hydrophilic heads)
-has more DNA in organelles and more ribosomes
*usually multi-cellular with many organelles
4) Prokaryotic Cells
-lack all membrane-bound organelles found in eukaryotic cells
*retain the primitive organization of the first cells to appear on earth
*i.e.: bacteria and cyanobacteria
-contains a nucleoid that is not separated by a membrane; contains a single
molecule of DNA
*plasmid is small piece of circular DNA that is separate from the DNA of the
nucleoid
-contains ribosomes but not endoplasmic reticulum
-membrane is made up of carbohydrates and polypeptides vs. cellulose
5) Cell Theory
-organization of organic molecules distinguishes living things from all other
matter
*a cell is the smallest unit of matter that can continue the process of life
*living things live in the biosphere
-first cells (3.5 billion years ago) resembled present-day bacteria and
cyanobacteria
*possible to resemble prokaryotes
-composed by the findings of Matthais Schledien and Theodore Schwann (1838-
1839)
I. All living organisms are created by cell(s)
II. All cells come from preexisting cells that reproduce and pass hereditary
information
III. Cells are the basic structure and function of a cell
6) Scientists
-Hooke: is credited with the name “cells”
-Leeuewenhoek: called organelles “little beasties”
-Schleiden: all plants are made from cells
-Schwann: all animals are made from cells
-Virchow: cells come from other cells
-Watson & Crick: describe the structure of DNA
 5

-Miller: showed that organic molecules could be created

-Overton: plant cells swell/shrink in hypertonic/hypotonic solutions =
permeable membranes
-Langmuir: thought cell membranes were phospholipid monolayers
-Gorter & Grandal: calculated the surface area of a monolayer using the
membranes of erythrocytes; 1.8 – 2.2 nm = bilayer (average is 2 nm)
-Davson & Danielli: first to introduce a protein model in cell membranes
(peripheral)
-Robertson: stained membranes w/ osmium; saw a bilayer
-Vanderherval: suggested a lipid + cholesterol complex between phospholipid
monolayers
-Singer & Nicolson: created the Fluid Mosaic Model
7) Vocabulary
a) Biosphere: area on and around the Earth where life exists
b) Heterotroph: organisms dependent on outside sources for energy from
organic substances
c) Autotroph: organisms that synthesize their own small building block molecules
and energy by inorganic substances
d) Photosynthetic: gaining energy from light or the sun
e) Chemosynthetic: gaining energy from inorganic molecules
f) Cell Membrane: (Plasma Membrane) selectively permeable; controls the ease
at which nutrients, waste, and other substances pass; a lipid bilayer (double
phospholipid membrane) surrounding a cell’s inner workings
g) Chromosomes: dense groups of coiled chromatin that control the genetic
makeup of cells
h) Histones: orderly packaged basic proteins associated with DNA; in all
eukaryotes; octomer
i) Nucleus: most prominent structure in a cell holding the DNA and RNA; controls
the functions of a cell; surrounded by a double membrane
j) Nuclear Membrane: (nuclear envelope) separates the nucleus from the rest of
the cell; permeable
k) Nucleolus: site in the nucleus where ribosomes are created
l) Organelles: a cell’s organs
m) Cell Wall: plant cell membrane; acts as a pressure vessel, preventing over-
expansion when water enters the cell
n) Fluid-Mosaic Model: model of fatty acid tails and proteins moving through a
membrane
o) Cytoskeleton: long protein strands that maintain cell size and shape
p) Microtubules: tubulin filaments from two particle proteins
q) Actin Filaments: (Microfilaments) thin filaments used in muscle contraction
r) Intermediate Filaments: composition differs amongst tissues
s) Vacuole: fluid-filled organelles storing enzymes and waste
t) Vesicle: a vacuole found in animals; smaller than a vacuole; created by the
Golgi Bodies
u) Endoplasmic Reticulum: membrane-like tubes and sacs moving molecules
v) Golgi Bodies: (Golgi Complex or Golgi Apparatus) modifies proteins; releases
vesicles
w) Lysosome: small spherical organelles that enclose hydrolytic enzymes within a
single membrane
 6

x) Peroxisome: a vesicle containing destructive enzymes

y) Mitochondria: large organelles that transfer energy from organic compounds
into ATP
z) Chloroplast: chlorophyll-containing plasmids where photosynthesis occurs
aa) Cilia: a type of microtubule that is short and numerous
bb) Flagella: a type of microtubule that is long and few
cc) Centrioles: involved in the reproduction in animal cells (meiosis); small
cylindrical bodies
dd) Prokaryote: cells w/o a nucleus; unicellular; few organelles w/ a nucleoid
ee) Eukaryote: cells w/ a nucleus; multi-cellular; organelles enclosed by a
membrane
ff) SEM: (Scanning Electron Microscope) uses an electron beam to give a total
magnification of 1000x; creates 3D image of the surface of a fixed organism
gg) TEM: (Transmission Electron Microscope) electron beam goes through the fixed
organism
hh) Fixation: fixing organisms in place to see in a microscope
ii) Cell: the basic unit of life; all living things are comprised of cells
jj) Integral Protein: integrates through the protein
kk) Cellulose: makes up the cell walls in eukaryotes but not prokaryotes; a
polysaccharide; non-digestive
ll) Cristae: the folded membrane inside the mitochondria; enlarges the surface
area providing more space for the chemical reactions to occur
mm) Nucleosome: created by an histone wrapped in DNA