Cell Structure and Function

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1. Distinguish between different types of microscopes and units of length used in biology

• Distinguish between light microscopes, scanning electron and transmission electron microscopes..
• Distinguish between magnification and resolution(resolving power)
• Learn these basic units of length in the metric system and give examples of cells or viruses that are within each units size range
  • centimeter
  • millimeter
  • micrometer
  • nanometer

  Comment: Note that the following units are related by a factor of 1,000. Kilometer(km), meter(m), millimeter(mm), micrometer(um) and nanometer. So there are 1000m in a km; 1000mn in a m etc...

2. Discuss the basic structures found in all Cells

• List the three insights or generalizations of "Cell theory"
• List the three things all cells have in common
• Distinguish between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
• Describe the main components of the cell membrane according to the fluid mosaic model.
• Explain role of hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions in the organization of the lipid bilayer
• Describe the main functions of proteins in the lipid bilayer.

3.Explain why most cells tend to be small

• Explain the role of surface area and volume as factors in limiting the size of cells.
• Demonstrate how volume and surface area increase as a function of length for same shaped cells
• Explain how this relationship limits cell size
• Discuss some of the ways cells can overcome this limitation.

This is not in your text, but the argument follows from simple geometry. As cells get larger, as long as the shahe stays the same, volume increases more rapidly than surface area as a function of length.

4. Discuss the main structures found in eukaryotic cells and prokaryotic cells.

• Define the term organelle and explain the general function of organelles in eukaryotic cells
• List and tell the functions of the following organelles common to most eukaryotic cells
  • Nucleus(includes: nuclear envelope, nucleolus, chromosome, chromatid)
  • Endoplasmic reticulum(smooth and rough)
  • Golgi body
  • Various vesicles
  • Mitochondria
  • Ribosomes
  • Cytoskeleton
• Compare and contrast different cells in terms of the organelles found in each Kingdom and their functions.
  • Cell wall
  • Plasma membrane(note all cells have a plasma membrane but not all cells have a cell wall!!)
  • Nucleus
  • Ribosome
  • Endoplasmic reticulum
  • Golgi Body
  • Lysosome
  • Mitochondrion
  • Chloroplast (Note that some bacteria carry out photosynthesis but chloroplasts are only found in eukaryotes.)
  • Compare plant animal cells in terms of the presence or absence of cell walls and type of cell junctions between plant vs animal cells. p 68

6. Explain how phospholipids behave when they are put in water and define self assembly.

7. Define the following terms:

 

Activities to do:

Self quiz questions p 70 -71

Process of sceince questions p 71

pgd 09/03/02 revised 02/04/05