Ajman University of Science & Technology

Faculty of Dentistry
Histology & Cell Biology
08 01 112
Dr. Al-Moutassem Billah Khair

THE CYTOPLASM
 THE CYTOPLASM
Cytoplasm is a part of protoplasm, the interior of the cell
except the nucleus.
Cytoplasm is composed of a matrix in which are
embedded several components, frequently called organelles. Plus
deposits of carbohydrates,
carbohydrates lipids,
lipids and pigments.
pigments
*Cytoplasmic organelles & Cytosol " fluid surrounding organelles".

The cytoplasmic organelles of two types:

¾ Membranous organelles:
Endoplasmic Reticulum,
Reticulum Golgi bodies,
bodies Mitochondria,
Mitochondria Lysosomes,
Lysosomes
Peroxisomes (Microbodies)
¾ Non-membranous organelles:
Ribosomes, Cytoskeletal elements, Centrioles
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 I. Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER):
A delicate network of membranous sacs, which
communicate with each other in a three
three-dimensional
dimensional network.
network
The connection between two sacs is an anastomosis.

It is a membrane “of lipoprotein” have two surfaces: one

facing the cytoplasmic domain, surrounding the ER another
facing the cavity of the flattened sac (cisternae ).
)
ER: membrane ≈ 5 nm thick, more stable and less fluid
than cell membrane, three convertible forms “ lamellar,
vesicular, tubular ”.
ER is of two specialized types: Rough ( RER ) and
Smooth ( SER ).
 1. Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum:
The name RER alludes to the presence of ribosomes on
the cytoplasmic surfaces of the endoplasmic reticulum
membranes, giving them a rough or granular appearance. This
form of ER is prominent in cells specialized for protein
secretion.
secretion
RER consists mainly of lamellar forms interconnected by
short tubular segments.
g
The principal function of the RER is to segregate
proteins destined for export or intracellular use.

Additional functions: initial glycosylation of glycoproteins, the

synthesis of phospholipids, the assembly of multichain proteins, and certain
posttranslational modifications of newly formed polypeptides.
 2. Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum:
SER is a membranous network, which lacks the
associated ribosomes that characterize RER,
RER and therefore
appears smooth rather than granular.
Its cisternae are more tubular and appear as a profusion
of interconnected channels of variable shape and sizes than as
stacks of flattened cisternae.

SER has a variety of specialized functions such as:

*Metabolism of small molecules
* Synthesis of lipids & steroids
* Cellular detoxification
 II. Ribosomes:
Ribosomes are small electron-dense cytoplasmic
particles,
ti l about
b t 20x30
20 30 nm in
i size.
i They
Th are composedd off 4
types of ribosomal RNA ( rRNA ) and almost 80 ribosomal
proteins.
proteins
Each ribosome consists of two different-sized
subunits.
b it Both
B th subunits
b it are formed
f d within
ithi the
th nucleolus,
l l
then they leave the nucleus to the cytoplasm and
participate in protein synthesis.
synthesis
Ribosomes play a crucial role in translating the
message during
d i protein
t i synthesis.
th i
II. Ribosomes:

They occur as:

A. free or
polyribosomes &
polyribosomes,
B. attached to the
membrane of RER
Proteins synthesized for use within the cell are synthesized on
free polyribosomes, while proteins that can be secreted or stored
in the cell are synthesized on RER ribosomes.
III. Golgi
g Apparatus
pp ( GA )):

GA is composed
of three distinct smooth-
membrane-limited
compartments: slightly
curved stacks of 3-10
fl
flattened
d cisternae,
i
numerous of small
vesicles, and a few large
vacuoles at one pole of
the GA.
 III. Golgi Apparatus ( GA ):

The GA completes
posttranslational
modifications
ifi i and
packages and
places an address
on products that
have been
synthesized by the
cell.
III. Golgi Apparatus:

GA has convex, forming,

face near the RER,, and
concave, maturing, face
on the opposite side.
Transitional vesicles
from RER are
transported to the
forming face for further
processing in GA. after
that they detach from
the maturing face as
secretory granules.
granules
III. Golgi Apparatus:

GA produces three kinds

of products:
¾ Secretory granules
¾ Primary lysosomes
¾ Lipoprotein
p p vesicles
IV. Mitochondria:
Mitochondria are
spherical or filamentous
membranous
b organelles
ll 0.5-1
05 1
µm wide and up to 10 µm
length. These organelles
transform
f the
h chemical
h i l
energy of metabolites present
in the cytoplasm into energy
that is easily accessible to the
cell.
Mitochondria are
chemically composed of
protein, lipids, and small
quantities of DNA & RNA.
q
IV. Mitochondria:

Mitochondria are
structurally composed of an
outer mitochondrial
membrane and an inner
mitochondrial membrane,
the latter projects folds,
termed cristae, into the
interior of the
mitochondrion. The space
located between the two
membranes is called
i t
intermembrane
b space, while
hil
the space enclosed by the
inner membrane is called
intercristae
intercristae, or matrix,
matrix
space.
IV. Mitochondria:
Between the cristae is an
amorphous matrix, rich in protein
and containing some DNA and RNA.
Also the matrix exhibits rounded
electron-dense granules rich in such
cations and enzymes for the citric
acid (Krebs) cycle and fatty acid β-
oxidation.
Under aerobic conditions, the
combined activity of
extramitochondrial glycolysis and the
Krebs cycle as well as the electron
transport system gives rise to 36
molecules of ATP per molecules of
glucose ⇒ 18 times the energy
obtainable under anaerobic conditions
(glycolysis).
IV. Mitochondria:

Mitochondria divide to
form new mitochondria
by accretion of material
that leads to growth and
subsequent cleavage
(fission) of itself.
 V. Lysosomes:
Lysosomes are membrane-limited vesicles, usually
p , about 0.05-0.5 µm in size.
spherical, z Theyy contain more than ffortyy
types of hydrolytic enzymes whose main function is
intracytoplasmic digestion.

Lysosomal enzymes are synthesized and segregated in

th RER then
the th transferred
t f d to
t the
th GA , where
h th enzymes are
the
modified and packaged as lysosomes.
Lysosomes are formed as primary lysosomes (PL),
(PL) then
fuse with phagocytotic vacuole or vacuole of cytoplasmic debris
to form secondary lysosomes (SL). SL are those in which
digestion occurs.
V. Lysosomes:
After digestion,
metabolites diffuse to
the cytoplasm and
undigestible compounds
are retained within
vacuoles, which may
dischargeg outside the
cell or accumulate in the
cytoplasm.
Lysosomes are sites of
intracellular digestion
and turnover of cellular
components.
 VI. Peroxisomes:
Peroxisomes (or
Microbodies): are spherical
membrane-limited
organelles, about 0.5-1.2
µm. Peroxisomes contain
oxidases & catalase which
regulate O2 and H2O2
which could cause
irreversible damage to
many important cellular
constituents.
The peroxisomal enzymes
are synthesized on free
ribosomes in cytoplasm and
transferred to peroxisomes.
 VII. Cytoskeletal Elements:
The cytoplasm
contains a complex
p
network of microtubules,
microfilaments, and
i
intermediate
di fil
filaments.
The are called the
cytoskeleton, which is
responsible for
promoting movement
and maintaining the
shape and organization
of the cell.
cell
VII. Cytoskeletal
Elements:
¾ Variety of filaments
¾ Maintain & change cell's
shape
¾ Produce
P d cell
ll movements
¾ Types:
- Microfilaments ((e.g.
g actin))
- Intermediate filaments
(many)
- Thick
Thi k filaments
fil t (myosin)
( i )
- Microtubules: each of 13
protofilaments, which contain
polymere of tubulin proteins.
 VII. Cytoskeletal
y Elements:
Microtubules in addition to their role in cytoskeleton
y
they form specialized structures, like: cilia, flagella,
centrioles and basal bodies.

¾ Centrioles are cylindrical organelles (0.15 µm in

diameter & 0.3-0.5 µm in length). Centrioles have nine
peripheral
p p triplets
p of microtubules arrangedg in a
pinwheel fashion. Centrioles form the microtubules of
p
mitotic spindles.
 VII. Cytoskeletal
y Elements:
¾ Cilia & flagella are movable organelles with a highly
organized microtubule core; they extend from the
surface of some cell types. Ciliated cells usually possess
a large number of cilia (≈ 300) that are 2-10 µm long.
Flagellated cells normally have only one flagellum,
which
i ranges ini length from
f 50 to 200 µm. Both cilia
ii &
flagella have a diameter of 0.2-0.5 µm and have the
same organized
i d core. This
Thi core consists
i t off nine
i doublets
d bl t
of microtubules surrounding two central microtubules
( 9 + 2 pattern , axoneme).
axoneme)
Cilia
 VII Cytoskeletal Elements:
VII.

¾ Basal
B l bodies
b di are identical
id ti l to
t centrioles
t i l andd found
f d att
the base of each cilium or flagellum. The outer
microtubule
i t b l off a triplet
t i l t ends
d att the
th apical
i l end
d off the
th
basal body, while the other two microtubules of the
triplet are continuous with the corresponding
microtubules of the ciliary or flagellar axoneme. Basal
bodies act as a template to control formation of cilia or
flagella axoneme.