ANIMAL CELL and Its Functions

usually have an irregular shape.

are eukaryote cells, or cells with a
membrane bound nucleus.
DNA is housed within the nucleus.
Also contain other membrane
bound organelles, or tiny cellular structures
that carry out specific functions necessary
for normal cellular operation.
smaller than plant cells.

is the outermost component of a cell.

it is composed of 55% proteins, 25%
phospholipids, 13% cholesterol, 3%
carbohydrates, and 4% other lipids.
encloses the cytoplasm and forms the
boundary between material inside and
materials outside it.
it is semi-permeable, which means it
regulated the flow of materials such as ions
and molecules from going in and out of the
cell.

describes the plasma membrane of animal

cells.
membrane that surrounds these cells has two
layers (a bilayer) of phospholipids (fats with
phosphorous attached), which at body
temperature are like vegetable oil (fluid).
the structure of the plasma membrane
supports the old saying, Oil and water dont
mix.
involved in the transport of small molecules
either by active or passive means and large
molecules through membrane flow.

water loving
polar, phosphate
containing ends of the phosphate lipids.
face the extracellular and intracellular fluids
of the cell.

water fearing
Non-polar, fatty acid ends of the
phospholipids.
face away from the fluid on either side of the
membrane, toward the center of the double
layer of phospholipids.

found at the periphery of some animal cells.

composed of mucopolysaccharides, glyolipids
and glycoprotein's.
important in cell adhesion and cell to cell
recognition.
responsible for tissue organization.

consists of proteins that support cell, hold

organelles in place, and enable the cell to
change shape.

Protein structures are:

Microtubules
Microfilaments
Intermediate filaments

are hollow structures formed from protein

subunits.
Functions:
Helping support the cytoplasm of cell.
assisting in cell division.
forming essential components of certain
organelles, such as cilia and flagella.

are small fibrils formed from protein subunits

that structurally support the cytoplasm.
Functions: Cell Movement

are fibrils formed form protein subunits that

are smaller in diameter than microtubules but
larger in diameter than microfilaments.
Function: Provide mechanical support to the
cell.

is a gel-like material made of water.

It fills the cells and contains proteins and
important molecules that are necessary for
the cell.
is made of proteins, carbohydrates, salts,
sugars, amino acids and nucleotides.
Function:
is the site of many biochemical reactions that
are vital and crucial for maintaining life.
Holds all the cellular organelles.
The place where the cell expands and growth
of the cell takes place.

 Centrosome- is specialized zone of

cytoplasm close to the nucleus, where

microtubule formation occurs.
- contain 2 cenrtrioles which
is perpendicular to each other.
Centrioles is a small, cylindrical
organelle composed of nine triplets; each
triplet consists of three parallel
microtubules joined together.

Function: Play an important role in

mitosis.

Project from the surface of cells.

are cylindrical structures that extend from
the cell.
Composed of microtubules, organized in a
pattern similar to that of centrioles, which are
enclosed by the cell membrane.
are numerous on surface cells that line the
respiratory tract.

Have a structure similar to that of cilia but are

much longer, and they usually occur only one
per cell.
Sperm cells have flagellum, propels the
sperm cells.

Are specialized extensions of the cell

membrane that are supported by
microfilaments, but do not actively move as
cilia and flagella.
Are numerous on cells that have them and
they increase the surface of those cells.
Abundant on the surface of cells that line the
intestine, kidney, and other areas in which
absorption is an important function.

I.

Nucleus is the cells genetic control center.

a spherical body that is surrounded by cell/nuclear

membrane and containing nucleolus.
controls the cells activity by directing protein synthesis
To house and copy the DNA ( Deoxyribonucleic acid) and pass
it on to daughter cells in cell division.
to build and ribosomal units ( in nuclei)
to transcribe DNA instructions into RNA and thereby control
the cells function.

Nucleolus- a prominent structure in the nucleus where a

special type of RNA called ribosomal RNA is produced.

are small granular structures

site of protein synthesis
synthesize protein according to the
instructions carried by messenger RNA from
DNA in the nucleus.
Two locations in the Cell.
Free Ribosomes- are suspended in the fluid
of the cytoplasm
Bound Ribosomes- are attached to the
outside of the endoplasmic reticulum or
nuclear envelop.

Endoplasmic Reticulum is a biosynthetic factory.

One of the manufacturing sites.
There are 2 types of of ER: Smooth and Rough ER

Composed of stacks of sheet like flattened

sacs with ribosome that dot the cytoplasmic
surface of the stack.
Sythesis of membrane lipids and proteins,
secretory proteins, and hyrolytic enzymes.
formation of transport vesicles

A vast system of interconnected, membranous, in folded and

convoluted tubes that are located in the cells cytoplasm.

Composed of branching canals and act as

calcium ion reservoir in skeletal muscles.
Lipid synthesis including steroids.
Detoxification in liver cells
Calcium ion storage.

Recieves, refines, stores, and distributes

chemical products of the cell.

is a stack of flatten stacs that modifies

protein which are synthesized and packaged
in the endoplasmic reticulum.
Modificatio and sorting macromolecules
Formation of lysosomes and transport
vesicles.

A small membrane-bound sac that transport

or stores materials within the cells.
Membrane bound sacs that carry substances
from the golgi apparatus to the cell
membrane, where the vesicle contents are
released.

Are membrane bound sacs containing

enzymes.
Within the cell, lysosomes break down
phagocytized material.
Peroxisomes break down fatty acids, amino
acids, and Hydrogen peroxide.

Mitochondria (singular, mitochondrion)- harvest

chemical energy from food.

Commonly known as the powerhouse of the

cell
Where the stored energy in food molecules
such as glucose is converted to Adenosine
Triphosphate (ATP)
ATP energy currency of the cell