Chapter 3

An Introduction to:
 Organizational Levels

 Cells
Ch. 3 – Levels of Organization

 Cells
 Tissues
 Cells working together
 Organs
 Tissues working together
Ch. 3 – Levels of Organization

 Organ Systems
 Organs working together
 Organism
 The Human Body
Cells – Different Shapes
 Disc shaped
 blood cells
 Branching
 nerve cells
 Round spheres
 fat cells
 Cubelike
 skin cells
 Cylindrical
 Tile like
Cells – Different Shapes
 Disc shaped
 blood cells
 Branching
 nerve cells
 Round spheres
 fat cells
 Cubelike
 skin cells
 Cylindrical
 Tile like
Cells – Different Shapes
 Disc shaped
 blood cells
 Branching
 nerve cells
 Round spheres
 fat cells
 Cubelike
 skin cells
 Cylindrical
 Tile like
Cells – Different Shapes
 Disc shaped
 blood cells
 Branching
 nerve cells
 Round spheres
 fat cells
 Cubelike
 skin cells
 Cylindrical
 Tile like
Cells – Different Shapes
 Disc shaped
 blood cells
 Branching
 nerve cells
 Round spheres
 fat cells
 Cubelike
 skin cells
 Column-shaped
 Tile like
Functions of all Cells
 Metabolism
 Sum of all chemical reactions
 Reproduction
 Creating new cells
 Irritability
 Responding to surroundings
 Mobility
 Moving substances through the cell
 Ability to grow, digest food, excrete wastes
3 Main Areas in all Cells
 Nucleus
 Cytoplasm
 Plasma membrane
Nucleus – “Headquarters”
 Has 3 regions
 Nuclear envelope
 Double membrane with pores
 Selectively permeable
 Nucleoli
 Dark, round body
 Can have one or more in the nucleus
 Site where ribosomes are made
 Chromatin
 Thread like bumps of DNA and protein
 Blueprint with all instructions needed for building the whole body
 Instructions for building proteins
 Only present when a cell isn’t dividing
 Will condense to form chromosomes
Plasma Membrane (see p. 58)
 Also called cell membrane
 Represented by
purple in the
diagram
 Boundary between
cell & environment
 Selectively
permeable barrier
Plasma Membrane
 Structure:
 Two lipid layers (fats or phospholipids)
 Layers are “tail” to “tail”
 “Heads” are hydrophilic – water loving
 “Tails” are hydrophobic – water hating
Plasma Membrane
 Structure:
 Proteins help transport molecules through
the membrane into the cell
 Provide receptor sites for hormones or chemicals
 Glycoproteins (sugar proteins) attach to
proteins
 Increase absorption
 Bind to bacteria, viruses, or toxins
 Involved in cell-cell interactions
 Determine blood type
 Help bind sperm to egg
Plasma Membrane
 Specializations:
 Microvilli – “little shaggy hairs”
 Tiny, fingerlike projections
 Increase surface area
 Makes absorption occur quicker
Plasma Membrane
 Specializations: Membrane Junctions
 Tight junctions
 Impermeable junctions that bind cells together
 Form leakproof sheets
 Plasma membrane from several cells fuse together
like a zipper
 Desmosomes
 Anchoring junctions
 Keep cells from being pulled apart
 Gap junctions
 Allow communication
 Found in the heart and between embryonic cells
Cytoplasm
 Cellular material outside the nucleus but
inside plasma membrane
 Represented by yellow in the diagram
Cytoplasm
 Three major parts:
 Cytosol
 Semitransparent fluid that holds organelles in place
 Inclusions
 Chemical substances: stored nutrients, cell products,
fat droplets, pigments, mucus, secretions, cell wastes
 Organelles
 “mini organs” with specific functions
Cytoplasm – Organelles
 Lysosomes
 Found: Scattered in cytoplasm
 Function: Digest ingested materials and worn
out organelles

 Mitochondria
 Found: Scattered thru out the cell
 Function: Control release of energy from foods;
form ATP
Cytoplasm – Organelles
 Golgi apparatus
 Found: Near the nucleus (in cytoplasm)
 Function: Packages proteins; responsible for
cellular secretions

 Centrioles
 Found: Near the nucleus (Centrioles are two
rod-shaped bodies)
 Function: Direct formation of the spindle during
mitosis
Cytoplasm – Organelles
 Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum (E.R.)
 Found: In cytoplasm
 Function: Site of steroid synthesis and lipid
metabolism

 Rough E.R.
 Found: In cytoplasm
 Function: Transports proteins (made by its
ribosomes) to other site; makes lipids for
membranes
Cytoplasm – Organelles
 Ribosomes
 Found: Attached to the Rough ER or scattered
in cytoplasm
 Function: Synthesize proteins

 Chromatin
 Found: In nucleus
 Function: Contains genetic material (DNA); coils
into chromosomes during mitosis
Cytoplasm – Organelles
 Peroxisomes
 Found: In cytoplasm
 Function: Detoxify alcohol, hydrogen peroxide

 Inclusions
 Found: Dispersed in the cytoplasm
 Function: Provide nutrients; make up stored
products or cell waste