1.
8: Eukaryotic cells maintain internal membranes that
partition the cell into specialized regions.
1. Cellular Compartmentalization
Compartmentalization:
Increased compartmentalization allows for increased control of life
processes, and increased efficiency of those processes, as
different components of the cell can function in different
environmental conditions.
Different areas of the cell can be specialized to perform different
processes.
Eukaryotes vs. Prokaryotes:
The major difference between the organization of eukaryotes and
prokaryotes is the amount of internal compartmentalization.
Prokaryotes: The vast majority of life on earth. Possess no
internal compartments (“organelles”). Unicellular and smaller than
eukaryotic cells.
Eukaryotes: Contain many different internal compartments
separated from the rest of the cell by membrane (“organelles”).
Most notably, the nucleus, but many others. Two major types:
“plant-like” and “animal-like”, according to how they process
energy. Most eukaryotes are unicellular, too, but all multicellular
organisms (fungi, animals, and plants) are eukaryotes.
Plant-like vs. Animal-like differences:
Plant-like cells contain chloroplasts (for photosynthesis), a large
central vacuole, and an external cell
wall. Animals do not have any of these organelles.
2. Major Eukaryotic Organelles
Major Eukaryotic Organelles:
Nuclear membrane: Surrounds and separates the DNA from the
rest of the cell.
Contains pores to allow material to enter and exit the nucleus and
interact with the DNA.
Golgi Apparatus: A series of flattened membranous disks.
Receive vesicles of membrane and protein from the endoplasmic
reticulum and modify those proteins prior to routing them to their
final destinations. Also the site of polysaccharide production for
the cell.
Endoplasmic Reticulum: A series of membranous channels that
run throughout the cell. Responsible for producing all membrane
used by the cell and lot of roles in intercellular transport. Divided
in to two parts: smooth and rough
Rough ER: Named because it is covered in “bound” ribosomes.
The ribosomes are producing proteins that will be embedded in
membrane or exported from the cell.
Smooth ER: Not covered in ribosomes. Involved in toxin
detoxification.
Mitochondria: The site of aerobic cellular respiration. A
double-membrane structure, with a highly-folded inner membrane
(a surface area adaptation).
Chloroplasts: The site of photosynthesis. A double-membrane
structure with a highly-folded inner membrane (a surface area
adaptation).
The structure and function of subcellular components, and
their interactions, provide essential cellular processes.
1. Organelle structure and function- information
processing
Ribosome structure and function:
All cells contain ribosomes. Ribosomes are made of two subunits
of RNA and protein. They are able to assemble and disassemble
as required by the cell. In eukaryotes they are able to associate
and disassociate with the endoplasmic reticulum.
Endomembrane System:
The cellular system by which the information in DNA is expressed
and incorporated in to cellular processes:
Nucleus ---> ER ---> Golgi ---> final destination (membrane or
export).
2. Organelle structure and function- matter and energy
processing
Mitochondria:
Mitochondria have a double membrane which allows for
separation of different
processes that take place in the mitochondria.
The highly folded inner membrane (the “cristae”) contains many
copies of the enzymes needed to produce ATP by the cell, with
maximized surface area.
Chloroplasts:
Chloroplasts have a double outer membrane with inner
membranous stacks called “thylakoids”.
The membrane of the thylakoid contains many copies of the
enzymes and chlorophyll needed to produce chemical energy
from solar radiation during the first part of photosynthesis (the
“light reactions”).
The inside of the thylakoids (the “stroma”) contain the enzymes
needed to produce chemical compounds during the second part
of photosynthesis (Carbon fixation).
Lysosomes:
Lysosomes are membrane-enclosed sacs that contain collections
of digestive, hydrolytic enzymes. Lysosomes serve roles in
digestion of molecules, recycling a cell’s damaged components,
and programmed cell death.
Vacuoles:
A vacuole is a membrane-bound sac that stores material. Plants
have a large central vacuole that increases the cells surface area:
volume ratio by decreasing the active volume of the cell.
