Year 7 Biology Unit 1: Cells
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Year 7 Biology Unit 1: Cells
Cell structure
Difference between plant cell & animal cell:
Animal cell Plant cell
l- Cell wall Absent present
2- Chloroplasts Absent present
3- Vacuoles small & temporary large contain cell sap
4- Food stores Glycogen Starch
5- Shape / Size Irregular - smaller Regular - larger.
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Year 7 Biology Unit 1: Cells
*N.B. both animal and plant cells have these common
structures: Cell surface membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus,
and mitochondria.
1- Cell surface membrane;
- It is made of protein and fats.
- It is partially permeable (it allows small molecules to pass through)
- Functions: 1- It controls what goes in and out of the cell.
2- It bounds the cell contents.
2- Cytoplasm;
- A jelly like substance, made mostly of water (70%), protein and salts.
- Functions: 1- Site of metabolic reactions.
2- Contains stored foods.
3- Nucleus:
- Rounded structure which carry chromosomes.
- Functions: 1- controls all cell activities, including cell division.
2- Carries and stores genetic materials.
4- Cell wall;
- It is the outermost cover of plant cell, made up of cellulose, it is rigid, completely
permeable.
- Functions: 1- Protects & supports the plant cell.
2- Maintains cell turgidity.
5- Chloroplasts;
- Found in green plants, contain green pigment.
- Functions: 1- Chlorophyll absorbs light energy and changes it
into food in photosynthesis process.
2- Chloroplasts store starch grains.
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Year 7 Biology Unit 1: Cells
6- Vacuole
-They are spaces In the cells surrounded by membranes.
- Functions:
* In plant cells: it is single, large and permanent.
1- Store soluble food, pigments
& wastes. 2- Maintain turgidity.
* In animal cells: multiple, small and temporary. Often they store food.
* Levels Of Organization *
1- cell:
The structural and functional unit of all living organisms, it contains organelles.
e.g. In animal: liver cell in plant: palisade cell
2- Tissue:
Group of similar cells which perform particular function.
e.g. In animal: muscle tissue, nerve tissue In plant: xylem, phloem.
3- Organ:
A group of different tissues which perform a particular function.
e.g. In animal: Eye, heart, stomach In plant: leaf, flower, stem, root.
4- Organ system:
A group of organs connected together to perform a particular function.
e.g. In animal: digestive system.
In plant: Root system (all parts below
ground). Shoot system (all
parts above ground).
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Year 7 Biology Unit 1: Cells
Specialised Cells
- To function efficiently, multicellular organisms have cells specialized to
carry out specific functions.
Ciliated Epithelial cells
Location: In the air passages in the lungs (trachea and bronchi) and
in the oviducts of the female reproductive system.
Feature: Have cilia on their surface
Function: Cilia beat back and forth to create a current
In airways cilia move the mucus that traps dust and pathogens
and propels it up to the nose and throat.
In oviducts Cilia move egg cells (ova) from ovary to the uterus.
Root hair cells
Location: roots of
plants Feature: long
extensions
Function: Absorbs water and minerals
from soil. Hairs provide large surface area.
Xylem vessels
Structure: - dead cylindrical empty tubes arranged into columns like pipes.
- No end walls between cells
- Walls thickened with bands or spirals of lignin and cellulose. Has
no organelles in them.
Function: -Transport of water and ions from root to the rest of the
plant - Supports stem and leaves
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Year 7 Biology Unit 1: Cells
Muscle cells
Location: on bones (skeletal muscle) and in guts and heart.
Adaptation: rich in blood supply, glycogen
granules and mitochondria for energy that is
needed.
Structure: Fibres that shorten or contract and relax.
Function: Move bones at joints when they contract
Red Blood Cells
Function: Carry Oxygen and contains the protein Haemoglobin.
Shape: Flattened biconcave discs, This shape provides a large
surface area in comparison to volume. Also no nucleus and has
haemoglobin to carry out its function
Sperm cell
Function: To reach the ovum and fertilize it.
Adaptations:
- Streamlined and had a tail (flagellum) to aid in swimming.
- Rich in mitochondria to provide energy.
- Has enzymes in its head (acrosome) that break through the egg to fertilize it.
- Produced in large numbers to increase the probability of fertilization.
- Light in weight as it has almost no cytoplasm.
- Haploid number of chromosomes (23).
The ovum (egg cell)
Location: produced in the ovaries of the female reproductive system.
Function: To get fertilized by the sperm and produce offspring.
Adaptation: - Is much bigger than the sperm cell.
- Has a lot of cytoplasm to provide food for the dividing cells.
- Has a chemical that stops more sperms entering once
fertilization is successful
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Year 7 Biology Unit 1: Cells
White blood cells (Leukocytes or WBCs)
Location: In the blood.
Function: Protect the body against infections and
produce antibodies.
Adaptations: - Very small in size and have a flexible cell membrane which
enables them to squeeze through capillaries and attack bacteria.
- Have enzymes which can destroy and engulfed bacteria.
- Sensitive cell membrane to detect foreign bodies.
Palisade Cell:
Location: In the palisade mesophyll layer of the leaf organ
between upper epidermis and spongy mesophyll.
Function: Forms palisade tissue which is responsible for photosynthesis.
Adaptations: Rich in chloroplasts which contain chlorophyll.
- Cylindrical shape and palisade arrangement allows maximum
absorption of light by chloroplasts.
- Most chloroplasts are near the top side of the cell for maximal
light exposure.
Nerve cells
Location: In the nervous system, they are the smallest unit of the
nervous system.
Function: To receive, carry and pass nerve impulses around the body.
Adaptations:
- Have long fibres and are branched at both end
- Have synapses that makes the nerve impulse travel in one direction only
