Introduction to cell notesWith answers

  • Which scientist used the term “cell” after viewing cork under a microscope? Robert Hook
  • What did Anton van Leeuwenhoek see that nobody had seen before? Living cells and microorganisms
  • What is the cell theory?
  • All living things are made up of cells
  • Cells are the basic units of structure and function in an organism
  • New cells are produced from existing cells
  • What are the levels of organization in a multicellular organism?

Cellstissueorganorgan systemorganism

  • What is cell differentiation?

Cells become specialized in structure to perform different tasks (jobs)

  • List 3 examples of specialized cells in the human body.
  • Red blood cells, white blood cells
  • Muscle (3 types), nerve
  • Bone

Cell Type / Prokaryote / Eukaryote
Nucleus? / No nucleus. / Membrane bound nucleus present
Organelles? / No membrane bound organelles / Many
Ribosomes? / Small ribosomes / Larger ribosomes
Size? / 1-10 µm / 2-1000 µm
Evolved when? / 3.5 billiion years ago / 1.5 billion years ago
Kingdoms? / Archaebacteria and Eubacteria / Protista, fungi, plantae, and animalia
Basic structure
(draw basic cell) / /
  • Shapes of bacteria? (sketch and name each)
  • Coccus/cocci (spherical)
  • Bacillus/bacilli (rod shaped)
  • Spirilla (spiral)
  • What do all cells have in common?
  • Cell membrane
  • Cytoplasm
  • Ribosomes
  • Genetic material

  • Parts of plant cells (draw arrows)

Parts of animal cells: (draw arrows)

  • Functions/description of organelles:

Organelle / Function/description / Plant? Animal? Both?
  • Cytoplasm
/ Semi-liquid material between nucleus and cell membrane / Both (all cells)
  • Nucleus
/ Controls cell processes, contains genetic material / Both
  • Chloroplast
/ Photosynthesis takes place here. Captures light energy and converts it into chemical energy in sugar / Plants only
  • Central vacuole
/ Stores water, salts, ions, and minerals. / Plants only.
(animals have many small vacuoles)
  • Ribosomes
/ Manufacture proteins (from DNA’s instructions) / Both (all cells)
  • Mitochondria
/ Cellular respiration takes place here. Converts chemical energy into useable energy (ATP) for the cell. / Both
  • Cell membrane
/ Creates a barrier around cell that controls what enters and leaves the cell…maintains cellular homeostasis. Cellular support / Both (all cells)
  • Cell wall
/ Outer layer that supports and provides protection. / Plant
  • Golgi body
/ Modifies, packages, sorts, and ships proteins from the ER and other materials to be stored in cell or secreted from cell.
“post office” / Both
  • Endoplasmic reticulum
/ Site where lipids for cell membrane are assembled, proteins are modified prior to export from cell. / Both
  • Lysosomes
/ Digestion of biomolecules and breaking down worn out cellular parts / Animals