•Cell structure in plants

•Cell structure in animals

•Cell structure and function
These are onion cells as seen under the
microscope at x100. They have been stained with
iodine to help certain parts of the cell to show up.
 Parts -

Cell wall

nucleus

vacuole

The cell wall is a thick, dark line around the cells. It is

fairly rigid and helps the cell keep its regular shape.
 Parts -

Cell wall

nucleus

vacuole

The nucleus is a dark ‘blob’ inside each cell. Each cell

has one, and only one nucleus. Its job is to control
the cells activities and to store the genetic or inherited
information.
 Parts -

Cell wall

nucleus

vacuole

The vacuole does not show up, even with stain. It is a

large, water-filled sack in the centre of the cell. It
takes up most of the cell and often forces the nucleus
out to the side.
This is a more
typical plant cell,
from a plant leaf.
The wall and
nucleus do not
show up because
the cells have not
been stained.
The vacuole can
still be seen as a
clear space in the
middle of the cell.
There are also a
number of green
structures.
These are
chloroplasts.
The chloroplasts
are filled with a
special green
chemical (pigment)
called chlorophyll.
This green pigment
helps the cell trap
light energy for
photosynthesis.
Onion cells are not
green. They get no
light, so do not
need chloroplasts.
The chloroplasts
appear mainly
around the outside
of the cell because
the central vacuole
takes up most of
the space and
pushes them to the
outside.
 Part 2

Animal Cells
These are blood cells. These are animal cells, not plant
cells and their structure is different. The first difference is in
scale. These cells are at x 600 – a much higher
magnification than was used with the onion cells. This
suggests animal cells are smaller than plant cells.
The cells do not have an obvious wall around them.
Animal cells do not have a cell wall. Their outer covering is
their membrane, which is much thinner than a wall. Plant
cells have a membrane too, but it cannot be seen as it is
pushed right up against the inside of the much thicker wall.
 nucleus

membrane

cytoplasm

These are liver cells at x600. The nucleus is visible right

in the middle of the cell – their appears to be no vacuole
as there was in plant cells.
Most of the cell is taken up by a grainy looking jelly called
the cytoplasm. This is present in plant cells too, but is
squashed up against the side in a thin layer by the central
vacuole.
All cells have a structure
which is suited to its
function.
These are nerve cells.
They have many side
branches to connect to
other cells, and so pass
on information in the form
of tiny electrical signals.
These are muscle cells. In order to carry out their
function, muscle cells are able to contract. This is
how muscles pull on bones to make you move. The
individual cells are organised together into fibres.
These are liver cells. They do not look very specialised,
because their particular function goes on within the cells.
They carry out many different chemical reactions on
digested food, for example. Their specialisation is in the
chemical reactions they can carry out in their cytoplasm.
These are skin cells at x100. At this magnification the
cells are too small to make out individually, but the nuclei
show up as tiny dots. The cells are arranged into different
layers within the skin.
 Red
cell

Back to the blood cells…

There are two types – red cells are filled with a
chemical called haemoglobin. This chemical lets
them carry oxygen. Red blood cells are the only
cells which have no nucleus – it disintegrates as
soon as the cells are formed.
 White cell

Back to the blood cells…

There are two types – white cells have large,
obvious nuclei.The fight off invading germs either by
engulfing and digesting them or by firing chemicals
called antibodies which help to destroy them..
These cells are bad news. This slide shows many very
small cells all packed together. This is because these
cells are dividing, then dividing , then dividing … they
are dividing out of control. These are cancer cells,
which form a tumour, a clump of cells dividing out of
control.
 Part 3

Building cells
What you have seen so far is that the cell is
made up from a number of different
components.
Each of these components has its own job
to do in the cell.
Plant cells have a far wider range of
components in them, and you can use
evidence from which components are you
can see to decide if a cell comes from an
animal and a plant.
Lets put together an animal cell ….
Around the outside of an
animal cell is the cell
membrane.
It is a very thin layer and
its job is to control what
can or cannot pass
through.
The cell membrane is so
thin that it does not really
show up clearly under
the microscope.
The membrane has
many tiny pores (holes)
in it.
These can let small
molecules or particles of
substances pass
through, but not larger
ones.
The membrane therefore
controls what can and
cannot pass through on
the basis of size. Only
small molecules can
pass through.
The cell is filled with a
watery jelly called the
cytoplasm. The
cytoplasm presses out
against the thin
membrane, giving the
cell its shape.
The importance of the
cytoplasm is that it is the
site for all the cell’s
chemical reactions –
the metabolism.
Virtually every cell has a
single nucleus.
The nucleus contains the
cell’s inherited or
genetic information.
This information is
passed on when cells
divide and carry the
instructions for how to
develop and what
chemical reactions to
carry out.
The nucleus therefore
controls the cell’s
development and
processes.
In the same way, we can build up the
structure of a plant cell. The plant cell
has more of a variety of components, but
these are always put together in a
similar way.
The cell wall
•Makes the cell a
regular shape
•Is made of tough,
indigestible cellulose
•Is relatively thick and
strong
•Has a support and
protection role
The cell membrane
•Is squashed up
against the wall so is
very hard to see
•Is very thin
•Has pores to let small
substance pass
through
•Controls entry and
exit of materials
The vacuole
•Is found in the middle
of the cell
•Takes up most of the
cell, so pushes other
things out towards the
side
•Contains mainly
water, but also some
salts and sugars
•Presses out against
the wall to provide
support for the cell
The cytoplasm
•Fills up the rest of the
cell
•Is the site of all the
cell’s chemical
reactions – the
metabolism
•Is a watery jelly
The nucleus
•Is found in the
cytoplasm
•Controls the cell’s
development and
processes
•Can be made to show
up with stains (iodine)
•Is often seen at the
side of the cell, as the
vacuole takes up the
centre.
The chloroplasts
•Are small, rounded
green components
•Are found in the
cytoplasm
•Contain the green
chemical chlorophyll
•Trap the light energy
which plants need for
photosynthesis
•Are only found in
green plant cells
 Part 4

Thinking in 3 dimensions
The vacuole fills up most of the cell. This means that
there is most space left at the corners and around the
edges.
The mental ‘jump’ is not to realise that when you look at
the cell, you are looking at it face on – at one complete
side. The next slide shows you how this would look …
Side view …
The next few slides are questions on cells. Your
teacher will give you a paper copy of the
slides to work on.
When the question slide appears, fill in the
answers on your copy.
The following slide will then let you check your
answers.

Ready … steady ….
Q1. Link the parts of the cell to their function
and whether they are found in animal or
plant cells.
Nucleus
Controls entry and
exit of materials
Animal cell only Cytoplasm
Photosynthesis

Cell wall Site of

metabolism
Both animal and
plant cells Chloroplast
Controls cell
activity
Membrane
Rigid for support

Plant cell only Vacuole Stores water and some

salts (sap)
Q1. Link the parts of the cell to their function
and whether they are found in animal or
plant cells.
Nucleus
Controls entry and
exit of materials
Animal cell only Cytoplasm
Photosynthesis

Cell wall Site of

metabolism
Both animal and
plant cells Chloroplast
Controls cell
activity
Membrane
Rigid for support

Plant cell only Vacuole Stores water and some

salts (sap)
Q2. Label the parts shown as a,b and c

a. ___________________

b. __________________

c. _________________

Is the cell from an animal or plant ?

How do you know ?

Q2. Label the parts shown as a,b and c

a. membrane

b. cytoplasm

c. nucleus

Is the cell from an animal or plant ?

animal

How do you know ?

Absence of cell wall, vacuole and cholroplasts

Q3. These cells are shown as seen under the microscope at x 400.

a. Are these animal or plant cells ?

b. What features suggest this ?

c. What is the part labelled X ?

d. What is its function ?

X
Q3. These cells are shown as seen under the microscope at x 400.

a. Are these animal or plant cells ?

animal

b. What features suggest this ?

Lack of cell wall, chloroplast

and vacuole

c. What is the part labelled X ?

nucleus

d. What is its function ?

Control cell activities

X
Q4. These cells are shown as seen under the microscope at x 200.

a. Are these animal or plant cells ?

b. What features suggest this ?

c. What is the part labelled X ?

X
d. What is its function ?
Q4. These cells are shown as seen under the microscope at x 200.

a. Are these animal or plant cells ?

Plant

b. What features suggest this ?

Obvious cell wall, green

chloroplasts, vacuole

c. What is the part labelled X ?

Chloroplast

X
d. What is its function ?

Traps light energy for

photosynthesis
Q5. These are onion cells under x 150.

a. What part, often found in a plant cell, is

not visible in an onion cell ?

b. What is the part labelled Y and what is

its function ?

c. What has been done to these cells to

make them show up more clearly ?
Q5. These are onion cells under x 150.

a. What part, often found in a plant cell, is

not visible in an onion cell ?

chloroplasts

b. What is the part labelled Y and what is

its function ?

Cell wall
To protect and support the cells

c. What has been done to these cells to

make them show up more clearly ?

Stained, probably with iodine

Q6. Add arrows to link the parts shown to their names and jobs -

Controls what gets into

Nucleus and out of the cell

Strong, supporting layer

Cytoplasm

Controls the cell’s

Wall development and
metabolism

Chloroplast Traps light energy for

photosynthesis

Vacuole
Stores water for the cell

Membrane
Where all the chemical
reactions (metabolism)
take place
Did you hear about the lonely Biology teacher ?

He was in his sel’ !