Chapter Four: A Tour of the Cell

Questions:

1. What is the difference between a prokaryotic and a eukaryotic cell?

  A:  Prokaryotic: has no nucleus.  Eukaryotic: True Nucleus.  The difference between these cells is that a eukaryotic cells, such as the ones found in plants and animals, has a nucleus where it stores the genetic material.  The prokaryotic cells, such as bacterium, has no nucleus and uses other means to store genetic information.

2.  What are the parts of a prokaryotic cell?

  A:  Plasma membrane: regulates what comes in and out of the cell.
Cytoplasm: support.
DNA: genetic code.
Ribosomes: make protein.
Cytoskeleton: structure.
Nucleus: contains DNA.
ER: biosynthetic factory.
Golgi apparatus: packaging.
Lysosomes: clean up.
Vacuoles/vesicle: transport.
Peroxisomes: clean up.
Mitochondria: produce energy.

3.  What is the ER?

  A:  The Endoplasmic Reticulum is a synthesis of membrane lipids and proteins, secretory proteins and hydrolytic enzymes: formation of transport vesicles.  The smooth ER also helps with lipid synthesis, detoxification in liver cells, and calcium ion storage.


Five Main Facts From The Reading:

1. Eukaryotic cells are partitioned into functional compartments.
2. The structure of membranes correlates with their functions.
3. The nucleus is the cell's genetic control center.
4. Ribosomes make proteins for use in the cell and exportation.
5. Mitochondria harvest chemical energy from food.

This diagram shows the different parts of a eukaryotic animal cell.

Ten Key Terms:

Nucleus- contains most of the cell's DNA and controls the cell's activities by directing protein synthesis.

Ribosome- cellular components that carry out protein synthesis.

Vesicle- sacs made of membrane.

Golgi apparatus- serves as a molecular warehouse and finishing factory, receives and modifies products manufactured by the ER.

Lysosome- digestive exzymes enclosed in a membranous sac.

Vacuoles- membranous sacs that have a variety of functions.

Mitochondria- organelles that carry out cellular respiration in nearly all eukaryotic cells, converting the chemical energy of foods such as suars to the chemical energy of a molecule called ATP.

Chloroplasts- the photosynthesizing organelles of all photosynthetic eukaryotes. 

Stroma- a thick fluid which contains the chloroplast DNA and ribosomes as well al many enzymes.

Organelles- little organs located in the cytoplasm of cells.

Through the Virtual Cell Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM2X1c4K1x0

  This chapter, as the title suggests, is about exploring the cell.  It takes an in depth look at the eukaryotic cell, it's organelles and their functions.  It shows the differences between eukaryotic cells and prokaryotic cells, as well as plant and animal cells.  It also shows the many different ways a cell is vital to life, and how hard each individual cell must work to maintain its structure and function.