Animal Cell _ Structure _ Function of Animal Cell _ Biology@TutorVista

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Animal Cell 4

All animal cells are multicellular. They are eukaryotic cells. Animal cells are surrounded by plasma membraneand it contains the nucleus and organelles that are membrane bound.

Animal cells are of various sizes and have irregular shapes. Most of the cells size range between 1 and 100micrometers and are visible only with help of microscope. Trillions of cells are found in the human body. Thereare many different types of cells, approximately 210 distinct cell types in adult human body.



Animal Cell Definition Back to Top

Parts of Animal Cell Back to Top

Animal cells are eukarytoic. Animal cells are have outer boundary known as the plasma membrane. The nucleusand the organelles of the cell are bound by a membrane. The genetic material (DNA) in animal cells is withinthe nucleus that is bound by a double membrane. The cell organelles have a vast range of functions to performlike hormone and enzyme production to providing energy for the cells.

The components of animal cells are centrioles, cilia and flagella, endoplasmic reticulum, golgi apparatus,lysosomes, microfilaments, microtubules, mitochondria, nucleus, peroxisomes, plasma membrane andribosomes.

Animal cell contains membrane bound nucleus, it also contains other membrane bound cellular organelles. Thesecellular organelles carry out specific functions that are necessary for the normal functioning of the cell. Animalcells lack cell wall, a large vacuole and plastids. Due to the lack of the cell wall, the shape and size of the animalcells are mostly irregular. The constituents of animal cells are structures like centrioles, cilia and flagella andlysosomes.

Parts of the animal cell are as follows:

Cell membrane forms the outer covering of the cell, and is semipermeable.

Cytoplasm is a gellike matrix where all the other cell organelles are suspended inside the cell.

Nucleus contains the hereditary material DNA and directs the activities of the cell.

Centrioles organize the microtubules assembly during cell division.

Endoplasmic Reticulum are a network of membranes composed of rough and smooth endoplasmicreticulum.

Golgi complex is responsible for storing, packaging of cellular products.

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Animal Cell Structure Back to Top

Lysosomes are enzyme sacs, that digest cellular wastes.

Microtubules are hollow rods, function primarily as support and shape to the cell.

Mitochondria is the site for cellular respiration and producers of energy.

Ribosomes are made of RNA and proteins, and are sites for protein synthesis.

Nucleolus is the structure within the nucleus and helps in synthesis of ribosomes.

Nucleopore is the tiny hole in the nuclear membrane, allows the movement of nucleic acids and proteinsin/out of the cell.

Animal cells are eukaryotic cells, the nucleus and other organelles of the cell are bound by membrane.

Cell membrane




It is a semipermeable barrier, allowing only a few molecules to move across it. Electron microscopic studies of cell membrane shows the lipid bilayer model of the plasma membrane, italso known as the fluid mosaic model. The cell membrane is made up of phospholipids which has polar(hydrophillic) heads and nonpolar(hydrophobic) tails.

Cytoplasm

The fluid matrix that fills the cell is the cytoplasm. The cellular organelles are suspended in this matrix of the cytoplasm.This matrix maintains the pressure of the cell, ensures the cell doesn't shrink or burst.

Nucleus

Nucleus is the house for most of the cells genetic material the DNA and RNA. The nucleus is surrounded by a porous membrane known as the nuclear membrane. The RNA moves in/out of the nucleus through these pores. Proteins needed by the nucleus enter through the nuclear pores. The RNA helps in protein synthesis through transcription process. The nucleus controls the activity of the cell and is known as the control center. The nucleolus is the dark spot in the nucleus, and it is the location for ribosome formation.

Ribosomes

Ribosomes is the site for protein synthesis where the translation of the RNA takes place.As protein synthesis is very important to the cell, ribosomes are found in large number in all cells.Ribosomes are found freely suspended in the cytoplasm and also are attached to the endoplasmicreticulum.

Endoplasmic reticulum

ER is the transport system of the cell. It transports molecules that need certain changes and alsomolecules to their destination.ER is of two types, rough and smooth. ER bound to the ribosomes appear rough and is the rough endoplasmic reticulum; while the smooth ER donot have the ribosomes.

Lysosomes

It is the digestive system of the cell. They have digestive enzymes helps in breakdown the waste moelcules and also help in detoxification ofthe cell.If the lysosomes were not membrane bound the cell could not have used the destructive enzymes.

Centrosomes

It is located near the nucleus of the cell and is known as the 'microtubule organizing center' of the cell.Microtubules are made in the centrosome. During mitosis the centrosome aids in dividing of the cell and moving of the chromosome to the oppositesides of the cell.

Vacuoles



Function of Animal Cell Back to Top

They are bound by single membrane and small organelles. In many organisms vacuoles are storage organelles.

Vesicles are smaller vacuoles which function for transport in/out of the cell.

Golgi bodies

Golgi bodies are the packaging center of the cell. The Golgi bodies modify the molecules from the rough ER by dividing them into smaller units withmembrane known as vesicles.They are flattened stacks of membranebound sacs.

Mitochondria

Mitochondria is the main energy source of the cell. They are called the power house of the cell because energy(ATP) is created here.Mitochondria consists of inner and outer membrane. It is spherical or rod shaped organelle.It is an organelle which is independent as it has its own hereditary material.

Peroxisomes

Peroxisomes are single membrane bound organelle that contain oxidative enzymes that are digestive infunction.They help in digesting long chains of fatty acids and amino acids and help in synthesis of cholesterol.

Cytoskeleton

It is the network of microtubules and microfilament fibres. They give structural support and maintain the shape of the cell.

Cilia and Flagella

Cilia and flagella are structurally identical structures. They are different based on the function they perform and their length. Cilia are short and are in large number per cell while flagella are longer and are fewer in number.They are organelles of movement.The flagellar motion is undulating and wavelike whereas the ciliary movement is power stroke andrecovery stroke.

All living organisms are made up of cells. Cells are differentiated into plant cells and animal cells. Structurallythere are a few differences in plant and animal cells though their functionality is almost the same.




All the cells are enclosed in a protective membrane called the cell membrane however plant cells have an extraaddition the cell wall. The cells have certain organelles that are membrane bound within them, these structuresare called cellular organelles. These organelles are specified to perform certain activities that are important forthe survival of the cell. All the cells function together in coordination with each other and help the organism tosurvive. The functions of animal cell is carried out by the different cell organelles. The organelles of the cellfunction as a unit and regulate the activities of the cell. The different cell organelles and their functions are asfollows:

Cell Nucleus Cell nucleus is referred to as the control center of the cell. The genetic material of the organism ispresent in the cell. The replication of DNA, and synthesis of RNA occurs in the nucleus of the cell. It alsoregulates the activities of the other cellular organelles.

Mitochondria The mitochondria is referred to as the power house of the cell. Its main function if to produceenergy for cell by the process of cellular respiration. The energy produced is ATP.

Endoplasmic Reticulum It is a network for transportation of certain substances in and out of the nucleus.

Golgi Apparatus It is involved with processing and packaging of the molecules that are synthesized by thecells. The crude proteins that are passed on by the ER to the apparatus are developed by the golgi apparatus intoprimary, secondary, and tertiary proteins.

Ribosomes The function of ribosomes is protein synthesis.

Lysosomes They are referred to as the suicide bags of the cell. They have digestive enzymes and are involvedin clearing the in wanted waste materials from the cell. They also engulf damaged materials like the damagedcells,and invading microorganisms and digest food particles.

Vacuole They are large storage organelles. They store excess food or water.

Functions of The Animal Cell

The animal cells perform variety of activities by the aid of the cellular organelles. These cells function as a unitand the cells together form tissues. A group go tissues with similar function form an organ and a group of organof specific function to perform becomes and organ system. Thus, the microscopic cells form the basic unit for



the activities and coordination and help survival of the organism.

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Animal Cell _ Structure _ Function of Animal Cell _ Biology@TutorVista