Chapter 5 : Eukaryotic cells

FOCUS:
Cell under the microscope
The two major categories of cells
A panoramic view of eukaryotic cells
The plasma membrane
A fluid mosaic of lipid and proteins

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The size range of cells
 The size range of cells
Most cells are between 1 to 100 m in diameter
(yellow region) and therefore are visible under
light microscope.
Cells or structures of size below 1 m in
diameter is best view using electron microscope.
Cells or objects of size above 100 m could be
view with unaided eye.

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 Light microscope (LM)
In a light microscope (LM), visible light is passed
through the specimen and then through the
glass lense.
Three important parameters in microscopy are
magnification, resolution and contrast.
Magnification is the ratio of an objects image
to its real size. Light microscopes could magnify
effectively to about 1000 times the actual size of
the specimen.

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 Light microscope (LM)
Resolution is a measure of the clarity of image.
It is the minimum distance two points can be
separated and still be distinguished as two
points. Light microscope cannot resolve detail
finer than 0.2 m or 200 nm, regardless the
magnification.
Contrast is the accentuates differences in parts
of sample. Contrast could be enhanced through
staining or labelling of cells, so that cell
components could stand out.
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Unstained and stained specimen of
cheek cells : enhanced contrast

Unstained cells Stained cells

 Electron microscope (EM)
The electron microscope (EM), uses focused
beam of electrons through the specimen or onto
its surface. Electron microscope can resolve
details of about 2 m, but cannot resolve
structures smaller than 2 nm across.
There are two types of EM. The scanning
electron microscope (SEM) is useful to study the
topography of a specimen. Usually samples
need to be coated with thin film of gold.

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Scanning electron microscope (SEM)

SEM of a trachea covered with cilia

 Electron microscope (EM)
The transmission electron microscope (TEM) is
used to study the internal structure of cells. The
specimens need to be stained with heavy
metals.

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Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)

TEM of longitudinal section cilia

 Advantages of LM and EM
EM have revealed many organelles and other
subcellular structures that were impossible to
resolve with light microscope.
However, EM specimen preparation usually
involve killing of cells.
LM enables studies using living cells.

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 The two major categories of cells
There are two distinct types of cells, prokaryotic
and eukaryotic.
Domain Bacteria and Archaea comprises of
prokaryotic cells.
Domain Eukarya comprises of eukaryotic cells.

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 Similarities between prokaryotic and
eukaryotic cells
Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells are
bonded with a selective barrier, called plasma
membrane. Inside the cell is a semifluid, jellylike
substance called cytosol.
Both cells have ribosomes, tiny complexes that
make proteins.

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 Differences between prokaryotic and
eukaryotic cells
In eukaryotic cell, DNA is membrane bounded
and the organelle is called nucleus.
In prokaryotic cell, DNA is not membrane
bonded but only concentrated in a region called
nucleoid.
In eukaryotic cell, a variety of membrane-
bounded organelles are suspended in the
cytosol.
Eukaryotic cells in general is larger in size than
prokaryotic cells.
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 A panoramic view of eukaryotic cells
Eukaryotic cell has internal membranes that
divide the cells into compartments.
The cell compartments provide different local
environments to facilitate specific metabolic
functions.

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