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7: The Eukaryotic Cell

  • Page ID
    3205
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    Thumbnail: A 3D rendering of an animal cell cut in half. (CC -BY-SA 4.0; Zaldua I., Equisoain J.J., Zabalza A., Gonzalez E.M., Marzo A., Public University of Navarre).

    • 7.0: Eukaryotic Cell Anatomy
      The cell is the basic unit of life. Based on the organization of their cellular structures, all living cells can be divided into two groups: prokaryotic and eukaryotic (also spelled procaryotic and eucaryotic). Animals, plants, fungi, protozoans, and algae all possess eukaryotic cell types. Only bacteria have prokaryotic cell types.
    • 7.1: The Cytoplasmic Membrane
      The cytoplasmic membrane (also called the plasma or cell membrane) of eukaryotic cells is a fluid phospholipid bilayer embedded with proteins and glycoproteins. It contains glycolipids as well as complex lipids called sterols. The cytoplasmic membrane is a semipermeable membrane that determines what goes in and out of the cell. Substances may cross the cytoplasmic membrane of eukaryotic cells by simple diffusion, osmosis, passive transport, active transport, endocytosis and exocytosis.
    • 7.2: The Cell Wall
      Algae, fungi, and plant cells have a cell wall; animal cells and protozoans lack cell walls. The rigid, tightknit, polysaccharide molecular structure of the cell wall helps the cell resist osmotic lysis.
    • 7.3: The Endomembrane System
      We will now look at the various structures that make up the endomembrane system, including the nucleus, the endoplasmic reticulum, and the Golgi complex.
    • 7.4: Other Internal Membrane-Bound Organelles
      Because of their larger size, Eukaryotic cells require a variety of specialized internal membrane-bound organelles to carry out metabolism, provide energy, and transport chemicals throughout the cell. Eukaryotic cells contain a variety of internal membrane-bound organelles that are not a part of the endomembrane system. These include mitochondria, chloroplasts, lysosomes, peroxisomes, vacuoles, and vesicles. We will now look at the various membrane-bound organelles.
    • 7.5: Ribosomes
      Ribosomes are composed of rRNA and protein and consist of 2 subunits. In eukaryotic cells, the subunits have densities of 60S and 40S. The ribosomes are both attached to the endoplasmic reticulum and free in the cytoplasm. They serve as a workbench for protein synthesis, that is, they receive and translate genetic instructions for the formation of specific proteins or polypeptides.
    • 7.6: The Cytoskeleton
      The cytoskeleton is a network of microfilaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. The cytoskeleton has a variety functions including, giving shape to cells lacking a cell wall, allowing for cell movement, enabling movement of organelles within the cell, endocytosis, and cell division.
    • 7.7: Flagella and Cilia
      Flagella are long and few in number whereas cilia are short and numerous. Both flagella and cilia consist of 9 fused pairs of protein microtubules with side arms of the motor molecule dynein that originate from a centriole. These form a ring around an inner central pair of microtubules that arise from a plate near the cell surface. This complex of microtubules is surrounded by a sheath continuous with the cytoplasmic membrane. Flagella and cilia function in locomotion.
    • 7.8: The Endosymbiotic Theory
      The endosymbiotic theory states that mitochondria and chlopoplasts in today's eukaryotic cells were once separate prokaryotic microbes.
    • 7.E: The Eukaryotic Cell (Exercises)
      These are homework exercises to accompany Kaiser's "Microbiology" TextMap. Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, which are defined as any microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell (unicellular), cell clusters or no cell at all (acellular). This includes eukaryotes, such as fungi and protists, and prokaryotes. Viruses and prions, though not strictly classed as living organisms, are also studied.


    This page titled 7: The Eukaryotic Cell is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Gary Kaiser via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.