Honors Biology
Overview of Unit: Cell Structure and Function
By the end of this unit, students should understand and be able to do the following:
1. Explain the Cell Theory and the role of microscopes in its historical development.
2. Differentiate between the structure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
3. Describe the structure and function of organelles from both animal and plant eukaryotic cells.
4. Explain and provide evidence to support the endosymbiotic hypothesis for the origin of membrane-bound organelles
in eukaryotes.
5. Distinguish characteristics of plant cells and animal cells
6. Be able to recognize the membrane bound organelles in a eukaryotic cell. Give the function of each. Relate their
structure to their function.
7. Explain the role of the cytoskeleton in the internal support of a cell.
8. Explain how the organelles can interact with each other, particularly through the endomembranal system.
9. Describe the fluid mosaic model of the plasma membrane and explain how the chemical properties of the molecules
which comprise the membrane (such as phospholipids and proteins) relate to the structure and function of the
membrane.
10. Understand the processes of diffusion.
11. Explain the various passive and active mechanisms by which materials move across the plasma membrane.
12. Predict based upon a material’s size and chemical characteristics by what mechanism it will traverse the membrane.
13. Explain the phenomenon of osmosis and its importance to cell function for both plants and animals.
14. Explain how the preceding concepts illustrate the “Big Ideas” of science, in particular, that structure is related to
function, that living systems transform energy, can rearrange matter and maintain homeostasis and that models are
useful for studying complex systems.
Text reading is:
Ch. 4: Introduction to the Cell
Ch. 5.1-5.9: The working cell
Vocabulary: We try to get everything but words used in class are always testable.
Cell
Endomembrane
organelle
system
Cell theory
Endoplasmic
Light microscope
reticulum
Transmission
Golgi apparatus
Electron microscope
Chloroplast
Scanning electron
Vacuole
microscopes
Ribosomes
Prokaryote
Metabolism
Eukaryote
Selectively
Plasma membrane
permeable
Phospholipid
membrane
Phospholipids
Diffusion
bilayer
Concentration
Transmembranal
gradient
proteins
Equilibrium
Protein
Osmosis
Fluid mosaic model
Turgor pressure
Nucleus
Isotonic
Cytoskeleton
Hypotonic
Lysosome
Hypertonic
Cell wall
Plasmolysis
Mitochondria
Cytolysis
Polar
Non-polar
Hydrogen bond
Hydrophilic
Hydrophobic
Passive transport
Facilitated diffusion
Active transport
Gated channel
(pore)
Passive mediated
transport
Facilitated diffusion
Carrier protein
Na,K pump (or
Na,K ATPase)
Endocytosis
Pinocytosis
Phagocytosis
Exocytosis
endosymbiosis
Websites on plasma membrane, diffusion and osmosis:
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resources/tdc02/sci/life/cell/membraneweb/assets/tdc02_int_membraneweb/tdc02_int_mem
braneweb_swf.html
http://www.northland.cc.mn.us/biology/Biology1111/animations/transport1.html
http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/esp/2001_gbio/folder_structure/ce/m3/s3/cem3s3_3.htm
http://www.nclark.net/osmosisPocus.gif
Several on one site:
http://telstar.ote.cmu.edu/biology/animation/
Websites on cells:
Cell organelle game: http://www.quia.com/mc/65947.html
http://www.wisc-online.com/objects/index_tj.asp?objid=AP11403
http://www.exploratorium.edu/traits/cell_explorer.html
http://www.cellnucleus.com/LIVECELLDATABASE.html
Let me know if you find more!