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2.2 Cell Structure and Function

3 min readdecember 27, 2022

Tejas Bhartiya

Tejas Bhartiya

Haseung Jun

Haseung Jun

Tejas Bhartiya

Tejas Bhartiya

Haseung Jun

Haseung Jun

Cell Structure & Function

As with most biological processes, the structure of all of the organelles listed above contribute to the function of that organelle. A few examples are below:

Mitochondria

The inner foldings of the membrane, referred to as , are essential to the increased surface area of the inner membrane. This increased surface area allows for much more space for the (ETC), an essential part of cellular respiration. The , used as the site of the , is right next door and can therefore transfer its products easily to the ETC. With the ETC, happens. As you might already know, the is the powerhouse of the cell, meaning the synthesis of ATP is crucial to cell survival, hence increased surface area would prove to be beneficial to the cell.

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-WdttbsJerJPv.jpg?alt=media&token=bec795e9-8c42-4a0c-a2ae-1e389a137d24

Image Courtesy of Molecular Expressions

Chloroplast

Like the , the stacked thylakoid membranes of the allow for an increase in surface area necessary for the ETC of the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis. These membranes are also lined with and , increasing the amount of energy that the plant can get from light. These thylakoids are stacked in stacks called . The (photosynthesis) happens within these structures. Inside the inner membrane and outside the thylakoid is the fluid called . The proximity of the to the thylakoids allows for the sharing of products between the (which happens in the ) and the light-dependent reactions (more on all of this in Unit 3!). As seen below, the structure of the lends to its function.

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-HgMOzs6ZhtGs.jpeg?alt=media&token=691bb5b5-8c80-4871-9b74-dd75d93b3b2a

Image Courtesy of BioNinja

Plasma Membrane

The , discussed more below, is specifically designed to be semi-permeable. This means that some molecules are able to travel through without any problem, while others need specific proteins in order to help them across. The allows for the creation of a concentration gradient, an essential part of many biological processes.

Lysosome

The that contains the is incredibly important. If the inside of the were to burst, all of the cell's organelles may burst as well, and the cell would die. In order to prevent this, the membrane is specially designed to keep these enzymes in. The will bind with other vesicles that contain contents necessary for digestion when needed.

Endoplasmic Reticulum

You will learn more about the process of later, but the is the "powerhouse" of protein making! On the membrane are , which make the proteins with RNA. It then packages these proteins and ships them to the Golgi, which can be thought of as the USPS of the cell.

🎥 Watch: AP Biology - Cell Structure & Function


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Key Terms to Review (20)

ATP Synthesis

: ATP synthesis is the process by which cells produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate), a molecule that provides energy for many different cellular functions.

Calvin Cycle

: The Calvin Cycle is a set of chemical reactions that take place in chloroplasts during photosynthesis. It uses the energy from light to convert carbon dioxide into glucose.

Chlorophyll

: Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in plants, algae, and cyanobacteria that absorbs light energy (specifically blue and red wavelengths) to carry out photosynthesis.

Chloroplast

: Chloroplasts are organelles found in plant cells and eukaryotic algae that conduct photosynthesis, where the photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll captures the energy from sunlight, converts it, and stores it in the energy-storage molecules ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and NADPH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate) while freeing oxygen from water.

Cristae

: Cristae are internal compartments formed by the inner membrane folding over itself within mitochondria. They provide an increased surface area for chemical reactions that produce ATP.

Electron Transport Chain

: The electron transport chain is a series of protein complexes and electron carrier molecules within the inner mitochondrial membrane that harvest energy from electrons to create ATP.

Endoplasmic Reticulum

: The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an organelle within cells that serves as a production and packaging system. It's involved in protein synthesis, lipid metabolism, and detoxification processes.

Golgi Apparatus

: The Golgi apparatus is an organelle in eukaryotic cells that modifies, sorts, and packages proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum for storage within the cell or transport out of the cell.

Grana

: Grana are stacks of thylakoids (disc-shaped structures) within the chloroplasts where light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis occur.

Hydrolytic Enzymes

: Hydrolytic enzymes are proteins that speed up biochemical reactions in which a molecule is broken down into smaller units by the addition of water molecules.

Krebs Cycle

: The Krebs Cycle, also known as the citric acid cycle, is a series of chemical reactions used by all aerobic organisms to generate energy through the oxidation of acetyl-CoA derived from carbohydrates, fats and proteins into ATP.

Lysosome

: Lysosomes are organelles filled with enzymes that break down waste materials and cellular debris inside cells.

Matrix

: The matrix is the inner compartment of a mitochondrion, where many metabolic reactions, including those of the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, occur.

Mitochondria

: Mitochondria are organelles within eukaryotic cells that produce most of the cell’s supply of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), used as a source of chemical energy.

Photosystems

: Photosystems are functional and structural units of protein complexes involved in photosynthesis that together carry out the primary photochemistry of photosynthesis. They capture photons from sunlight and convert it into chemical energy.

Plasma Membrane

: The plasma membrane is a thin layer that separates the inside of cells from their environment. It controls what enters or leaves the cell.

Protein Synthesis

: Protein synthesis is the process by which cells build proteins. This involves two main stages - transcription (where DNA is converted into RNA) and translation (where RNA is used to produce proteins).

Ribosomes

: Ribosomes are tiny structures within cells where proteins are made (protein synthesis).

Stroma

: The stroma is the fluid-filled space surrounding the grana (stacks of thylakoids) within the chloroplast where the "dark" reactions of photosynthesis (Calvin cycle) occur.

Thylakoid Membranes

: These are internal membranes of a chloroplast where light-dependent reactions occur during photosynthesis. They contain pigments such as chlorophyll which absorb light energy.

2.2 Cell Structure and Function

3 min readdecember 27, 2022

Tejas Bhartiya

Tejas Bhartiya

Haseung Jun

Haseung Jun

Tejas Bhartiya

Tejas Bhartiya

Haseung Jun

Haseung Jun

Cell Structure & Function

As with most biological processes, the structure of all of the organelles listed above contribute to the function of that organelle. A few examples are below:

Mitochondria

The inner foldings of the membrane, referred to as , are essential to the increased surface area of the inner membrane. This increased surface area allows for much more space for the (ETC), an essential part of cellular respiration. The , used as the site of the , is right next door and can therefore transfer its products easily to the ETC. With the ETC, happens. As you might already know, the is the powerhouse of the cell, meaning the synthesis of ATP is crucial to cell survival, hence increased surface area would prove to be beneficial to the cell.

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-WdttbsJerJPv.jpg?alt=media&token=bec795e9-8c42-4a0c-a2ae-1e389a137d24

Image Courtesy of Molecular Expressions

Chloroplast

Like the , the stacked thylakoid membranes of the allow for an increase in surface area necessary for the ETC of the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis. These membranes are also lined with and , increasing the amount of energy that the plant can get from light. These thylakoids are stacked in stacks called . The (photosynthesis) happens within these structures. Inside the inner membrane and outside the thylakoid is the fluid called . The proximity of the to the thylakoids allows for the sharing of products between the (which happens in the ) and the light-dependent reactions (more on all of this in Unit 3!). As seen below, the structure of the lends to its function.

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F-HgMOzs6ZhtGs.jpeg?alt=media&token=691bb5b5-8c80-4871-9b74-dd75d93b3b2a

Image Courtesy of BioNinja

Plasma Membrane

The , discussed more below, is specifically designed to be semi-permeable. This means that some molecules are able to travel through without any problem, while others need specific proteins in order to help them across. The allows for the creation of a concentration gradient, an essential part of many biological processes.

Lysosome

The that contains the is incredibly important. If the inside of the were to burst, all of the cell's organelles may burst as well, and the cell would die. In order to prevent this, the membrane is specially designed to keep these enzymes in. The will bind with other vesicles that contain contents necessary for digestion when needed.

Endoplasmic Reticulum

You will learn more about the process of later, but the is the "powerhouse" of protein making! On the membrane are , which make the proteins with RNA. It then packages these proteins and ships them to the Golgi, which can be thought of as the USPS of the cell.

🎥 Watch: AP Biology - Cell Structure & Function


-----

Key Terms to Review (20)

ATP Synthesis

: ATP synthesis is the process by which cells produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate), a molecule that provides energy for many different cellular functions.

Calvin Cycle

: The Calvin Cycle is a set of chemical reactions that take place in chloroplasts during photosynthesis. It uses the energy from light to convert carbon dioxide into glucose.

Chlorophyll

: Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in plants, algae, and cyanobacteria that absorbs light energy (specifically blue and red wavelengths) to carry out photosynthesis.

Chloroplast

: Chloroplasts are organelles found in plant cells and eukaryotic algae that conduct photosynthesis, where the photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll captures the energy from sunlight, converts it, and stores it in the energy-storage molecules ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and NADPH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate) while freeing oxygen from water.

Cristae

: Cristae are internal compartments formed by the inner membrane folding over itself within mitochondria. They provide an increased surface area for chemical reactions that produce ATP.

Electron Transport Chain

: The electron transport chain is a series of protein complexes and electron carrier molecules within the inner mitochondrial membrane that harvest energy from electrons to create ATP.

Endoplasmic Reticulum

: The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an organelle within cells that serves as a production and packaging system. It's involved in protein synthesis, lipid metabolism, and detoxification processes.

Golgi Apparatus

: The Golgi apparatus is an organelle in eukaryotic cells that modifies, sorts, and packages proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum for storage within the cell or transport out of the cell.

Grana

: Grana are stacks of thylakoids (disc-shaped structures) within the chloroplasts where light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis occur.

Hydrolytic Enzymes

: Hydrolytic enzymes are proteins that speed up biochemical reactions in which a molecule is broken down into smaller units by the addition of water molecules.

Krebs Cycle

: The Krebs Cycle, also known as the citric acid cycle, is a series of chemical reactions used by all aerobic organisms to generate energy through the oxidation of acetyl-CoA derived from carbohydrates, fats and proteins into ATP.

Lysosome

: Lysosomes are organelles filled with enzymes that break down waste materials and cellular debris inside cells.

Matrix

: The matrix is the inner compartment of a mitochondrion, where many metabolic reactions, including those of the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, occur.

Mitochondria

: Mitochondria are organelles within eukaryotic cells that produce most of the cell’s supply of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), used as a source of chemical energy.

Photosystems

: Photosystems are functional and structural units of protein complexes involved in photosynthesis that together carry out the primary photochemistry of photosynthesis. They capture photons from sunlight and convert it into chemical energy.

Plasma Membrane

: The plasma membrane is a thin layer that separates the inside of cells from their environment. It controls what enters or leaves the cell.

Protein Synthesis

: Protein synthesis is the process by which cells build proteins. This involves two main stages - transcription (where DNA is converted into RNA) and translation (where RNA is used to produce proteins).

Ribosomes

: Ribosomes are tiny structures within cells where proteins are made (protein synthesis).

Stroma

: The stroma is the fluid-filled space surrounding the grana (stacks of thylakoids) within the chloroplast where the "dark" reactions of photosynthesis (Calvin cycle) occur.

Thylakoid Membranes

: These are internal membranes of a chloroplast where light-dependent reactions occur during photosynthesis. They contain pigments such as chlorophyll which absorb light energy.


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© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.