THE CELLAs you might imagine the cell is a relatively recent discovery. This is due to the fact that you need special tools in order to see them. Robert Hooke (1635-1702) is given credit for coining the term "cell", as he tried to describe what he saw in a cross section of cork. Natural cork comes from a tree, therefore what Hooke was actually looking at was plant cells.

"Cella" is a latin word meaning "a small room". Hooke believed that the cells that he saw resembled the small simple rooms that the monks used to sleep in, and so named them cells.

CELL THEORY

According to the cell theory , proposed over 150 years ago:* All living things are composed of cells* All cells come from pre-existing cells* Cells are the smallest units of life

Most cells are very, very small, so tiny that they can only be seen with the aid of a microscope. Your body is composed of billions of cells! Within your body, cells have different functions. We have blood cells, skin cells, brain cells... and many more. Despite their differences, cells in living organisms for the most part have similar structures and functions.The human body has roughly 85 completely different types of cells.Cells occur in an infinite variety of sizes, shapes, colours. There is no such thing as a "typical cell" But if we did have one it would be 20um in diameter, and have a nucleus. It would also have a cell membrane that surrounds it from it's environment, and would contain many tiny structures that might be thought of as mini organisms called organelles.

There are two basic types of cells: Plant Cells and Animal CellsThere are many structures within the cell, these are known as organelles.Organelles: Membrane bounded structures that perform a series of specialized tasks.

Nucleus: Main repository of genetic information. Controls the activities of the cell. It is like the central command.

ORGANELLES

Ribosomes: Ribosomes make protein for the cell and cellular functions.

Vacuoles: Vacuoles are simple organelles consisting of a large membrane sac. It can enclose many different substances from food particles to waste products. The Vacuole is very important to plant cells.

Mitochondria: Mitochondria produce the energy the cell requires to carry out its processes. The mitochondria are the power houses of the cell.

Chloroplasts: Chloroplasts are the organelles that are responsible for carrying out photosynthesis. They are the power houses of plant cells.

Cell Wall: Plants produce tough rigid cell walls that surround their cell membrane. They are tough enough to withstand tremendous pressure.

Cell Membrane: The Cell membrane is one of the most important structures in the cell. It divided the cell into many compartments and separated the cell from the environment. (Skin).

Surrounds the cell

Surrounds the cell

Center of the Cell

Throughout Cell

Inside the Cell

Inside the Cell

Inside the Cell

Inside the Cell

Inside the Cell

Inside the Cell

Inside the Cell

Inside the Cell

Inside the Cell

Inside the Nucleus

Maintains StructureMaintains Pressure

Controls what moves in and out

Holds organelles in place

Carries out PhotosynthesisPower house of plant cells

Controls the activities and functions of the cell

Maintains structureof the cell

Transports and stores materials for the cell

Modification of proteins

Food digestion for the cell

Power house of animal cells

Makes proteins for the cellMaintains pressureStores materials (food and wastes)Holds genetic information

Aids in cell division

WEBSITES

www.cellsalive.com/cells/plntcell.htm

http://koning.ecsu.ctstateu.edu/cell/Cell.html

http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/P/PlantCell.html

http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/A/AnimalCells.html

http://www.cellsalive.com/cells/animcell.htm

http://www.rkm.com.au/CELL/animalcell.html