CHRISTINA BOWERS PH.D
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topic 1.2:  ultrastructure of cells

Essential Ideas:
  • Advances in microscopy led to an increased understanding of the complex structures found inside of cells.
  • Cells can be organized into prokaryotes and eukaryotes based upon cellular features.  
  • Eukaryotes have a much more complicated cell structure than prokaryotes.
  • Cell complexity increases with the appearance of specialized cellular compartments (organelles).​
  • Structures found in cells support the functions of those cells.  For example, plant cells have chloroplasts that perform photosynthesis.

Microscopy
1.1U3:  Electron microscopes have much higher magnification than light microscopes.
1.1Skill3:  Interpretation of electron micrographs to identify organelles and deduce the function of specilialized cells.

Prokaryotic cells
1.2U1:  Prokaryotes have a simple cell structure without compartmentalization 

1.2A2:  Prokaryotes divide by binary fission.
1.2Skill1:  Drawing of the ultrastructure of prokaryotic cells based on electron micrographs, to include the following structures:  cell wall, pili and flagella, and plasma membrane enclosing cytoplasm, 70S ribosomes, and nucleoid with naked DNA.  

Eukaryotic cells
1.2U2: Eukaryotes have a compartmentalized cell structure.

1.2Skill2:  Drawing of the ultrastructure of eukaryotic cells based on electron micrographs, to include the following structures:  plasma membrane enclosing cytoplasm, 80S ribosomes, nucleus with nucleolus and nuclear pores,  rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, and for plant cells, cell wall, chloroplasts, central vacuole, and starch granules.
​

LIfe is wonderfully complicated.   Stay curious.  Be skeptical.    And above all, ask many questions!