EUKARYOTIC
CELLS
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| Figure 1.6 Structures of animal and plant cells Both animal and plant cells are surrounded by a plasma membrane and contain a nucleus, a cytoskeleton, and many cytoplasmic organelles in common. Plant cells are also surrounded by a cell wall and contain chloroplasts and large vacuoles. |
Like prokaryotic cells, all eukaryotic cells are surrounded by a plasma membrane and contain ribosomes. However, eukaryotic cells are much more complex and contain a nucleus and a variety of cytoplasmic organelles (Figure 1.6). The largest and most prominent organelle of eukaryotic cells is the nucleus, with a diameter of approximately 5 μm. The nucleus contains the genetic information of the cell, which in eukaryotes is organized as linear rather than circular DNA molecules. The nucleus is the site of DNA replication and of RNA synthesis; the translation of RNA into proteins takes place on ribosomes in the cytoplasm.
In addition to a nucleus, eukaryotic cells contain a variety of membraneenclosed organelles within their cytoplasm. These organelles provide compartments in which different metabolic activities are localized. Eukaryotic cells are generally much larger than prokaryotic cells, frequently having a cell volume at least a thousandfold greater. The compartmentalization provided by cytoplasmic organelles is what allows eukaryotic cells to function efficiently. Two of these organelles, mitochondria and chloroplasts, play critical roles in energy metabolism. Mitochondria, which are found in almost all eukaryotic cells, are the sites of oxidative metabolism and are thus responsible for generating most of the ATP derived from the breakdown of organic molecules. Chloroplasts are the sites of photosynthesis and are found only in the cells of plants and green algae. Lysosomes and peroxisomes also provide specialized metabolic compartments for the digestion of macromolecules and for various oxidative reactions, respectively. In addition, most plant cells contain large vacuoles that perform a variety of functions, including the digestion of macromolecules and the storage of both waste products and nutrients.
Because of the size and
complexity of eukaryotic cells, the transport of proteins to their correct
destinations within the cell is a formidable task. Two cytoplasmic organelles,
the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi apparatus, are
specifically devoted to the sorting and transport of proteins destined for
secretion, incorporation into the plasma membrane, and incorporation into
lysosomes and peroxisomes. The endoplasmic reticulum is an extensive network of
intracellular membranes, extending from the nuclear envelope throughout the
cytoplasm. It functions not only in the processing and transport of proteins
(the rough endoplasmic reticulum, which is covered by ribosomes), but
also in the synthesis of lipids (the smooth endoplasmic reticulum). From the
endoplasmic reticulum, proteins are transported within small membrane vesicles
to the Golgi apparatus, where they are further processed and sorted for
transport to their final destinations. In addition to this role in protein
transport, the Golgi apparatus serves as a site of lipid synthesis and (in
plant cells) as the site of synthesis of some of the polysaccharides that
compose the cell wall. The internal organization of eukaryotic cells is
maintained by the cytoskeleton, a network of protein filaments extending
throughout the cytoplasm. The cytoskeleton provides the structural framework of
the cell, determining cell shape and the general organization of the cytoplasm.
In addition, the cytoskeleton is responsible for the movements of entire cells
(e.g., the contraction of muscle cells) and for the intracellular transport and
positioning of organelles and other structures,
including the movements of chromosomes during cell division.
