Structure of cells essays

Structure of cells essays The cell theory forms a basis way for the way that biologists may now study living things. The cell theory states that all living things are made up of cells, cells are the smallest units of all living things, and all cells come from preexisting cells through cell division. The cell theory is an extremely popular method for biologists to observe organisms with. The cell theory applies to every single organism in the world. Whether an organism is made up of one cell or millions of cells, it is still made up of cells. Based on their cellular structures, all living cells can be divided into two groups: eukaryotic and prokaryotic. Eukaryotic cells are generally much larger and more complex than prokaryotic. Because of their larger size, they require a variety of specialized membrane organelles. These organelles are used to carry out metabolism, provide energy, and transport chemicals throughout the cell. Eukaryotic cells possess an internal membrane system that compartmentalizes the cell for various cellular functions. Prokaryotic cells differ significantly from eukaryotic cells. They lack a membrane- bound nucleus and instead of having chromosomal DNA, their genetic information is in a circular loop called plasmid. These cells have few internal structures that are distinguishable under a microscope. They are very small and they feature three main shapes: rod shaped, spherical, and spiral. Instead of going through an elaborate replication process like eukaryotes, bacterial cells divide by binary fission. There are also similiarities between the two types of cells. They both have DNA as their genetic material. Both are membrane bound and both have ribosomes. They have similar basic metabolism and they are both amazingly diverse in forms. ...