What is the basic unit of life?
The cell is the basic unit of life.
What are all organisms composed of?
All organisms are composed of one or more cells.
Why is it important to understand normal cells?
Understanding normal cells helps explain what goes wrong in diseases like cancer.
What is the first step to understanding how normal cells work?
Discussing the structure and basic functions of cells.
What are the main molecular components of cells?
Water, inorganic ions, and carbon-containing (organic) molecules.
What percentage of total cell mass is made up of water?
Water accounts for about 70% or more of total cell mass.
What is the most abundant molecule in cells?
Water (H₂O).
What is the function of water in the cell?
Serves as a solvent, helps regulate temperature, and facilitates biochemical reactions.
What are examples of inorganic ions found in cells?
Sodium (Na⁺), potassium (K⁺), calcium (Ca²⁺), and chloride (Cl⁻).
What are the main functions of inorganic ions in the cell?
They maintain membrane potential, enable muscle contraction, and are involved in cell signaling.
What are examples of minerals in cells?
Magnesium (Mg²⁺), iron (Fe²⁺), and zinc (Zn²⁺).
What roles do minerals play in cells?
They serve as cofactors for enzymatic reactions and have structural roles (e.g., in bones).
What are the main classes of organic biomolecules in cells?
Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
Why are organic molecules unique to cells?
They make up the distinctive molecular composition of living cells.
How are proteins, nucleic acids, and most carbohydrates formed?
They are macromolecules formed by polymerization of smaller precursors.
What are the precursors for macromolecules?
Amino acids for proteins, nucleotides for nucleic acids, and simple sugars for polysaccharides.
What percentage of a cell’s dry weight is made up of macromolecules?
About 80–90% of the dry weight of most cells.
What are macromolecules?
Large molecules composed of many smaller subunits linked together.
Why are macromolecules important to cells?
They provide structure and carry out essential functions like catalysis, information storage, and energy storage.
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Untitled Deck84
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INTRODUCTION & MOLECULAR COMPOSITION20
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PART 2 — CELL ORGANELLES OVERVIEW, CELL MEMBRANE, CYTOPLASM, CYTOSKELETON30
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🧠 PART 3 — Nucleus, Nucleolus, and Chromosomes26
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⚙️ PART 4 — Ribosomes, Endoplasmic Reticulum (RER & SER), and Golgi Apparatus29
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⚡ PART 5 — Mitochondria, Lysosomes, and Peroxisomes32
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🧩 PART 6 — Biomolecular Condensates, Phase Separation, and Non-Membranous Organelles36
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Summary lec 254
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Lec 3121
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Lec 3 ext193
