Chp 4 Objectives

Why This Chapter Matters

1. Cells are the smallest entity that exhibits all the characteristics of life.

2. Cells are as fundamental to biology as atoms are to chemistry.

3. An understanding of cell structure and function is essential to understanding most
human disease.

Chapter Objectives

Biology and Society: Antibiotics: Drugs that Target Bacterial Cells

1. Explain how antibiotics specifically target bacteria while minimally harming the
human host.

The Microscopic World of Cells

2. Compare the following pairs of terms, noting the most significant differences: light microscopes versus electron microscopes, scanning electron microscopes versus transmission electron microscopes, magnification versus resolution, prokaryotic cells versus eukaryotic cells, plant cells versus animal cells.

Membrane Structure

3. Describe the structure of the plasma membrane and other membranes of the cell. Explain why this structure is called a fluid mosaic.

4. Explain how MRSA bacteria disable human immune cells.

5. Compare the structures and functions of a plant cell wall and the extracellular matrix of an animal cell.

The Nucleus and Ribosomes: Genetic Control of the Cell

6. Explain how the genetic information in the nucleus is used to direct the production of proteins in the cytoplasm.

The Endomembrane System: Manufacturing and Distributing Cellular Products

7. Compare the structures and functions of the following components of the endomembrane system: rough endoplasmic reticulum, smooth endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, and vacuoles.

Chloroplasts and Mitochondria: Energy Conversion

8. Compare the structure and function of chloroplasts and mitochondria. Describe the adaptive advantages of extensive folds in the grana of chloroplasts and the inner membrane of mitochondria.

The Cytoskeleton: Cell Shape and Movement

9. Describe the functions of the cytoskeleton. Compare the structures and functions of cilia and flagella.

Evolution Connection: The Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance

10. Explain how and why antibiotic-resistant bacteria have evolved.