Cell Structure and Microscopy
This section covers the fundamental concepts of cell biology and microscopy techniques, essential for Edexcel GCSE Biology Paper 1.
Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic Cells
The chapter begins by explaining the subcellular structures of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells and their functions.
Definition: Eukaryotic cells are complex cells with a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, while prokaryotic cells are simpler cells without a nucleus or membrane-bound organelles.
Key points covered:
- Animal cell structures: nucleus, cell membrane, mitochondria, and ribosomes
- Plant cell structures: nucleus, cell membrane, cell wall, chloroplasts, mitochondria, vacuole, and ribosomes
- Bacterial cell structures: chromosomal DNA, plasmid DNA, cell membrane, ribosomes, and flagella
Highlight: Understanding the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells is crucial for GCSE Biology students.
Specialized Cells
The text describes how specialized cells are adapted to their functions:
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Sperm cells:
- Acrosome containing digestive enzymes
- Haploid nucleus
- Mitochondria for energy production
- Tail for motility
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Egg cells:
- Nutrient-rich cytoplasm
- Haploid nucleus
- Changes in cell membrane after fertilization
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Ciliated epithelial cells:
- Long hair-like processes called cilia
Example: Ciliated epithelial cells in the respiratory tract use their cilia to waft bacteria trapped in mucus towards the stomach, where stomach acid kills them.
Microscopy Techniques
The text explains how advancements in microscope technology have improved our understanding of cell structures:
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Light microscopes:
- Two lenses (eyepiece and objective)
- Maximum magnification of about 2000x
- Used for viewing tissues, cells, and large subcellular structures
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Electron microscopes:
- Developed in the 1930s
- Use electrons instead of light
- Two types: Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM)
- Magnification up to 2,000,000x
Vocabulary: Resolution - The ability to distinguish between two separate points in an image.
The text also covers calculations related to microscopy, including magnification and size estimation.
Example: To calculate the size of an object: Size of image / Magnification = Size of object
Core Practical: Using Microscopes
The chapter includes a step-by-step guide for observing plant and animal cells under microscope:
- Place specimen on stage
- Switch on microscope
- Use 4x objective lens
- Focus using coarse adjustment
- Switch to 10x objective lens
- Fine-tune focus
- Repeat with 40x objective lens
Enzyme Action
The final part of this section introduces enzyme action:
- Enzymes are proteins that act as biological catalysts
- They have a specific active site
- The shape of the enzyme is crucial to its function
Definition: An enzyme's active site is the region where substrates bind and undergo chemical reactions.
This comprehensive overview of cell biology and microscopy provides students with a solid foundation for their Edexcel GCSE Biology Paper 1 exam preparation.