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All living things contain two types of large molecule, proteins and nucleic acids, the latter usually both DNA and RNA: these carry the information needed by each species, including the instructions to make each type of protein. The proteins, in turn, serve as the machinery which carries out the many chemical processes of life.
The mechanism, now ubiquitous in living cells, powers energy conversion in micro-organisms and in the mitochondria of eukaryotes, making it a likely candidate for early life. [ 172 ] [ 173 ] Mitochondria produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy currency of the cell used to drive cellular processes such as chemical syntheses.
Cell theory states that cells are the fundamental units of life, that all living things are composed of one or more cells, and that all cells arise from preexisting cells through cell division. [41] Most cells are very small, with diameters ranging from 1 to 100 micrometers and are therefore only visible under a light or electron microscope. [42]
Bioenergetics is a field in biochemistry and cell biology that concerns energy flow through living systems. [1] This is an active area of biological research that includes the study of the transformation of energy in living organisms and the study of thousands of different cellular processes such as cellular respiration and the many other metabolic and enzymatic processes that lead to ...
The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of all forms of life. Every cell consists of cytoplasm enclosed within a membrane; many cells contain organelles, each with a specific function. The term comes from the Latin word cellula meaning 'small room'. Most cells are only visible under a microscope.
The exact components of a cell are determined by whether the cell is a eukaryote or prokaryote. [7] Nucleus (eukaryotic only): storage of genetic material; control center of the cell. Cytosol: component of the cytoplasm consisting of jelly-like fluid in which organelles are suspended within; Cell membrane (plasma membrane):
The post-glycolytic reactions take place in the mitochondria in eukaryotic cells, and in the cytoplasm in prokaryotic cells. [ 6 ] Although plants are net consumers of carbon dioxide and producers of oxygen via photosynthesis , plant respiration accounts for about half of the CO 2 generated annually by terrestrial ecosystems .
The generally accepted parts of modern cell theory include: All known living things are made up of one or more cells [13] All living cells arise from pre-existing cells by division. The cell is the fundamental unit of structure and function in all living organisms. [14] The activity of an organism depends on the total activity of independent ...