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Light micrograph of a moss's leaf cells at 400X magnification. The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to cell biology: . Cell biology – A branch of biology that includes study of cells regarding their physiological properties, structure, and function; the organelles they contain; interactions with their environment; and their life cycle, division, and death.
The proportion of cell volume that is cytosol varies: for example while this compartment forms the bulk of cell structure in bacteria, [9] in plant cells the main compartment is the large central vacuole. [10] The cytosol consists mostly of water, dissolved ions, small molecules, and large water-soluble molecules (such as proteins).
Organelles (literally "little organs") are usually membrane-bound structures inside the cell that have specific functions. Some major organelles that are suspended in the cytosol are the mitochondria , the endoplasmic reticulum , the Golgi apparatus , vacuoles , lysosomes , and in plant cells, chloroplasts .
Eukaryotic cells contain organelles including mitochondria, which provide energy for cell functions; chloroplasts, which create sugars by photosynthesis, in plants; and ribosomes, which synthesise proteins. Cells were discovered by Robert Hooke in 1665, who named them after their resemblance to cells inhabited by Christian monks in a monastery.
The membranes are slightly different from cell to cell and a cell's function determines the size and structure of the ER. [18] Mitochondria: Commonly known as the powerhouse of the cell is a double membrane bound cell organelle. [19] This functions for the production of energy or ATP within the cell.
In cell biology, an organelle is a specialized subunit, usually within a cell, that has a specific function. The name organelle comes from the idea that these structures are parts of cells, as organs are to the body , hence organelle, the suffix -elle being a diminutive .
The intracellular fluid (ICF) is all fluids contained inside the cells, which consists of cytosol and fluid in the cell nucleus. [3] The cytosol is the matrix in which cellular organelles are suspended. The cytosol and organelles together compose the cytoplasm. The cell membranes are the outer barrier.
There are numerous types of organelles with a wide variety of functions, including the various compartments of the endomembrane system (e.g. the nuclear envelope, endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi apparatus), mitochondria, chloroplasts, lysosomes, endosomes, and vacuoles, among others. Many organelles are unique to particular cell types or species.