Cells are the basic, fundamental unit of life. The smallest independent component in any living organism which we can find by breaking a part of it is called a cell. Everyone is made up of billions of cells which are basic structural units of the body bones muscles and nerves skin blood and all other body tissues are formed from different types of cells. Each cell along with other types of cells perform various specific tasks to carry the cycle of life. Most body cells have a symmelia basic structure that itself has an outer layer called the cell membrane and contains a fluid material cytoplasm. Within the cytoplasm are many specialized structures called organelles; the most important organelle is the nucleus which contains vital genetic material and acts as a self control center.
All organisms are made up of cells. Some are single cellular like Amoeba and some are multicellular like human beings. Mycoplasmas are the smallest known cells. Cells are the formation blocks of all living beings. They give structure to the body and convert the nutrients of food into energy.
Cell Definition
“ A smallest, unit of life that is responsible for all of living processes is termed as cell”
Human body is made up of around 75 trillion microscopic features called cells. Every part of your body is constructed from these tiny building blocks ,from your eyelashes to your toenails. Individual cells are too small to see with naked eye. The average cell is less than half as much as a human hair.
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What is Inside a Cell?
A cell is the structural and basic unit of life. Despite their tiny size, cells are immensely complicated inside. Each one is like a factory, packed with machines that carry particular Jobs. The machines inside a cell are called organelles which means tiny organs. The most important part of these is the nucleus which controls the rest of organelles by sending out chemical instructions. Other organelles release energy, manufacture chemicals and transport substances through cells.
Parts of Body Cells
The outer part of the cell is called a membrane. It consists of two layers of special molecules that together form in oily film around the cell’s water containing preventing substances from leaking in or out. Large protein molecules are embedded in the membrane. These act as Gates allowing only certain molecules to enter or leave the cell. The other parts present in the cell are Nucleus , Golgi apparatus, secretory vesicle ,endoplasmic reticulum, cytoplasm , mitochondria, ribosomes etc.
Each and every organelle has a specific structure. The hereditary material of the organisms which we basically inherit from our parents are also present in the cells.
Types of Cells
Cells are similar to factories with different laborers and departments that work towards a common objective. Various types of cells perform different functions. There are two types of cells based on their structure.
What is Energy?
All the biotic components including plants, animals, birds, human beings, and insects need the energy to sustain proper maintenance and functioning of the body. The green plants use sunlight to obtain energy while animals feed upon the plants to get energy. Some animals feed on other animals. Energy is the fuel for the body. Human beings obtain energy from what they eat. In this article, we will learn about how energy is produced and stored in the body.
What is known as the Energy Currency of the Cell?
The energy currency of the cell is known as ATP or Adenosine Triphosphate. ATP is an organic compound which consists of various phosphate groups, adenine and ribose sugar. These molecules are responsible for generating energy for the various biochemical processes in the body. ATP molecules are present in all cells of living organisms. They obtain the chemical energy from digested food and release the energy to run various chemical processes in the body. The ATP molecules are synthesized inside the mitochondria which are commonly called the powerhouse of the cell.The German chemist Karl Lohmann was the first one to discover the ATP molecule. In the year 1948, Scottish Biochemist Alexander Todd synthesized the first ATP molecule biochemically.
ATP Molecule
ATP – Adenosine triphosphate is a nucleotide, which is mainly composed of the molecule adenosine and three phosphate groups. It is soluble in water and has a high energy content, which is primarily due to the presence of two phospho-anhydride bonds connected to the three phosphate groups.
The actual power source of the ATP is the triphosphate tail which is tapped by the cell. The energy available is contained in between phosphates and it is released as molecules split. This is facilitated by hydrolysis. In this process, the ATP gets converted to ADP which is adenosine diphosphate, a nucleotide with just two phosphate groups.
ATP Energy
In the ATP molecule, the three phosphate groups present form a very high energy bond which leads to the liberation of huge amounts of energy on splitting. Life cannot exist without the energy that is obtained from the ATP. It is used by various enzymes and structural proteins in cellular processes like biosynthetic reactions, cell divisions, etc. This “energy currency of the cell” is produced during cellular respiration where a digested simple molecule of food is utilized. Once after the energy is produced by the ATP molecules, they are stored in its bonds which are later utilized by the cells by breaking the bonds whenever required
Structure of ATP Molecule
Adenosine triphosphate molecule is a nucleotide with adenine and three phosphate groups present in it. It is soluble in water and has a high energy content. This is because of the two phospho-anhydride bonds which are linked to the three phosphate groups.
ATP Biology
ATP molecules are principally composed of three important constituents.
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The pentose sugar molecule i.e. ribose sugar.
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Nitrogen base- Adenine, linked to the first carbon of this sugar molecule.
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The three phosphate groups are attached in a chain to the 5th carbon of the pentose sugar. The phosphoryl groups, starting with the group closest to the ribose sugar, are referred to as the alpha, beta, and gamma phosphates. These phosphates play an imperative role in the activity of ATP.
Functions of ATP
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ATP is used to carry out various cellular functions in the body, for example, transportation of different molecules across the cells.
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ATP also aids in supplying energy for efficient transport of blood and other nutrients.
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ATP helps in muscle contraction. ATP aids in locomotion and other movements of the body.
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ATP helps in synthesizing many types of macromolecules required by the cell for survival.
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ATP molecules are used to regulate chemical reactions and neuron transmissions.