Question: What structural and functional attributes must a cell have to be called a living cell?
Answer:
Following attributes must cell have to be called a living cell:-
- All cells must have an outer membrane called cell membrane.
- A dense membrane bound structure is present called Nucleus that contains DNA, the nuclear matrix or the nucleoplasm containing nucleolus and chromatin. As all the activities are controlled by nucleus thus it is also known as the brain of the Cell. This nucleus also contains chromosomes and genetic material cells that have membrane bound nuclei called Eukaryotic cell whereas cells without membrane bound nucleus are called prokaryotic cells.
- Cytoplasm is the main part of the cell. It is the liquid that controls the concentration of organic and inorganic compounds in a cell.
- Besides the Nucleus, eukaryotic cells have other membrane bound structures called organelles like Endoplasmic Reticulum, The Golgi complex, lysosomes, Mitochondria and vacuoles. Ribosomes are non- membrane bound organelle.
- Structure and working of a cell is controlled by DNA.
- Function of an organism as a whole are the sums of the activities and interaction of its constituent cell units.
- Each cell is capable of regulating its vital processes.
- Living objects are composed of cells and cell products, or are multinucleate mass of protoplasm, or are like a single free cell.
- Cell is also a unit of function, reproduction, hereditary and disease, besides being a unit of structure.
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