Jonah Patel
Protoplasm is the living material of a cell, enclosed within the cell membrane. It is a complex mixture of various chemical compounds, both organic and inorganic, and is responsible for maintaining an environment that allows the various organelles within it to perform their functions. While the term protoplasm is no longer widely used in modern biology, referring instead to its components as cytoplasm, nucleus, and organelles, it is still helpful to understand its composition. So, which four basic elements constitute 90% of protoplasm?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First Basic Element | Carbon |
| Second Basic Element | Hydrogen |
| Third Basic Element | Nitrogen |
| Fourth Basic Element | Oxygen |
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What You'll Learn
- Protoplasm is a complex mixture of organic and inorganic chemical compounds
- It is made up of biomolecules like nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates
- Water is a key component, making up 80-90% of protoplasm
- Protoplasm includes the cytoplasm, nucleus, and organelles of a cell
- It is the living part of a cell, responsible for maintaining an environment for organelles to function
Protoplasm is a complex mixture of organic and inorganic chemical compounds
Protoplasm is primarily composed of biomolecules like nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. It also contains inorganic salts and molecules of water. Inorganic ions such as sodium, potassium, and calcium are vital for various metabolic functions. Water constitutes about 80-90% of protoplasm, acting as a solvent. Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for all living beings, with plants and certain microbes having the ability to synthesise them through photosynthesis. Animals, non-green plants, fungi, bacteria, and viruses depend on green plants for their supply of carbohydrates.
Proteins form the structural framework of protoplasm and act as enzymes. They are polymers of amino acids, which occur freely in the protoplasm. Lipids, or fats, are key components of cell membranes and store energy. Nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, carry and express genetic information.
Protoplasm is physically translucent, granular, slimy, and semi-fluid or viscous. It exists in two interchangeable states: a more liquid-like sol state and a more solid-like gel state. The current consensus is to refer to the protoplasm outside the nucleus as the cytoplasm and the protoplasm inside the nucleus as nucleoplasm.
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It is made up of biomolecules like nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates
Protoplasm is made up of biomolecules, which are substances produced by cells and living organisms. There are four major types of biomolecules: carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins.
Carbohydrates are essential energy sources and structural components of life on Earth. They are made up of molecules containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. They are built from four types of sugar units: monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides. Monosaccharides can react to have their chain length increased or decreased, which can be important in elucidating the carbohydrate's structure. The eight essential monosaccharides are: L-fructose, D-galactose, D-glucose, D-mannose, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, D-xylose, and N-acetyl-D-neuraminic acid. Disaccharides are sugars composed of two monosaccharide units joined by a carbon-oxygen-carbon linkage. Carbohydrates are also used as recognition sites on cells.
Lipids are another key biomolecule of living organisms. They serve a variety of roles, including acting as a source of stored energy and as chemical messengers. They also form membranes that separate cells from their environments and compartmentalize the cell interior, giving rise to organelles.
Nucleic acids are large biomolecules that are crucial in all cells and viruses. They are composed of nucleotides, which are the monomer components: a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base. The two main classes of nucleic acids are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). DNA molecules are probably the largest individual molecules known. DNA and RNA store an organism's genetic code—the sequence of nucleotides that determines the amino acid sequence of proteins.
Proteins have a wide range of functions. They are major structural elements of cells, serving as transporters that move nutrients and other molecules in and out of cells. They also act as enzymes and catalysts for the majority of chemical reactions that take place in living organisms. Proteins also form antibodies and hormones and influence gene activity. However, the protein structure may change, losing its shape in a process known as denaturation, which can be caused by changes in temperature, pH, or exposure to chemicals.
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Water is a key component, making up 80-90% of protoplasm
Protoplasm is the living material of a cell. It is a complex mixture of various chemical compounds, both organic and inorganic. It is surrounded by a cell membrane in animal cells and a cell wall in plant cells. The term "protoplasm" was first used in 1839 by J. E. Purkinje to describe the substance in animal embryos. Hugo von Mohl redefined the term in 1846 to refer to the substance within plant cells.
Water is a key component of protoplasm, making up about 80-90% of its composition. This high water content serves several critical functions within the cell. Firstly, it acts as a solvent, dissolving other substances such as biomolecules like carbohydrates, proteins, and enzymes, which are essential for the cell's functioning. The protoplasm's colloidal nature allows it to exist in both a gel-like (plasmagel) and a more fluid (plasmasol) state, facilitating cell movement and changes in shape. Water also acts as a medium for the intracellular transport of materials, ensuring the delivery of nutrients and other essential molecules throughout the cell.
The water content in protoplasm is vital for various metabolic reactions to occur. It provides the necessary environment for biochemical reactions to take place, enabling the cell to carry out essential life-sustaining processes. These processes include metabolism, growth, reproduction, and response to stimuli. The high water content in protoplasm also contributes to the cell's ability to withstand mechanical stress. Its elasticity and contractility allow the cell to maintain its structural integrity even under external pressures.
The composition of protoplasm also includes proteins, which form the structural framework and act as enzymes. Carbohydrates serve as the primary source of energy for the cell, while lipids (fats) are key components of cell membranes and store energy. Nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, carry and express genetic information. Additionally, inorganic ions like sodium, potassium, and calcium are vital for metabolic functions.
While the term "protoplasm" is not as commonly used today, it holds historical significance in cell biology. The concept of protoplasm as the fundamental substance of life contributed to our understanding of the cell as the basic unit of life. The study of protoplasm and its properties has enhanced our knowledge of cell structure and function, leading to more advanced fields like electron microscopy and the discovery of complex cellular components.
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Protoplasm includes the cytoplasm, nucleus, and organelles of a cell
Protoplasm is a living substance found within cells. It is a mixture of small molecules such as ions, monosaccharides, amino acids, and macromolecules such as proteins, polysaccharides, and lipids. The term "protoplasm" was first used in 1839 by Czech physiologist Jan Evangelista Purkinje to describe the material of the animal embryo. In 1846, Hugo von Mohl redefined the term to refer to the "tough, slimy, granular, semi-fluid" substance within plant cells.
Today, the term protoplasm generally includes the cytoplasm, nucleus, and organelles of a cell. The portion of protoplasm surrounding the cell nucleus is known as the cytoplasm, and the portion inside the nucleus is called the nucleoplasm. The cytoplasm is a semi-fluid substance external to the nuclear membrane and internal to the cellular membrane. It is sometimes described as the nonnuclear content of protoplasm. The nucleoplasm, on the other hand, is the portion of protoplasm inside the nucleus.
The word protoplasm is derived from the Greek "protos" meaning first, and "plasma" meaning a thing formed. It reflects the idea that protoplasm is the "physical basis of life". Max Schultze proposed the "Protoplasm Doctrine" in 1861, stating that all living cells are made of a living substance called protoplasm. Thomas Huxley later supported this idea, considering that the property of life resulted from the distribution of protoplasm.
Protoplasm is physically translucent, granular, slimy, and semi-fluid or viscous. It may exist in two interchangeable states: a more liquid-like sol state and a more solid-like gel state. The constituent molecules are free to move in the sol state, while in the gel state, they are compactly arranged. Protoplasm becomes opaque and coagulates when heated. It is found everywhere in the cell and serves as the substance in which all reactions of living cells are carried out.
The composition of protoplasm is inconsistent and continuously changing. It includes about 30 elements such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulphur, and calcium. These elements form compounds such as water (65-80%), carbohydrates, ions, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), fatty acids, glycerol, nucleotides, nucleosides, and minerals. The cells respond to various stimuli like temperature, light, chemicals, and electric shocks due to the properties of protoplasm.
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It is the living part of a cell, responsible for maintaining an environment for organelles to function
Protoplasm is the living part of a cell. It is a complex mixture of various chemical compounds, both organic and inorganic. The term was first used in the mid-19th century to refer to the jelly-like material that is the main substance of a cell. The word comes from the Greek "protos" for first, and "plasma" for a thing formed.
Protoplasm is responsible for maintaining an environment for organelles to function. It is composed of biomolecules like nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. It also holds inorganic salts and molecules of water. In some definitions, it is a general term for the cytoplasm, but for others, it also includes the nucleoplasm. The cytoplasm is the jelly-like substance external to the nuclear membrane and internal to the cellular membrane. It is sometimes described as the non-nuclear content of protoplasm. The nucleoplasm, on the other hand, is the essential nucleus protoplasm, which performs all the essential lifelong procedures, including transforming food into living matter and producing new cells.
The composition of protoplasm is inconsistent and continuously changes. It is physically translucent, granular, slimy, semi-fluid, or viscous. In it, granules of different shapes and sizes are suspended in solution. It may exist in two interchangeable states: a more liquid-like sol state and a more solid-like gel state. The constituent molecules are free to move in the sol state, while in the gel state, they are compactly arranged.
Protoplasm is essential to all living processes. It is the specific site where all vital life-sustaining processes occur. Essential functions like metabolism, growth, reproduction, and irritability (response to stimuli) take place within it.
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Frequently asked questions
90% of protoplasm is made up of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen.
Protoplasm is the living material of a cell. It is primarily composed of biomolecules like nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. It also holds inorganic salts and molecules of water.
Protoplasm is the site where all vital life-sustaining processes occur, including metabolism (e.g., respiration), growth, reproduction, and response to stimuli.
