![](/olcweb/styles/shared/spacer.gif) | ![](/sites/dl/free/0072320427/title/cover_image.JPG) Foundations in Microbiology, 4/e Kathleen Park Talaro,
Pasadena City College Arthur Talaro
Eukaryotic Cells and Microorganisms
Chapter Overview- Eucaryotic cells are large complex cells divided into separate compartments by membrane-bound components called organelles.
- Major organelles—the nucleus, mitochondria, chloroplasts, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, and locomotor appendages—each serve an essential function to the cell, such as heredity, production of energy, synthesis, transport, and movement.
- Eucaryotic cells are found in fungi, protozoa, algae, plants, and animals, and they exhibit single-celled, colonial, and multicellular body plans.
- Fungi and protists (algae and protozoa) are the major kingdoms that contain eucaryotic microorganisms.
- Fungi are eucaryotes that feed on organic substrates, have cell walls, reproduce asexually and sexually by spores, and exist in macroscopic or microscopic forms.
- Most fungi are free-living decomposers that are beneficial to biological communities; some may cause infections in animals and plants.
- Microscopic fungi include yeasts with spherical budding cells and molds with elongate filamentous hyphae in mycelia.
- Algae are aquatic photosynthetic protists with rigid cell walls and chloroplasts containing chlorophyll and other pigments.
- Algae belong to several groups based on their type of pigments, cell wall, stored food materials, and body plan.
- Protozoa are protists that feed by engulfing other cells, lack a cell wall, usually have some type of locomotor organelle, and may form dormant cysts.
- Subgroups of protozoa vary in organelle of motility (flagella, cilia, pseudopods, nonmotile).
- Most protozoa are free-living aquatic cells that feed on bacteria and algae, and a few are animal parasites.
- The parasitic helminths are flatworms and roundworms that infect humans and other animals.
- Their existence imposes reduction in the development of organ systems in favor of the organs of reproduction.
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