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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