What is Protoplasm?-Composition and Types

The nucleus and cytoplasm of a cell are protoplasms. The term was first used in 1835 to mean the ground substance of living material and responsible for all living processes. The protoplasm concept implied that cells were either fragments or containers of the pathogen.

The concept was not able to account for the origin of structures within the nucleus. The term is still used to mean the nucleus and the cytoplasm. The term Protoplasmic streaming is used to describe the movement of the cytoplasm, but the word protoplasm is not very popular in modern biology.

Protoplasm is one of the most important substances found in the cell and it is also called living matter. It is present in almost all living organisms, like plants, fungi, bacteria, and animals.

A cell contains all kinds of substances including proteins, DNA, RNA, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids, etc. In a single cell, there is no space available for all of these substances.

So, these substances have to be separated from each other. This separation is done by protoplasm, which is one of the vital components of the cell. This substance is also the reason why we call a cell a ‘living organism’.

Protoplasm is a water-based substance. It is one of the simplest forms of matter and it doesn’t contain any atoms. There are three types of protoplasm present in a cell, cytoplasm, endoplasm, and nucleoplasm.

What is Cytoplasm?

The cytoplasm is the part of the cell where most of the cell’s structure is located. It is present in all living organisms. This is a very complex and important substance, which is responsible for carrying out most of the functions of a cell. It has a jelly-like structure and is made up of various materials like proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and minerals.

Protoplasm can be considered as the part of the cell that stores genetic information and is essential for cell reproduction. It is also called a protoplasmic substance, and is also known as ‘cell juice’ or ‘protoplasmic fluid’. It also contains the cytoplasmatic substance.

What is Endoplasm?

Endoplasm is the second type of protoplasm that can be found in the cell. It is the main part of the cell and is the most concentrated type of substance. It is the part of the cell that contains all the proteins, and ribosomes and is made up of various organic molecules.

The endoplasm is the area where the nucleus is located. The endoplasm also includes the nuclear membrane. Endoplasm has the most concentration of enzymes.

Nucleoplasm

Nucleoplasm is the third type of protoplasm that can be found in a cell. It is the largest part of the cell, and it is also the part of the cell that stores the chromosomes. Nucleoplasm is the part of the cell that includes the chromosomes.

Nucleoplasm is a part of a cell that is made up of proteins, sugars, and minerals. It also consists of nucleic acids. Nucleoplasm is also known as a nuclear substance.