Multicellular organisms are composed of many specialized cells that work together for efficient function, characterized by distinct tissues, organs, and eukaryotic cell structures. They possess advantages such as increased intelligence and longer lifespans, but they also require more energy and are susceptible to infections. Cell specialization is essential for their development, with various cell types adapted to specific functions.

1. MULTICELLULAR
ORGANISMS
MEGH PRAVIN VITHALKAR
M.PHARM SEM-1
GOA COLLEGE OF
PHARMACY

3. CHARACTERISTICS EUKARYOTIC CELLS PROKARYOTIC CELLS
Nucleus Present Absent
Number of
chromosomes
More than one One--but not true chromosome: Plasmids
Cell Type Usually multicellular Usually unicellular (some cyanobacteria may be
multicellular)
True Membrane
bound Nucleus
Present Absent
Example Animals and Plants Bacteria and Archaea
Genetic
Recombination
Meiosis and fusion of gametes Partial, unidirectional transfers DNA
Lysosomes and
peroxisomes
Present Absent
Microtubules Present Absent or rare
Endoplasmic
reticulum
Present Absent
Mitochondria Present Absent
Cytoskeleton Present May be absent
Ribosomes larger smaller
Golgi apparatus Present Absent
Chloroplasts Present (in plants) Absent; chlorophyll scattered in the cytoplasm
Permeability of Selective not present

4. WHAT ARE MULTICELLULAR ORGANISMS?
• A MULTICELLULAR ORGANISM IS AN ORGANISM COMPOSED OF
MANY CELLS. THE TERM “MULTI” IS TECHNICALLY USED TO REFER TO
SOMETHING THAT IS MORE THAN ONE, HENCE “MULTICELLULAR” MEANS
MORE THAN ONE CELL.
• THE MULTICELLULAR ORGANISMS ARE DEVELOPED BY CELLULAR
SPECIALIZATION AND DIVISION OF LABOUR.
• CELLS BECOME EFFICIENT IN A SINGLE PROCESS AND BECOME
DEPENDENT ON OTHER CELLS TO CARRY OUT VARIOUS PROCESSES. ALL
THE CELLS WORK IN COORDINATION FOR THE PROPER FUNCTIONING OF

5. CHARACTERISTICS OF MULTICELLULAR
ORGANISMS
• FOLLOWING ARE THE IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF
MULTICELLULAR ORGANISMS:
1.MULTICELLULAR ORGANISMS ARE MADE OF MORE THAN ONE CELL AND
ARE COMPLEX ORGANISMS.
2.THEY ARE USUALLY VISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE.
3.THEY POSSESS DISTINCT TISSUES, ORGANS AND ORGAN SYSTEMS.

6. 4. THEY ARE EUKARYOTES, I.E., THEY CONTAIN MEMBRANE-BOUND
STRUCTURES.
5. THEIR CELLS EXHIBIT DIVISION OF LABOUR.
6. THEIR SIZE INCREASES WITH THE NUMBER OF CELLS IN AN
ORGANISM.
7. THEY USUALLY REPRODUCE BY MEIOSIS AND GROW BY MITOSIS.

7. PLANT KINGDOM ANIMAL KINGDOM

8. IN HUMAN BEINGS…
• CELLS DIFFERENTIATE EARLY IN DEVELOPMENT TO BECOME NERVE CELLS, SKIN CELLS,
MUSCLE CELLS, BLOOD CELLS, AND OTHER TYPES OF CELLS.
• ONE CAN EASILY OBSERVE THE DIFFERENCES IN THESE CELLS UNDER A MICROSCOPE.
THEIR STRUCTURE IS RELATED TO THEIR FUNCTION, MEANING EACH TYPE OF CELL
TAKES ON A PARTICULAR FORM IN ORDER TO BEST SERVE ITS PURPOSE.
• NERVE CELLS HAVE APPENDAGES CALLED DENDRITES AND AXONS THAT CONNECT WITH
OTHER NERVE CELLS TO MOVE MUSCLES, SEND SIGNALS TO GLANDS, OR REGISTER
SENSORY STIMULI.
• OUTER SKIN CELLS FORM FLATTENED STACKS THAT PROTECT THE BODY FROM THE
ENVIRONMENT.
• MUSCLE CELLS ARE SLENDER FIBRES THAT BUNDLE TOGETHER FOR MUSCLE
CONTRACTION.

9. • THE CELLS OF MULTICELLULAR ORGANISMS MAY ALSO LOOK DIFFERENT
ACCORDING TO THE ORGANELLES NEEDED INSIDE OF THE CELL.
• FOR EXAMPLE, MUSCLE CELLS HAVE MORE MITOCHONDRIA THAN MOST
OTHER CELLS SO THAT THEY CAN READILY PRODUCE ENERGY FOR
MOVEMENT.
• CELLS OF THE PANCREAS NEED TO PRODUCE MANY PROTEINS AND HAVE
MORE RIBOSOMES AND ROUGH ENDOPLASMIC RETICULA TO MEET THIS
DEMAND.
• ALTHOUGH ALL CELLS HAVE ORGANELLES IN COMMON, THE NUMBER AND
TYPES OF ORGANELLES PRESENT REVEAL HOW THE CELL FUNCTIONS.

11. PROS AND CONS OF BEING MULTICELLULAR
PROS CONS
1.Intelligence and Evolution.
2.Bigger Is Better.
3.Less Stress Equals A
Longer Lifespan.
4.Cells Can Take Care Of
Each Other.
1.More Energy Is Needed For
Normal Functioning.
2.Infection Becomes A
Possibility When
Multicellular.
3.Takes Longer To Reach
Maturity And To Breed.
4.If One Cell Group Fails,
They Can All Fail.
REFER: HTTPS://GREENGARAGEBLOG.ORG/8-PROS-AND-CONS-OF-MULTICELLULAR-
ORGANISMS

12. REFERENCES
• HTTPS://BYJUS.COM/BIOLOGY/MULTICELLULAR-
ORGANISMS/#:~:TEXT=CHARACTERISTICS%20OF%20MULTICELLULAR%20ORGANISMS&TEXT=THEY%20ARE%20VISIBLE%
20TO%20THE,CELLS%20EXHIBIT%20DIVISION%20OF%20LABOUR
• HTTPS://WWW.GOOGLE.COM/URL?SA=I&URL=HTTPS%3A%2F%2FEN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG%2FWIKI%2FEVOLUTIONARY_HISTOR
Y_OF_PLANTS&PSIG=AOVVAW13771LNANLL3PHGL9RSHHW&UST=1603364530484000&SOURCE=IMAGES&CD=VFE&VE
D=0CAIQJRXQFWOTCOIYQMHEXEWCFQAAAAADAAAAABAM
• HTTPS://STUDY.COM/CIMAGES/MULTIMAGES/16/ANIMAL_PHYLA.JPG
• HTTPS://WWW.GOOGLE.COM/SEARCH?Q=CLASSIFICATION+OF+CELL&CLIENT=MS-ANDROID-ASUS-
TPIN&PRMD=IVN&SXSRF=ALEKK03PB6B92T5KVZB1AYE6GPKIOLRUIA:1603275852417&SOURCE=LNMS&TBM=ISCH&SA
=X&VED=2AHUKEWIOZQP9U8XSAHW3YZGGHEWQDN8Q_AUOAXOECAWQAG&BIW=424&BIH=720#IMGRC=VWGOCPTM
NEYCSM
• HTTPS://WWW.GOOGLE.COM/SEARCH?Q=CELL+SYSTEM+TO+TISSUE+SYSTEM+CHART&CLIENT=MS-ANDROID-ASUS-
TPIN&PRMD=IVSN&SXSRF=ALEKK00GLNAVE2WHH_TJ5YJZ-
89LSN0WCW:1603274143795&SOURCE=LNMS&TBM=ISCH&SA=X&VED=2AHUKEWJO6CXOTCXSAHXLXJGGHV5NCR8Q_
AUOAXOECAMQAG&BIW=424&BIH=720#IMGRC=RBA0GDXFOQOWWM
• HTTPS://WWW.DIFFEN.COM/DIFFERENCE/EUKARYOTIC_CELL_VS_PROKARYOTIC_CELL
• HTTPS://WWW.NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.ORG/ENCYCLOPEDIA/UNICELLULAR-VS-MULTICELLULAR/

13. THANK YOU