Protoplasm is the living substance within cells, containing both the cytoplasm (the gel-like substance within the cell membrane) and the organelles (specialized structures with specific functions). Essentially, protoplasm is everything inside a cell except the cell wall.
Here's a breakdown of its key features:
- Composition: It's a complex mixture of organic and inorganic substances, including water, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids.
- Structure: Protoplasm is a viscous, transparent, and colorless substance.
- Function: It's responsible for all the life processes within a cell, including metabolism, growth, reproduction, and response to stimuli.
It's important to note that the term "protoplasm" is no longer widely used in modern biology. It has been replaced by more specific terms like "cytoplasm" and "organelles" to describe the different components of a cell.
The term "protoplasm" was popular in the 19th century as a way to describe the fundamental living substance of cells. However, as our understanding of cell biology advanced, scientists realized that protoplasm was too broad a term to encompass the diverse and complex nature of the cell.
