CELL STRUCTURE Flashcards
Mitochondria - Basic Function
Site of cellular respiration
Nucleus - Basic Function
Controls cell activity. Contains the genetic material (DNA) of the cell
Ribosome - Basic Function
Site of production and translation in protein synthesis
Cytoplasm - Basic Function
Gives the cell shape. Site of many biochemical reactions.
Vacuole - Basic Function
Stores a variety of compounds.
Nucleolus - Basic Function
Produces ribosomal RNA and transcribes it.
Golgi Body - Basic Function
Modifies, sorts and packages proteins.
Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) - Basic Function
Transport network within the cell. Can be smooth (no ribosomes) or rough (with ribosomes)
Plasma Membrane - Basic Function
Controls entry and exit of materials into and out of the cell.
Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum (SER) - Basic Function
Involved in producing lipids (fats) and steroids (hormones) and stored calcium ions.
Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (RER) - Basic Function + more
Involved in protein production/synthesis.
Common in secretory cells where digestive enzymes are produced. Abundant in white blood cells where ribosomes produce antibodies.
Why do cells have organelles?
To compartmentalise special functions within the cell, so these cellular reactions can occur in optimum conditions simultaneously.
Cell wall - Basic Function
A semi-rigid layer surrounding plant cells for support and structure.
Plasma Membrane structure
Phospholipid Bilayer:
Heads (hydrophilic) Tails (hydrophobic)
Surrounding outside of the cell are the heads and attached to them in the inside of the cell are the tails.
Plasma Membrane - Description
Controls what goes in and out of the cell.
Selectively permeable, allowing only small molecules (O2 & CO2) to pass through the membrane.
Protein Channel
Transport proteins embedded in the plasma membrane contain protein channels that allow for larger molecules to pass through the membrane e.g. glucose.
Why cells need proteins
Responsible for most of the work in the cells and have many roles such as in structure, functions, and regulations. (Producing the cell membrane and enzymes)
Where are ribosomes found within a cell?
Free in the cytoplasm or attached to Endoplasmic reticulum. (RER)
Transcription of ribosomes
Process where ribosomes receive information from DNA in the nucleus and translate this and use amino acids (building blocks of proteins) from the cytoplasm to construct proteins.
Protein synthesis: where do the instructions for forming a specific protein come from?
Nucleus (genes, which carry DNA of the cell)
Protein synthesis: where do amino acids (building blocks) come from?
Free in the cytoplasm
