Cells (parts Of A Cell) Flashcards
What is the cell membrane?
The cell membrane is like the skin covering our body, it surrounds and protects the contents of the cell. The cell membrane is not simply a container, however. Its structure helps control the movement of substances in and out of the cell. The cell membrane is said to be selectively permeable.
What is the cytoplasm?
A large part inside the cell is taken up by the jellylike cytoplasm. Like the blood flowing throughout your body, the cytoplasm constantly moves inside the cell. The cytoplasm distributes materials such as oxygen and food to different parts of the cell. The cytoplasm also helps support all the other parts inside the cell.
What is the nucleus?
The nucleus is large, dark, and round and is often the most easily seen structure in a cell. The nucleus controls the cell’s activities. It contains chromosomes-structures made of genetic material that direct a cell’s growth and reproduction. The cell nucleus is enclosed by a nuclear membrane, which controls what enters and leaves the nucleus. Inside the nucleus is the nucleolus which actually controls inside of the nucleus.
What are vacuoles?
Balloon like spaces within the cytoplasm are storage places for surplus food, wastes, and other substances that the cell cannot use right away. These structures called vacuoles, are surrounded by a membrane. Contractive vacuoles are able to expel water.
What is the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)?
The (ER) is a folded membrane that forms a system of canals within the cytoplasm. Materials are transported through these canals to different parts of the cell, or to the outside of the cell. The rough (ER) surrounds the nucleus, but the smooth (ER) is further away from it.
What is the mitochondria?
Because cells do work, they need energy, their energy is produced by oval shaped organelles called mitochondria. (Singular mitochondrion). Inside the mitochondria, tiny food particles are broken down to release their chemical energy for the cell’s activities. Some cells, such as muscle cells, have more mitochondrion then others because they need more energy to function.
What is the cell wall?
The cell wall occurs only in cells of plants and fungi, and in some unicellular organisms. Cell walls are much thicker and more rigid than cell membranes, and are made mostly of tough material called cellulose. They provide support for the cell.
What are chloroplasts?
Chloroplasts are the structures in which the process of photosynthesis takes place. Photosynthesis uses energy from the sun to make carbohydrates. Folded membranes inside each chloroplast contain green pigment chlorophyll, which absorbs sunlight. Chloroplasts are found only inside green plants and some unicellular organisms. They are not found in animal cells.
What is the Golgi apparatus?
The Golgi apparatus stores chemicals. It may release molecules to the outside of the cell. Proteins are stored in the Golgi apparatus. They put the proteins together into packages called vesicles. They carry protein molecules to the surface of the cell where they are then released.
What are ribosomes?
Ribosomes contain protein put together by information from the nucleus and molecules from cytoplasm.
What are lysosomes?
Lysosomes patrol the cytoplasm, cleaning up. They contain special proteins which break down large molecules into small molecules. There is lots of lysosomes in a cell.
