Inside Cells Flashcards
- Cell membrane
a thin, flexible barrier that surrounds a cell and controls which substances pass into and out of a cell.
- Cell wall
a rigid supporting layer that surrounds the cells of plants and some other organisms.
- Nucleus
a large oval organelle that contains the cell’s genetic material in the form of DNA and controls many of the cell’s activities.
- Organelle
a tiny cell structure that carries out a specific function within the cell.
- Nuclear Envelope
a membrane that surrounds the nucleus and controls which materials pass into and out of the nucleus.
- Nucleolus
a small, round structure in the nucleus that produces ribosomes.
- Ribosomes
small, grain-shaped organelles in the cytoplasm of a cell that produce proteins.
- Cytoplasm
a thick, clear, gel-like fluid that fills the region between the cell membrane and the nucleus. It moves constantly and supports and protects the organelles.
- Mitochondria
rod-shaped organelles that convert energy in food molecules to energy the cell can use to carry out its functions.
- Endoplasmic Reticulum
an organelle that forms a maze of passageways in which proteins and other materials are carried from one part of the cell to another.
- Golgi Apparatus
an organelle in a cell that receives proteins and other newly formed materials from the ER, packages them, and distributes them to other parts of the cell.
- Vacuole
a sac-like organelle that stores water, food, and other materials
- Chloroplast
an organelle in the cells of plants and some other organisms that captures energy from sunlight and changes it to an energy form that cells can use in making food.
- Lysosome
a saclike organelle found only in animal cells which contains substances that break down large food particles into smaller ones. It also breaks down old cell parts and releases these substances so the cell can use them again.
