the plant cells Flashcards
what makes plant cells unique
cell walls and chloroplasts
what are cells mostly made up of
water
describe the characteristics of the cell wall
it is located outside of the cell membrane and provides cells with structural support and protection
it acts as a filtering system
it is relatively strong and described as semi-rigid
what is the cell wall made of
it is made up of carbohydrates that include cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin. some cells have ligin which strengthens the cell wall
describe the characteristics of the cell membrane
it surrounds the cytoplasm next to the cell wall
it is a semi-permeable membrane
allows water and nutrients in
prevents larger molecules from escaping
very important in taking up nutrients, moving sugars, etc..
describe the characteristics of the cytoplasm
it is the cell sap made up of 85%-90% water
it contains organic and inorganic substances such as; carbohydrates, proteins, and salts
organelles are in the cytoplasm
physical activity occurs in the cytoplasm (reactions for growth)
describe the characteristics of the vacuole
- membrane lined organelle in the cytoplasm
- serves as a collection and storage area for products and waste products by the cell
- vacuoles in plants generally contain lots of water and can account for the majority of cells volume
- helps maintain the shape of the cell
describe the characteristics of the plastid
-organelles that are the sites of manufactures and storage of important chemical compounds used by the plant cell
what are the two different plastids and their functions
amyloplast- specialized for long term starch storage
chromoplasts- increased production of color pigments
Ex. red peppers
describe the characteristics of the chloroplast
- photosynthesis takes place in the chloroplast
- chloroplasts are membrane-bound organelles that contain chlorophyll
- each cell in the green photosynthetic tissue of a plant contains between 20 and 100 chloroplasts
describe the characteristics of the mitochondria
- the cells energy generations
- break down products of photosynthesis into useable energy for the plant
- this process is called respiration
- there are several hundred mitochondria within a cell
describe the characteristics of the nucleus
- the genetic centre of the cell
- genetic information is contained in chromosomes which are made up of DNA
- the same genetic material is found in every nucleus in an organism
describe the characteristics of DNA
- DNA (deoxyribose nuclaic acid)
- DNA is the blueprint for life
- maintains the integrity of the DNA and controlling the activities of the cell
- shaped like a twisted ladder called a double helix
- each rung of the DNA ladder is made of a base (A,T,C,G)
how many chromosomes does everything have
different species often have different numbers of chromosomes
what are genes
- each gene is composed of a specific order of the bases
- genes are a part of the DNA ladder that have instructions for making proteins
- proteins are found in living things
- all processes and products in living cells depend on proteins
- SUM: genes code for proteins and proteins make an organism what it is
