Thursday, Oct. 23 - Cells - Cell Structure and Function

Objective: By the end of this lesson, you will understand the components that make up a cell and their functions.

Organelles – Structures in the cell that do the different jobs.

Nucleus – Cell’s manager; central organelle; contains DNA. Thin membranes around the nucleus make up the nuclear envelope. Cell is 2 parts – nucleus and cytoplasm that surrounds nucleus.

Cytoplasm – Jellylike substance made of water, amino acids, carbohydrates, fats, nucleic acids – most organelles are here.

Ribosomes – Organelle in the nucleolus that uses amino acids to make proteins according to what DNA says.

Endoplasmic Reticulum – The highway where molecules can move from one part of the cell to another.

Golgi Apparatus – Organelle that consists of a stack of membranes – it modifies and packages proteins and other molecules so they can be stored in the cell or sent outside the cell.

Mitochondria – Convert energy stored in molecules to compounds the cell can use. The process is called cellular respiration.

Lysosomes – Organelles filled with enzymes that speed up the rate of chemical reaction. Break down, digest molecules.

Vacuoles – Organelles that store materials for the cell; may also digest and dispose of waste.

Cell Membrane – Soft, flexible barrier that surrounds the cell and holds it together.