Cell Structure
What is the nucleus?
A membrane-bound organelle that contains DNA and RNA that instruct and direct all the cells activities.
What is the mitochondria's function?
It converts food energy into small packets of energy that the cell can use.
What is the function of the cell wall?
The cell wall is a framework made of cellulose that supports and protects the plant.
Why don't animal cells have cell walls?
Animal cells function differently and do not need the cell wall structure to support its body. Many animals have skeletal systems for this and other animals are soft-bodied and flexible for movement.
Which organisms have a cell wall?
Plant cells and Bacteria.
Where is the cell membrane in a plant?
Inside the cell wall.
What is the function of the cell membrane?
The cell membrane protects the cell from its surroundings and acts as the gate keeper to what enters and exits the cell.
What is the role of the leucoplast?
Leucoplasts store starch, lipids, and proteins in plants.
What is the lysosome's job?
The lysosome is a specialized vacuole that contains digestive enzymes that break down large molecules and even worn-out organelles. These components can then be reused. It's the recycling plant.
Yes, bacteria have DNA that is free-floating in the region of the cell called the nucleoid. This is NOT a nucleus because there is no membrane around the nucleoid.
Define prokaryote and eukaryote.
Prokaryotes are unicellular bacteria with no membrane-bound organelles.
Eukaryotes are unicellular or multicellular plants, animals, fungi, and protists that are much larger than bacteria. They have membrane-bound organelles. These organelles perform special jobs.
Describe the phospholipid bilayer.
The phospholipid bilayer is made of two layers of molecules with hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails. This makes a thin film of oil that acts as the cell membrane. When disturbed, the membrane will reform this oil layer because of the hydrophobic heads that are attracted to one another in the watery environment.
What is the role of the chloroplast?
Chloroplasts contain granum, which are stacks of thylakoids, containing chlorophyl pigment. The pigment absorbs sunlight and converts it to glucose (sugar) that the plant can use.
What do centrosomes do?
Centrosomes are found in plant and animal cells and build the cytoskeleton. They also aid in moving chromosomes to one side of the cell during mitosis (cell duplication).
What is function of ribosomes?
Ribosomes are tiny organelles lacking a membrane that make proteins.
Define and describe unicellular organisms.
Unicellular organisms are made of ONE cell. This ONE cell does ALL functions, so there is no specialization. Sometimes unicellular organisms form colonies to protect and assist each other, but these are not single organisms because the cells can break off and support themselves alone.
What is the Endoplasmic Reticulum?
A cellular network that carries materials from one part of the cell to the other.
Why does the plant cell have a central vacuole?
Plants have a large central vacuole to store water, food, and waste products. The central vacuole regulates turgor pressure, or cell water. A wilted plant has lost turgor pressure because it no longer has enough water in the central vacuole to make the cell rigid.
Do all animal cells do the same job?
No, they do not. Animal cells are specialized for different functions. They are grouped into tissues. Tissues are grouped into organs, and organs makeup organ systems.
What type of cell is the bacteria?
Prokaryotic
What does the cell theory state?
1. Cells are structural and functional units of all living things.
2. Cells come from other preexisting cells.
What is the function of the Golgi Apparatus?
The Golgi Apparatus sorts and repackages chemicals for the cell to use. It's the mailroom.
What organelles are found in plants, but not animals?
Chloroplasts, leucoplasts, cell wall, central vacuoles.
Which organelles are found in animal cells, but not plant cells?
Lysosomes, centrosomes, and cilia are found in animal cells, but not plant cells.
Describe a typical bacterial cell.