Methods for Studying Cells
This uses a very strong light to see tiny cells.
What is a microscope?
This is the chromosome-containing organelle of an eukaryotic cell.
What is the nucleus?
This is how DNA exists when the cell is not dividing. It is made up of DNA plus proteins.
What is chromatin?
This is the sticky layer outside the plasma membrane in plant cells made of carbohydrates.
What is the cell wall?
This method uses light to magnify and view living cells.
What is light microscopy
This is an organelle found in plants that absorbs sunlight and uses it to drive synthesis of organic compounds.
What is the chloroplast?
These are used as guide tubes for movement of materials, for separation of chromosomes during cell division, and for maintaining the shape of cells by assuming a compression-resisting role.
What are microtubules?
This is the outside layer of an animal cell that controls what enters and leaves.
What is the plasma membrane?
This method uses dyes or fluorescent tags to see specific parts of cells under a microscope.
What is staining?
This is an extensive membranous network in eukaryotic cells that is composed of ribosome-studded and ribosome-free regions.
What is the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)?
This organelle functions as the site of protein synthesis.
What is the ribosome?
These are connections that help cells stick together.
What are cell junctions?
This lets scientists grow cells in a dish to study them.
What is cell culture?
This organelle is essentially a membrane-enclosed bag of hydrolytic enzymes.
What is the lysosome?
This is a short cellular appendage specialized for locomotion.
What is a cilium?
This type of junction holds animal cells tightly together and prevents leakage of extracellular fluid.
What is a tight junction?
This spins cells really fast to separate their parts.
What is centrifuge?
This organelle contains enzymes that transfer hydrogen from various substrates to oxygen, producing and then degrading hydrogen peroxide.
What is the peroxisome?
This is where metabolism of carbohydrates and detoxification of drugs occur.
What is the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (smooth ER)?
These connections let small things pass directly from one cell to another.
What are gap junctions?