CELLS

LS

Animal Cell  

Plant Cell

VOCABULARY

Cell:  Cells are the basic unit of structure and function of living things.  The cell makes every living thing.  Most cells are to small to be seen with the naked eye.  The word cell comes from the Latin root "cella," which means chamber.  The structures that make up cells are called organelles. Cells look like tiny room structures if you were to look at them closely.   

Animal Cells:  The animal cell is very complex.  There is a nucleus, a nuclear membrane, a nucleolus, ribosomes, lysosomes, cytoplasm, a mitochondria, the cell membrane, a vacuole, the endoplasmic reticulum, chromosomes, and the golgi apparatus.  The animal cell is like a room and all of the things in the room are the parts of the cell.  

Plant Cells:  The plant cell is a bit more complicated than the animal cell.  There is a cell membrane, a cell wall, chloroplast, chromosomes, cytoplasm, some mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, golgi apparatus, lysosomes, a nuclear membrane, a nucleus, a nucleolus, ribosomes, and a vacuole.  The plant cell is like a bowl of jell-o and different fruits in it. 

Cell Membrane:  The cell membrane is a thin, flexible, envelope that surrounds the cell.  It allows passage of materials in and out of the cell.  It is like a gate that lets certain things in and out of the cell.

Cell Wall:  The cell wall is the outer most of the plant cell, and it is not in the animal cell.  The animal cell can not have a cell wall because the animal needs to be able to bend.  It is made out of cellulose, and it helps the plant stand up strait and not break.  

Chloroplast:  Chloroplast is a cell organelle containing chlorophyll that is involved in the process of photosynthesis.  It is an important part of the cell because with out it the chloroplast the plant can not have food.  This is only in the plant cell because the animal does not do the process of photosynthesis.  

Chromosome:  The chromosome is a rod shaped cell structure that passes on the traits of the old cells to the new cells.  This is important to the cell because otherwise the new cell would not know what to do. 

Cytoplasm:  Cytoplasm is the region between the cell membrane and the nucleus.  The cytoplasm is a clear, thick, jell like substance.  It is constantly moving, streaming throughout the cell.

Endoplasmic Reticulum:  The endoplasmic reticulum is a transportation system.  Its network of passageways throughout the cell, caring proteins from one part of the cell to the other.  It can also go from the cell through the cell membrane and out of the cell.

Golgi Apparatus:  The golgi apparatus is a system of membranes in a cell that modify and prepare the proteins for from the cell.  They appear as flattened sacs and also help in the process of protein synthesis.

Mitochondria:  The mitochondria's supply most of the energy for the cell.  They are larger than ribosomes, and are rod-shaped structures.  These are often referred to as the "powerhouse" of the cell. 

Lysosomes:  The lysosomes are common in the animal cells, but are not common in the plant cells.  They contain enzymes that break down the larger food molecules in to smaller food molecules.

Nuclear Membrane:  A membrane surrounds the nuclear membrane, like the cell is surrounded by the cell wall in the plant cell.  This membrane is also like the cell membrane that allows materials in and out of the cell.

Nucleus:  The nucleus acts as the "brain" of the cell, regulating the activities of the cell.  It is a large, oval structure that is found in the nuclear membrane.

Nucleolus:  The nucleolus is called the "little nucleus," which is inside the nucleus.  For many years the activities of the nucleolus remained some what of a mystery to scientists.  Today it is believed that the nucleolus is the site of ribosome production.  

Organelle:  The structures that make up cells are called organelles, or "tiny organs."  These structures were not discovered until the 17TH century, when microscopes were invented.  

Ribosomes:  Ribosomes are produced in the nucleolus and as they are leaving many of them get stuck to the endoplasmic reticulum.  They are made primarily of RNA and they are the protein making sites of the cell.

Vacuole:  Most plant cells, and some animal cells have vacuoles.  They are large, round, water filled sacs floating in cytoplasm.  The plant cell vacuole is rather large, while the animal cell vacuole is quite small.  They act like storage tanks for food and water and other materials in the cell.  

All About Cells

Cells are the basic unit of structure and function for living things.  The cell theory states that all living things are made of cells, Cells are the basic unit of structure and function for living things, and living cells come only from other living cells.  Many cells are much too small to be seen without the aid of a microscope.  In fact, most cells are smaller than a period at the end of the sentence.  Within a cell there are smaller structures called organelles.  The structures within a cell, function in providing protection and support, forming a barrier between the cell and its environment, building and repairing cell parts, transporting materials, storing and releasing materials, storing and releasing energy, and getting rid of waste materials.  The nucleus is one of the many things in an animal cell, and a plant cell.  Whether it is found in an animal cell or a plant cell, most cells share similar characteristics.  Cells make up everything no matter how big, or how small it is. 

There are two types of cells, animal cells and plant cells.  The animal cell is very complex, but there are two more items in the plant cell; chloroplast, and a cell wall.  There is a nucleus, a nuclear membrane, a nucleolus, ribosomes, lysosomes, cytoplasm, mitochondria, cell membrane, vacuole, endoplasmic reticulum, chromosome, and a golgi apparatus.  The animal cell is like jelly with a bunch of different things in it.  The plant cell is a little bit more complicated than the animal cell.  There is a cell membrane, a cell wall, chloroplast, chromosome, cytoplasm, endoplasmic reticulum, a golgi apparatus, mitochondria, lysosomes, a nuclear membrane, a nucleus, a nucleolus, ribosomes, and a vacuole.  The plant cell is like Jell-O with different pieces of food like the animal cell.
                  

Works Cited

Hopkins, Jean , et al. Cells Building Blocks of Life. 14th ed. Vol. 1. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1993. 43-56.

"Parts of a Cell." Chart. N.p.: Creative TeachingP, 1997.

Campbell, Neil A. Biology Sixth Edition. San Francisco: Benjmin Cummings, 2002. 114-115.