Parts of a Cell Just as there are parts to Wake Forest High School: the office, the cafeteria, the hallways; and each part of the school has a special jobs, cells also have parts that have special jobs. These parts are called organelles and they work together to make the cell do the things it needs to do.

What are organelles?

Organelles are tiny parts of a cell that have special shapes and jobs to do.

Cell membrane A cell membrane is a thin, semi-permeable membrane that surrounds both plant and animal cells. It protects the inside of the cell by separating the cell from its surroundings. It controls what enters and leaves the cell, preventing harmful things from entering and keeping useful things inside The cell membrane is the part of the cell that makes homeostasis (balance) possible.

Cell Wall Plant cells have a cell wall outside the cell membrane. It is made of strong, non-living, rigid material. It gives protection to plant cells and gives support for the cells, allowing plants to grow upright. Materials such as water and oxygen can pass through easily.

At school, the principal, controls what happens in the school At school, the principal, controls what happens in the school. In your body, your brain controls what happens. In a cell, the nucleus is the brain of the cell. It controls most of the functions of the cell. It also directs cell reproduction. The nucleus is round or oval shaped structure typically near the middle of the cell. It contains a cell’s DNA. Nucleus

Cytoplasm The cytoplasm is jelly-like material found in a cell. It takes up all of the space in between the nucleus and organelles. It is jelly-like and most of it is water. It is almost 80 percent water. It’s only function is to provide a fluid for the organelles to “float” within

Mitochondria are the powerhouses of plant and animal cells Mitochondria are the powerhouses of plant and animal cells. They take the food, break it down, and turn it into usable energy for the cell to function. Mitochondria are made out of folded membranes which create the reactions that to release energy Mitochondria

Endoplasmic reticulum It carries materials, like proteins, from one part of the cell to another. The ER is also a membrane but in the shape of a maze of passageways around the cell

Ribosomes Ribosomes are tiny, round, dark-colored organelles. They make proteins, which the cell uses for growth and repair, or transports out of the cell for the organism’s use. Some are attached to endoplasmic reticulum, others float freely in the cytoplasm.

Vacuoles Vacuoles are fluid filled pouches that float in the cytoplasm of plant and animal cells. Vacuoles store water, waste and food. Plant cells have one large vacuole, while some animal cells have a small vacuole.

Chloroplasts Plant cells have green, oval shaped organelles called chloroplasts. Chloroplasts have a green compound called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is used to capture the energy from sunlight because this is where photosynthesis takes place, converting sunlight to food (glucose) for the cells

Golgi bodies Both plant and animal cells have golgi bodies. They look like stacks of flat pods. Golgi bodies act like a packing center. They receive proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum, package them up and then send them to other parts of the cell. They also release materials to the outside of the cell.

Lysosomes Lysosomes are small, round structures containing chemicals. These chemicals break down large food molecules, waste products, and old cell parts. This broken down “trash” can then be disposed of with the help of the Golgi Body. They are in all animal cells, but rarely plant cells