Inside a Cell

Cell Wall Outer layer of a plant cell. Rigid to provide structure, like the bricks of a house. Some materials can pass through holes in the cell wall to get in and out of the cell. Only plant cells have cell walls.

Cell Membrane Surrounds the cell. Controls what comes in and goes out.

Nucleus Control center of the cell. Like a brain that controls everything the cell does. Made up of a nuclear envelope, chromatin, and a nucleolus.

Nuclear Envelope Membrane surrounding and protecting the nucleus. Like a cell membrane it lets materials in and out of the nucleus.

Chromatin Thin strands inside the nucleus that contain all of the instructions for what the cell needs to do. DNA and chromosomes are here.

Nucleolus Part of the nucleus where ribosomes are made.

Cytoplasm Clear, thick, gel-like fluid that fills the inside of the cell. Material and organelles float around through the cytoplasm.

Mitochondria Organelle that make energy for the cell. Food comes into the mitochondria, the food is broken down into sugars, the sugars are combined with oxygen to make ATP = energy storage for the cell. ATP leaves the mitochondria and goes to other organelles to give them energy.

Endoplasmic Reticulum Act like expressways to carry food and proteins around the cell quickly. Usually found around the nucleus of a cell. Usually has ribosomes attached to the surface.

Ribosomes Protein factories of the cell. Reads the instructions from the chromatin inside the nucleus. According to instructions it pieces together amino acids (from food you eat) into long chains called proteins. There are many types of proteins that perform many types of jobs.

Golgi Bodies Acts as the cell’s post office. Takes material made inside the cell and packages it to be shipped to other parts of the cell or outside of the cell.

Chloroplasts Take CO2, H2O, and sunlight, and makes food for the cell. Only found inside plant cells.

Vacuoles Cell’s storage facility Stores extra food, materials made by the cell, and waste from the cell.

Lysosomes Recycling center of the cell. Breaks down large pieces of food into smaller pieces that can be used by organelles. Breaks down old cell parts so they can be used again.