Organelles Flashcards
What are organelles?
Organs in a plant and animal cell
What is a nucleus?
The control centre of the The nucleus is known as the control centre of the cell because it regulates all cellular activities. the nucleus is surrounded by a membrane called the nuclear membrane. The nucleus contains rod-like structures called chromosomes,
Cell membrane?
In both plant and animal cells, the cell membrane surrounds the cell’s contents. The cell membrane acts as a gatekeeper by controlling the movement of materials, such as nutrients and waste, into and out of the cell. It is sometimes called a plasma membrane. You can think of the cell membrane as the skin of the cell.
Vacuole?
Vacuoles are fluid-filled compartments that the cell uses for storage. Water and nutrients, such as sugar, are stored in vacuoles. Vacuoles are also used to store wastes, which are eventually moved out of the cell along with excess water. Plant cells usually have a very large vacuole that takes up most of the cell’s interior space.
Cell wall?
The cell wall is a rigid structure surrounding plant cells that provides support and protection. The cell wall also acts as a filtering mechanism. Nutrients, wastes, water, and other substances are able to pass through small pores (holes) in the cell wall. The cell wall is made up of a substance called cellulose.
Chloroplast?
The chloroplast is a green organelle found only in plant cells. Chloroplasts are the site of photosynthesis, a process that allows plants to use the Sun’s energy to make food. Animals cannot make food from sunlight because they do not have chloroplasts in their cells. The membranes inside chloroplasts contain a green chemical called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll absorbs sunlight and helps make food for the plant. The green colour of many plants comes from chlorophyll.
Cell movement?
Some cells need to move from place to place in their environment. Flagella are long, tail-like structures that project out from a cell, allowing it to move through fluids, either by beating with a whip-like motion or by rotating in a corkscrew fashion. Cells that use flagella for movement usually have no more than two. Cilia, are tiny hairs found on the surface of a cell that work together to move the cell or move the fluid surrounding the cell. Unlike flagella, cilia are numerous and are often found covering the surface of a cell. Cilia and flagella can sometimes be seen with a compound microscope, though they are not found on all cells. Bacterial cells often use flagella to move. Cilia are found on some of the cells that line the lungs and intestines of animals.
Chromosones?
Chromosomes are found inside the nucleus. Chromosomes contain genetic information, which holds “construction plans” for all of the pieces of the cell.
Cytoplasm?
Most of the cell is cytoplasm, a watery fluid. The cytoplasm allow materials to be transported quickly between structures in the cell. The cytoplasm also stores wastes until they can be disposed of.
