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Cell Organelle Functions and Structure:

Connor Runnings
Feb 25, 2015

Cell Membrane:
Structure: The cell membrane is made up of a phospholipid bilayer,
with hydrophilic
heads pointing outwards and hydrophobic tails pointing
inwards. It surrounds the cell, and has tons of proteins embedded in it.
Function: It controls the movement in and out of the cell, because it is
selectively permeable. It acts as a boundary against the external
environment, provides shape, and offers protection to organelles.

Mitochondrion:
Structure: Mitochondria are bounded by a double membrane.
Mitochondria also have this inner fluid filled space called the matrix, which
contains DNA, ribosomes, and enzymes essential for breaking down
carbohydrates.
Function: Mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. It supplies energy
to the cell, and helps produce ATP.

Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum:


Structure: Rough ER is a system of membranous channels and saccules
that have tons of ribosomes on them. It is physically continuous with the
outer membrane of the nuclear envelope.
Function: The ER is where protein synthesis takes place (by the
ribosomes). The proteins enter the ER interior, where processing and
modification can happen. Sometimes a sugar chain is added to a protein,
making it a glycoprotein.

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum:


Structure: Smooth ER is continuous with rough ER, but it doesnt have
attached ribosomes.

Function: Smooth ER has many functions, usually varying depending


on what type of cell its in. It synthesizes the phospholipids that occur in
membranes, produces testosterone for guys, and helps detoxify the liver.

Ribosomes:
Structure: Ribosomes are dense granules composed of RNA and
associated proteins. They have two subunits, one large and one small, both
having their own mix of proteins and rRNA.
Function: Ribosomes synthesize proteins, and when several ribosomes
are making a specific protein, they are called a polyribosome.

Golgi Bodies:
Structure: The Golgi body consists of a stack of about three to twenty
saccules that are curved slightly. Vesicles often come off the saccules.
Function: The Golgi Body or Apparatus is used for processing,
packaging, and secretion. It receives proteins and lipids from vesicles that
come from the Rough and Smooth ER, respectively. They are sorted and
packaged for a bit, and glycoproteins have their sugar chains modified before
their secretion. Secretory vesicles then move toward the plasma membrane,
where they discharge.

Vacuoles:
Structure: A vacuole is a large membranous sac usually filled with fluid.
Function: Vacuoles are meant for storing substances. Plant vacuoles
contain waters, sugars, salts, pigments, and toxic molecules. There are also
certain types of vacuoles meant for digesting nutrients or eliminating waste.

Vesicles:
Structure: A vesicle is a watery sac, like a vacuole, but used for a
completely different function altogether.
Function: Used for transporting proteins, lipids, or other substances
either in or out of the cell. Transport vesicles are used to transport substances
from the ER to the Golgi Body, secretory vesicles are used to fuse with the

plasma membrane when secretion occurs, and incoming vesicles are used to
transport materials inside the cell.

Lysosomes:
Structure: Lysosomes are membrane-bounded vacuoles produced by
the Golgi Body.
Function: Lysosomes digest molecules or old cell parts, and they
contain many different enzymes, such as hydrolytic digestive enzymes. When
a lysosome fuses with a vesicle, its contents are digested by enzymes into
simpler subunits that enter the cytoplasm. They also engulf pathogens.

Nucleus:
Structure: The nucleus is a big sphere made up of chromatin, the
nucleolus, and the nuclear envelope.
Function: The nucleus stores DNA, which governs the characteristics of
a cell. In every individual, each cell contains the same DNA, but certain genes
are turned on or off.

Nuclear Envelope:
Structure: The nuclear envelope is a double membrane with pores that
surrounds the nucleus.
Function: It surrounds the nucleus, and its little nuclear pores regulate
passage of proteins into the nucleus, and ribosomal subunits out of the
nucleus.

Chromosomes:
Structure: Chromosomes are thread-like structures made up of protein
and very tightly wound DNA.
Function: Chromosomes carry genetic instructions when making an
offspring, to ensure that the offspring is unique while still having traits from
the parents.

Nucleolus:
Structure: The nucleolus is a round body located on the inside of the
nucleus. It is not surrounded by a membrane, like the nucleus, so it just sits in
the nucleus.
Function: The nucleolus makes ribosomal RNA called rRNA, and this
rRNA joins proteins to make the subunits of ribosomes.

Microtubules:
Structure: Microtubules are made up of a globular protein called
tubulin, which arranges itself in 13 rows, or dimers. They are arranged in a
cylindrical shape and surround an empty central core.
Function: Microtubules help maintain the shape of a cell and tracks
along which organelles can move.

Cell Wall:
Structure: Cell walls are the outer layers of plants, which contain
cellulose, which is used for protection and support.
Function: Cell walls are used for protection and support of the cell, and
it also acts as a pressure vessel, preventing over-expansion when water
enters the cell.

Chloroplast:
Structure: Chloroplasts is bounded by two membranes that encase a
fluid filled space called the stroma, which is organized into interconnected
flattened sacs called thylakoids, which are stacked into structures called
grana. The stroma also contains DNA, ribosomes, and enzymes as well.
Function: Chloroplasts are used by plants to produce their own organic
food. They belong to a group of organelles called the plastids, which provide
various other functions in plants.

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