These are the 7 main structures of an eukaryotic (animal) cell with descriptions and functions.

1) Ribosomes- Organelle constructed in the nucleolus, consisting of two subunits and functions as the site of protein synthesis in the cytoplasm. They are the free black dots and the black dots attached to the Endoplasmic Reticulum in the cell diagram.

 2) Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (rER)- An extensive membranous network in eukaryotic cells, continuous with the outer nuclear membrane and composed of ribosome-studded region. The rER surrounds the nucleus and at some points is attached. rER makes secretory proteins and also serves as a membrane factory that grows in place by adding proteins and phospholipids. The rER is the blue bubbly lines around the nucleus. If you look at the Cell diagram, you will notice the endoplasmic reticulum lined with black dots. Those are the attached ribosomes.

3) Lysosome- Membrane-enclosed sac of hydrolytic enzymes that the cell uses to digest macromolecules found in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells. The lysosome is represented by the orange oval.

4) Golgi Apparatus- Organelle that has stacks of membranes that modify, store, and move products of the endoplasmic reticulum. They are represented by the bubbly bluish-green lines in the center of the diagram.

5) Mitochondrion- An organelle that serves as the site of cellular respiration. The mitochondrion on the diagram is the blue ovals on the diagram

6) Nucleus- A nucleus contains most of the genes (chromosomes) that control the cell. The nucleus controls the entire cell. The nucleus is the big blue circle in the diagram.

7) Chloroplast- Organelles found only in plants and photosynthetic protists that absorbs sunlight and uses it to drive the synthesis of organic compounds from carbon dioxide and water. Contains chlorophyll for green pigmentation. The chlororplast is not represented in the diagram because this diagram is of an animal cell. Animal cells do not contain chloroplasts, only plant cells and some protists. If this were a plant cell the chloroplast would be a green oval.

Source: Biology/Neil A. Campbell-4th edition

Copyright 1996

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