Analogies

I compared a plant cell to a kaiten sushi shop. I thought that it would be fun to compare these two things for my project. I had to think of analogies for 8 organelles.

The cell wall helps keep the cell�s shape. It is made of cellulose which makes it thicker. The cell wall also provides support and is only found in plant cells. I am comparing the cell wall to the brick wall surrounding the store because they are both walls. The two things are made of smaller things, bricks and cellulose, and they both provide support for the cell.

The mitochondria are nicknamed the power house of the cell because they make the primary source of energy for the cell. They take in large chunks of energy and break the energy in to smaller usable pieces. I am comparing the mitochondria to a cash register because the two things take big things and break them into smaller things. A cash register breaks bills into change like a mitochondrion breaks big energy in to small energy.

A vacuole is a big storage bubble that takes up most of the cell. The vacuole is surrounded by a membrane which keeps everything in. The vacuole can store more than half the cell�s original size. In the vacuole are unneeded fluids and fluids that keep the cell alive like water. The fluids can be stored for a long time, after that the liquids are excreted and the plant wilts. I am comparing the vacuole to a trash can because they both hold excess waste or food or water. The membrane around the trash can is the trash bag. The trash bag can stretch above the top of the can, which makes it bigger.

The endoplasmic reticulum is a packaging system within the cell. It can make the cell complex or simple. It can be smooth or rough depending on where it is in the cell. I am comparing the endoplasmic reticulum to the conveyor belt that carries the sushi around the shop. The conveyor belt moves the food around like it is going through a cycle to get packed in to a box to go in a car that will transport the food to a different place.

The cell membrane surrounds the cell. Its main job is to keep bad things out and let good things in. It also keeps the good things inside in the cytoplasm. The membrane is made up of lipids which don�t like water so it pushes the cell together. There are membranes on every cell that I know of. I am comparing the cell membrane to the wall paper surrounding the inside of the store, including the doors and windows. The doors let people in and the windows keep people out.

The nuclear membrane surrounds the nucleus. It controls what goes in and out of the nucleus. It also keeps the chromatin and nucleolus inside the nucleus. I am comparing the nuclear membrane to the wall paper around the kitchen where the food is made. They both let things go in and out of the nucleus/kitchen. The chromatin is the DNA material located in the nucleus. When the cell divides the chromatin can turn into chromosomes to help. The chromatin provides unique characteristics for the cell. I am comparing the chromatin to the utensils the chefs use in the kitchen because the utensil help make the new sushi that will be eaten.

The nucleolus is the main structure in the nucleus. The main thing that the nucleolus does is produces ribosomes for the cell. I am comparing the nucleolus to the head chef because he/she makes the sushi (ribosomes) for the people to eat.