1. Cell Structure
7th Grade

2. Think!
Anthony and Jimmy were doing a lab in science class. Jimmy said that a cork is made out of cells, but Anthony said that it cannot be made of cells because it is not living. Who was correct? Do only living things have cells?

3. Unicellular – made of one cell; example: bacteria, paramecium, amoeba
Multicellular – made of two or more cells; example: people, plant, animals, fungi

4. What is a system?
A system is a set of connected things or parts forming a complex whole
Is a cell a system? If so, how?

5. Organelle
An organelle is a structure in a cell that performs a certain function

6. Endoplasmic reticulum
Two types: smooth and rough
Smooth ER: does not contain ribosomes; makes fat-based molecules called lipids that make membranes
Rough ER: located near the nucleus; contains ribosomes; helps make and process proteins
Overall, the ER helps to make different substances that the cell needs

7. Nucleus Contains genetic material for a eukaryote
A lot of times we refer to it as the “control center” for the cell because this genetic material contains the instructions for how to make proteins which make up so much of our bodies

8. Cell Membrane Contained in both plant and animal cells.
Allows for the movement of substances into and out of the cells
Selectively permeable (lets some things in, but not all things)
Think of it as a gate for the cell
Made of lipids

9. Golgi apparatus
Takes proteins from the ER and moves them to different parts of the cell
Think of it like the UPS store. It takes things, packs them up, and ships them where they need to go

10. cytoplasm The gel-like fluid that everything floats in
Allows for movement around the cell

11. ribosomes
Make proteins
Found in the ER

12. vacuole Used to store and move things around the cell
Plant cells contain a large central vacuole that stores water for the plant to go through photosynthesis. Vacuoles can also store extra food so that the plants are able to survive when they are unable to produce as much food

13. mitochondrion
Convert energy stored in food to a form of energy that cells can use
Where cellular respiration takes place
Fun fact: Cells that need a lot of energy, such as muscle cells, have more mitochondria than do cells that need less energy, such as nerve cells
Would it be correct to refer to this as the “powerhouse of the cell?” Why or why not?

14. chloroplast Found only in a plant cell Where photosynthesis occurs
Collect energy from the sun to help the plant to make its own food

15. Cell wall Only found in plant cells
Provides structure and support for the plant
Why plant cells look more rigid than animal cells

16. Cell wall (continued)
Why plants can grow larger than animals

17. lysosomes
Contain powerful chemicals called enzymes that break down food
They can even break down old worn out organelles or engulfed viruses
Found in both plant and animal cells

18. Vesicle Carries substances throughout the cell
Used for substance transport
Think of it like the delivery truck
It also builds lysosomes