Organelles

• What is the description of the cell-surface membrane?

  • Partially permeable membrane found on surface of animal cells
  • just inside the cell wall of other cells
  • mainly made of lipids and protein.
• What is the function of the cell-surface membrane?

  • Regulates movement of substances in and out of cell
  • Has receptors to respond to chemicals e.g hormones
• What is the nucleus?

  • Large organelle surrounded by the nuclear envelope
  • Contains chromosomes
• What is the function of the nucleus?

  • Controls cell activity
  • Nucleolus makes ribosomes from RNA
  • DNA has instructions to make proteins
  • Pores allow for substances to be moved between nucleus and cytoplasm
• What is mitochondrion?

  • Double membrane
  • inner membrane folds to form cristae and inside is the matrix which contains enzymes involved in respiration
• What is the function of mitochondrion?

  • Produces ATP through aerobic respiration
  • found in large numbers in cells that are active and require a lot of energy
• What is the cytoplasm?

  • Home to many activities inside of cell
• What is the function of the cytoplasm?

  • Contains enzymes that are crucial in the breakdown of waste
  • assists in metabolic activities
  • provides shape to the cell
  • fills up the cells to enable organelles to remain in their position
• What is the chloroplast?

  • Small flattened structure found in plant and algae cells
  • Surrounded by double membrane
  • Has thylakoid membranes which stack to form grana
  • Grana linked to by lamellae- thin, flat pieces of thylakoid membrane
• What is the function of the chloroplasts?

  • Site of photosynthesis
  • Some photosynthesis happens in grana and some in stroma- thick fluid found in chloroplasts
• What is the Golgi apparatus?

  • A group of fluid filled membrane bound flattened sacs
• What is the function of the Golgi apparatus?

  • Processes, modifies and packages new proteins and lipids
  • makes lysosomes
• What is the Golgi vesicle?

  • Small fluid-filled sac found in cytoplasm
  • Surrounded by membrane
  • Produced by Golgi apparatus
• What is the function of the Golgi vesicle?

  • Stores lipids and proteins modified by Golgi apparatus and transports them out of the cell
• What is the lysosome?

  • Round organelle surrounded by membrane with no clear internal structure
  • Type of Golgi vesicle
• What is the function of the lysome?

  • Contains digestive enzymes called lysozymes
  • Can digest invading cells
  • Can break down worn out components of cells
• What is the ribosome?

  • Small organelle that floats free in cytoplasm or attached to rough endoplasmic reticulum
  • Made from proteins and RNA
  • Not surrounded by membrane
• What is the function of the ribosome?

  • site where proteins made
• What is the rough endoplasmic reticulum?


  • System of membranes enclosing a fluid filled space
  • Surface covered with ribosomes
• What is the function of the rough endoplasmic reticulum?

  • Folds and processes proteins that have been made at the ribosomes
• What is the smooth endoplasmic reticulum?


  • System of membranes enclosing a fluid-filled space
• What is the function of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum?

  • Synthesises and processes lipids
  • Detoxifies drugs
  • Hepatic cells have more SER than others
• What is the cell wall?

  • Rigid structure that surrounds cells in plants, algae and fungi
  • Made of cellulose in plants and algae
  • Made of chitin in fungi
• What is the function of the cell wall?


  • Supports cells and prevents it from changing shape
• What is the cell vacuole?

  • Membrane bound organelle found in cytoplasm
  • Contains cell sap- weak solution of salts and sugar
  • Surrounding membrane called tonoplast
• What is the function of the cell vacuole?

  • Helps maintain pressure inside cell and keep it rigid- stops plants wilting
  • Involved in isolation of unwanted chemicals inside of cells