Cell Structure

• Light microscope


  A type of microscope that uses a series of lenses to magnify the visible light reflecting off a specimen
• Transmission electron microscope (TEM)


  A type of microscope that passes a beam of electrons through a sample to produce an image
• Scanning electron microscope (SEM)

  A type of microscope that passes a beam of electrons over the surface of a specimen to produce an image
• Magnification


  How much bigger an image appears compared to the original object calculated using the following formula
• Resolution


  The ability to distinguish two different points in a specimen
• Eukaryotic cell


  A type of cell that contains a nucleus along with membrane bound organelles
• Nucleus


  An organelle found in eukaryotic cells that stores the genetic information of the cell as chromosomes and is surrounded by a membrane called the nuclear envelope
• Nuclear envelope


  A double membrane that surround the nucleus
• Nucleolus


  A structure found inside the nucleus that contains proteins and RNA and is involved in synthesizing new ribosomes
• Mitochondrion


  An organelle found in eukaryotic cells that is the site of aerobic respiration
• Chloroplasts


  Organelles found in plants and algae that are the site of photosynthesis
• Ribosomes


  Organelles found either free in the cytoplasm or membrane bound that are involved in the synthesis of proteins
• Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum


  A membrane bound organelle that is involved in the synthesis and packaging of proteins
• Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum


  A membrane-bound organelle involved in lipid synthesis
• Lysosomes


  Membrane-bound vesicles found in the cytoplasm that contain a hydrolytic enzyme called lysozyme
• Cilia


  Small hair-like structures that project from the surface of the cell
• Flagella


  A whip-life structure found on bacterial cells that is used for cell movement
• Plasmid


  Small loops of DNA that are separate from the main circular DNA molecule
• Golgi apparatus


  An organelle found in eukaryotic cells that is involved in the modification and packaging of proteins
• Centrioles


  Structures found in the cytoplasm made of microtubules that produce the spindle fibres during mitosis
• Cytoskeleton


  A mesh of protein fibres found in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells used for structural support and intracellular transport