Cell Structures and Organelles

Cell Membrane

Found: All Cells

Location: Outer part of the cell

Structure: Phospholipid bilayer

Fluid, flexibleFunction/ Purpose: Hold in the cell parts and

controls what enters and leaves the cell

Animal cell Plant Cell

Cell Membrane

Cell WallFound: Plant cell and

Prokaryotes

Located: outside of the cell membrane.

Structure: Rigid cellulose

Function: Protects the cell and helps maintain its shape

Animal cell Plant Cell

Cell wall: Along the perimeter.

Cytoplasm (Cytosol)

It is found in ALL cells

Location: Takes up the space between the nucleus and the

cell membrane. Fills in the cell

Structure: Thick fluid

Function: To hold space between organelles.

Animal cell Plant Cell

NucleusFound: Plant cell and Animal cell

(Eukaryotes ONLY)

Location: Animal cells- CENTERPlant cells- Off to the corner

Structure: Membrane bound circle- Surrounded by envelope

Contains Nucleolus and chromatin

Function: control cell process and contains DNA

Nuclear Envelope

Found: Plant cell and Animal cell

Location: surrounding the nucleus

Structure: Double membrane dotted with thousand of nuclear pores

Function: controls flow of the nucleus into and out of the cell

Nucleolus

Found: Plant cell and Animal cell

Location: middle of the nucleus

Structure: small and dense

Function: where ribosomes are made

Chromatin

Found: All Cells

Location: floating in the nucleus

Structure: DNA bound to proteins

Function: Genetic material

Animal cell Plant Cell

Nuclear envelope nucleus

NucleolusChromatin

Nucleolus

chromatin

Nuclear Envelope

Nucleus

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum

Found: Plant and Animal cells

Location: In the cell’s cytoplasm, just outside the

nucleusStructure: Interconnected tubes. Doesn’t contain any

ribosomesFunction: Synthesis and transportation of lipidsDetoxifies substances

Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum

Found: Plant and Animal cells

Location: In the cell’s cytoplasm, just outside the nucleus

Structure: Interconnected tubes coated with ribosomes

Function: Is the main site of protein synthesis and

transportation

Animal cell Plant Cell

Rough ERSmooth ER

Smooth ER

Rough ER

Ribosome

Found: Found in Eukaryotes and Prokaryotes

Location: All around the cell close and far from nucleus and on the

rough ER

Structure: A tiny round object

Function/ Purpose: Site of protein synthesis

Animal cell Plant CellRibosomes

Golgi Apparatus

Structure:Stack of Flattened sac/ tubesCan break off sections to move

around the cellFunction:

Sorts, modifies, and packages proteins for use within the cell or export outside the cell

Found: Both plant and animal cells

Location: Found in the cytoplasm, generally near the ER

Plant CellAnimal Cell

Golgi Apparatus

LysosomesFound: Animal cell and plant cell(rare) Located: Throughout the cellStructure: Bag filled with enzymesFunction: Digests materials (nutrients, old

organelles, bacteria)Suicide cell: If cell is bad, will burst on purpose

so enzymes consume the cell

Plant CellAnimal Cell

Lysosome

Vacuole

Found: In both plant and animal

Location: Large center in plants, small and scattered in animals

Structure: Simple membrane sac

Function/ Purpose: They store food, water, and variety of nutrients Sometimes they store waste

products

Animal cell Plant CellVacuole

Cytoskeleton

Found: Plant cells and Animal cells, some Prokaryotes

Location: Throughout the cell

Structure: Network of protein filaments that helps the cell maintain its shape

Function/ Purpose: Provides an important structural frame work for cell shape

Centrioles

Found: Animal Cells ONLY

Location: Near nucleus

Structure: Small set of microtubules arranged in a specific way

Function: Help with cell division

Animal cell Plant Cell

cytoskeleton

centrioles

Cilia

Found: Animal cells

Location: Outside the Cell

Structure: Tiny hair like structures

Function/ Purpose: Move liquid past the surface of the cell

Flagella

Found: Animal cells and some Prokaryotes

Location: Outside the Cell

Structure: Tail like structure

Function/ Purpose: Whipping motion - propeller

Animal cell Plant Cell

Flagella

Chloroplasts

Found: Plant cell ONLY

Location: Inside of the cell

Structure: surrounded by two membranes inside are large stacks of other membranes, which contain

the green pigment chlorophyllFunction/ Purpose: capture the energy from sunlight and convert it into chemical energy in a process

called photosynthesis

Animal cell Plant Cell

Chloroplasts

Mitochondria

Found: Plant cell and Animal cell

Location: Throughout the cellStructure: Outer and Inner membrane separated by matrix. Folds of inner membrane are called

cristae.Function/ Purpose: produces the energy currency of the cell, ATP and regulates cellular metabolism.

Animal cell Plant Cell