Eukaryotic cells and their organelles
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| organelle | 细胞器 | xì bāo qì |
| cytoplasm | 细胞质 | xì bāo zhì |
| eukaryotic | 真核 | zhēn hé |
| ribosome | 核糖体 | hé táng tǐ |
| Golgi body | 高尔基体 | gāo ěr jī tǐ |
| vesicle | 囊泡 | náng pào |
| mitochondria | 线粒体 | xiàn lì tǐ |
| chloroplast | 叶绿体 | yè lǜ tǐ |
| vacuole | 液泡 | yè pào |
A cell is a tiny factory
- Zoom into any plant or animal cell and you find a busy factory — a control room, power stations and packaging lines.
- These working parts are organelles 细胞器, each with a job, floating in the jelly-like cytoplasm 细胞质.
- The cell is eukaryotic 真核: its DNA is kept inside a nucleus. Learn each organelle's structure and its function.
The main organelles
| Organelle | Function |
|---|---|
| nucleus | holds the DNA; controls the cell (nucleolus makes ribosomes 核糖体) |
| rough ER | makes and transports proteins (ribosomes on its surface) |
| smooth ER | makes lipids |
| Golgi body 高尔基体 | modifies and packs proteins/lipids into vesicles 囊泡 for secretion |
| mitochondria 线粒体 | site of respiration — releases energy as ATP |
| ribosomes | join amino acids to make proteins |
| lysosomes | sacs of enzymes that break down waste |
A generalised animal cell and its organelles
- Explore below: tap each organelle on the diagram to see what it does.
Explore the organelles
Tap each organelle on the diagram — explore all eight to see what each one does.
What is the main function of mitochondria?
Mitochondria are the site of aerobic respiration, producing ATP.
The tiny organelle that joins amino acids to build proteins is the ______.
Ribosomes carry out protein synthesis; the nucleolus makes them.
Rough ER is studded with ribosomes and makes proteins, while smooth ER has none and makes lipids.
Correct — the "rough" look is the ribosomes on the rough ER, which make proteins; smooth ER makes lipids.
The Golgi body:
The Golgi processes and packages molecules into vesicles to be secreted.
Plant-cell extras
- Chloroplasts 叶绿体 — site of photosynthesis (green, stacked membranes).
- Cell wall — strong cellulose layer; supports the cell and stops it bursting.
- A large permanent vacuole 液泡 (with a tonoplast membrane) — stores water and keeps the cell firm.
- Plasmodesmata — channels linking neighbouring cells' cytoplasm.
A plant cell adds a cellulose cell wall, chloroplasts and a large central vacuole
The plant-only organelle where photosynthesis happens is the ______.
Chloroplasts trap light energy for photosynthesis; they are found in plant cells, not animal cells.
Plant vs animal cells
- Plant only: cell wall, chloroplasts, large permanent vacuole.
- Animal usually has: centrioles (absent in most plant cells).
- Both have: cell surface membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, mitochondria, ribosomes, ER, Golgi.
Magnification = image size ÷ actual size
Match each organelle to its function.
Mitochondrion = respiration; chloroplast = photosynthesis; lysosome = digestion of waste; Golgi = packaging.
Select all the parts found in BOTH plant and animal cells.
Nucleus, mitochondria, ribosomes and Golgi are in both. Chloroplasts and a cellulose cell wall are plant-only.
Which is found in plant cells but NOT animal cells?
Cell wall, chloroplasts and a large permanent vacuole are plant-only; the others are in both.
You've got it
- mitochondria = respiration (ATP); ribosomes = protein synthesis
- rough ER makes proteins, smooth ER makes lipids; Golgi packs them into vesicles
- plant-only: cell wall (cellulose), chloroplasts, large vacuole
- both plant and animal cells have membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, mitochondria, ribosomes, ER, Golgi