Cell Organelles

Front

Organelle Noun

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[or-guh-nel]

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Organelle

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A structure within the cytoplasm of a eukaryotic cell that is enclosed within a membrane and performs a specific job.

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Example: This image shows a cutaway view of a chloroplast, a specific type of organelle found in plant cells that performs photosynthesis.

Front

Cytoplasm Noun

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[sy-toh-plaz-uhm]

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Cytoplasm

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The jellylike fluid that contains all of the water, nutrients, and organelles in the cell, enclosed by the cell membrane.

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Example: This diagram shows cytoplasm as the jelly-like substance that fills the cell and surrounds all the organelles, located between the nucleus and the cell membrane.

Front

Eukaryotic cell Noun

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[yoo-kar-ee-ot-ik sel]

Back

Eukaryotic cell

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A type of cell that has a nucleus and several other types of membrane-bound organelles.

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Example: This diagram shows a cross-section of an animal cell, a type of eukaryotic cell, highlighting its main membrane-bound organelles like the nucleus and mitochondria.

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Prokaryotic cell Noun

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[pro-kar-ee-ot-ik sel]

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Prokaryotic cell

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A type of cell that does not have a nucleus or other membrane-bound organelles.

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Example: This diagram shows a bacterium, a type of prokaryotic cell. It lacks a nucleus; its DNA is in a nucleoid region, and it has no membrane-bound organelles.

Front

Ribosomes Noun

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[ry-buh-sohmz]

Back

Ribosomes

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Small, round structures where proteins are synthesized; they are not enclosed within a membrane.

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Example: A ribosome, made of two subunits, reads instructions from an mRNA molecule to link amino acids together, building a new protein.

Front

Nucleus Noun

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[noo-klee-uhs]

Back

Nucleus

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A large organelle that contains most of the cell's DNA and regulates gene expression, acting as the cell's control center.

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Example: This diagram shows a cross-section of the nucleus, labeling its main parts: the central nucleolus, the chromatin (DNA), and the protective nuclear envelope.

Front

Mitochondria Noun

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[my-toh-kon-dree-uh]

Back

Mitochondria

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An organelle that makes energy available to the cell by converting energy from organic compounds into ATP.

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Example: This diagram shows a mitochondrion taking in nutrients from food (rice) and converting them into usable energy for the cell, called ATP.

Front

Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) Noun

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[en-doh-plaz-mik ri-tik-yuh-luhm]

Back

Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)

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An organelle that acts as a network to help make and transport proteins and lipids.

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Example: This diagram shows the Endoplasmic Reticulum, a network of membranes inside a cell, connected to the nucleus, distinguishing between the rough and smooth types.

Front

Golgi apparatus Noun

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[gohl-jee ap-uh-rat-uhs]

Back

Golgi apparatus

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A large organelle that processes, packages, and labels proteins for use inside or outside the cell.

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Example: The Golgi apparatus receives proteins in vesicles, modifies them within its folded sacs (cisternae), and packages them into new vesicles for transport out of the cell.

Front

Vesicles Noun

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[ves-i-kuhlz]

Back

Vesicles

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Small, sac-like organelles that store and transport materials, such as protein and lipid molecules.

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Example: This diagram shows how vesicles, small membrane-bound sacs, act like cellular mail carriers, transporting materials between organelles and to the cell membrane for release.