Animal and Plant cells - 27.08

What are eukaryotes and prokaryotes?

Eukaryotes are organisms with a nucleus (e.g., animals, plants), while prokaryotes lack a nucleus (e.g., bacteria).

What is the main function of the nucleus in a cell?

The nucleus serves as the control center of the cell, storing DNA and sending instruction copies via messenger RNA to ribosomes for protein production.

What are ribosomes compared to in the factory analogy?

Ribosomes are likened to machines on an assembly line; they read instructions and produce proteins.

What distinguishes rough endoplasmic reticulum (rough ER) from smooth endoplasmic reticulum (smooth ER)?

The rough ER produces proteins with ribosomes attached, while the smooth ER synthesizes lipids and detoxifies harmful substances.

What role does the cytoskeleton play in a cell?

The cytoskeleton acts as the cell's road network, providing shape and structure, and serving as tracks for vesicle transport.

What is the function of the Golgi apparatus?

The Golgi apparatus modifies, sorts, and packages proteins and lipids from the ER into vesicles for transport.

How do lysosomes function in a cell?

Lysosomes are like recycling stations; they break down waste products and damaged parts, recycling useful materials for the cell.

What do mitochondria do?

Mitochondria generate energy in the form of ATP by breaking down glucose with oxygen, essential for cellular processes.

What is the purpose of the cell membrane?

The cell membrane protects the cell and regulates the entry and exit of materials, acting as a security barrier.

What is cytoplasm?

Cytoplasm is the jelly-like fluid within the cell that houses organelles and facilitates communication and transport.

What do plant cells have that animal cells do not?

Plant cells possess rigid cell walls, chloroplasts for photosynthesis, and large vacuoles for storage, features absent in animal cells.

What is the function of the cell wall in plant cells?

The cell wall provides structure and support, protecting the plant cell from mechanical stress, and is primarily made of cellulose.

What do chloroplasts do?

Chloroplasts perform photosynthesis, converting carbon dioxide and water into glucose using sunlight, releasing oxygen as a by-product.

What is a vacuole's role in plant cells?

A vacuole stores dissolved substances in water, pushing the cytoplasm against the cell wall and occupying significant cell interior space.

What can be said about the organization of cell organelles?

Cell organelles function like departments in a factory, each having specific roles but cooperating to ensure the cell's overall survival.