Biology - Animal Cell Components + Functions

Eukaryotic Animal Cell

Nucleus

Stores genetic information, instructs activities such as metabolism, and controls cell division and growth.

Nucleolus

Makes and builds parts for the ribosomes, which builds proteins to keep cell alive and functioning.

Mitochondrion

Turns food and oxygen into ATP (adenosine triphosphate) energy.

Ribosomes

Reads genetic codes from mRNA to make proteins.

Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum

Synthesises, folds, and transports proteins for cell membrane or lysosome, or outside of the cell. Makes phospholipids and proteins.

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum

Builds fats and phospholipids for cell membranes. Breaks down stored glycogen into functional glucose in the animal’s liver.

Golgi Apparatus

Adds sugars or fats to proteins in order to create, for example, glycoproteins.

Golgi Vesicles

Sorts, stores, and transports lipids and proteins to their locations in and out of the cell.

Non-Permanent Vacuoles

Holds a small amount of water, nutrients, etc. Works with lysosome to break down food.

Lysosomes

Digests molecules such as proteins. Destroys damaged cell parts, harmful viruses, etc.

Cytoskeleton

Maintains the cell shape. Provides structural support. The microtubules and microfilaments are major structural components of this.

Microtubules

The “highways'“ for transportation for food, waste, etc. The spindle fibers that pull the replicated DNA apart into the two new cells.

Flagella

Helps the cell move. Not in all animal cells, but one example is a sperm cell.

Cilia

Pushes fluids past the cell and helps the cell move.

Centrioles

Organises the microtuble network, and allows successful cell division.

Cell (Plasma) Membrane

Separates and controls what goes inside and out of the cell. Also holds the inner parts of the cell together.