Name: Kathya Sosa______________________________________ Date: 12/ 17/ 24

Student Exploration: Cell Structure

Vocabulary: cell membrane, cell wall, capsule, centriole, chloroplast, cytoplasm, cytoskeleton,
endoplasmic reticulum, flagellum, Golgi apparatus, lysosome, mitochondria, nucleoid, nuclear
membrane, nucleolus, nucleus, organelle, pilus, plasmid, plastid, ribosome, vacuole, vesicle

Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)

1. What do you think are some of the structures inside a cell that help it to live and perform its

role in an organism? Plasma Membrane, Cytoplasm, Mitochondria, Ribosomes,

Nucleus, Golgi Apparatus, Cytoskeleton, and Endoplasmic Reticulum.

2. How do you think plant cells differ from animal cells? (Hint: What can plants do that animals

cannot?) Plant cells contain various plastids, including chromoplasts and amyloplasts. And

plant cells produce their own food through photosynthesis.

Gizmo Warm-up
The Cell Structure Gizmo allows you to look at typical
animal, plant, and bacterial cells under a microscope.
On the ANIMAL CELL tab, click Sample to take a
sample of an animal cell. On the dropdown menu,
select Centriole.

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1. Find the centrioles (Highlighted in green). Make a
sketch of the centrioles in the space below.

2. Read the description of the centrioles. What is their function? These bundles of
microtubules play a role in organizing the movement of chromosomes during cell division,

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 Get the Gizmo ready:
Activity A:
● Check that an Animal cell is mounted on the
Animal cells
microscope.

Question: Organelles are specialized structures that perform various functions in the
cell. What are the functions of the organelles in an animal cell? It has the function of
producing energy, and the lysosome has the function of producing small molecules from
large molecules, of breaking down compounds.

1. Label: Locate each organelle in the animal cell. You can choose organelles from the
dropdown menu or click on them directly. Label the organelles in the diagram below.
Cell
Membrane Centriole

Nuclear
Lysosome
membrane
Vacuole Nucleolus

Ribosome Nucleus

Cytoplasm Endoplasm
ic
Mitochondr Reticulum
Golgi
ia apparatus
Cytoskelet Vesicle
on
2. Match: Read about each organelle. Then match each organelle to its function/description.

H Cytoplasm I Nucleolus
E Lysosome A. Structure that organizes motion of
F Mitochondria chromosomes.
A Centriole B. Stack of membranes that packages
chemicals.
G Endoplasmic reticulum
C. Membrane that surrounds and protects
M Vacuole
the nucleus.
D Cell membrane
D. Membrane that surrounds and protects
J Nucleus the cell.
N Cytoskeleton E. Sac filled with digestive chemicals.
L Ribosome F. Structures that convert nutrients to
energy.
C Nuclear membrane
G. Passageways where chemicals are
B Golgi apparatus
made.
K Vesicle

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 H. Everything between the nuclear L. Small structure that synthesizes
membrane and the cell membrane. proteins.
I. Structure that manufactures ribosomes. M. Sac that stores water, nutrients, or
waste products.
J. Structure that contains DNA and
regulates genes. N. Tubules and filaments that give the cell
its shape.
K. Package created by the Golgi
apparatus.
(Activity A continued on next page)
Activity A (continued from previous page)
3. Investigate: Select the Cell membrane. Turn on Show closeup. Read the description,
watch the animation, and answer the following questions below.

A. What kind of molecules can diffuse (go through) the cell membrane directly? Small,
uncharged molecules diffuse directly through the membrane.

B. How can some large molecules and charged ions get through the cell membrane?

Large molecules and charged ions cannot get through the membrane on their own.

Some ions and molecules can get through the membrane through special transport
proteins.

4. Investigate: Select the Nuclear membrane closeup. How is the nuclear membrane similar

to the cell membrane? The similarity is that small molecules, ions and mRNA enter and

leave the nucleus through the nuclear pore in the nuclear membrane. Just as in the cell

membrane, small uncharged molecules diffuse directly through the membrane.

5. Investigate: Select the Mitochondrion closeup. What happens inside the mitochondrion?

In the cytoplasm, glucose is broken down into smaller molecules. This process produces
water.

In the mitochondrion, the small molecules and oxygen are converted into carbon dioxide and
a form of energy the cell can use.

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6. Investigate: Select the Ribosome closeup. How does the cell make proteins inside the

ribosome? The ribosome translates mRNA into amino acid sequences (proteins).

tRNA molecules bring amino acids to the ribosome. Here the individual amino acids are

bound together to create a long chain. The chain then folds into a complex shape to form

a protein.

7. Investigate: Select the Vesicle closeup. How do vesicles move through the cell? Vesicles

are pulled along the cytoskeleton by a protein called kinesin. Kinesin 'walks' along

microtubules.

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 Activity B: Get the Gizmo ready:

Plant cells ● Select the PLANT CELL tab, and click Sample.

Question: What functions do the organelles in a plant cell perform?

1. Label: Locate each organelle in the plant cell. Label the organelles in the diagram below.

Chloroplast Plastid

Nuclear
Mitochondr

Nucleolus
Cytoskelet
Nucleus
Cell
Ribosome Membrane
Cell Wall
Endoplasm

Golgi Cytoplasm

Vacuole Vesicle

2. Compare: What structures are present in an animal cell, but not in a plant cell?
Structures present in an animal cell but not in a plant cell include centrioles and
lysosomes.

What structures are present in a plant cell, but not in an animal cell? A plant cell contains a
cell wall, chloroplasts, and a large central vacuole, which are not present in an animal cell; these
structures are key features that distinguish plant cells from animal cells.

3. Fill in: Name the organelle or organelles that perform each of the following functions.

A. Chloroplast convert sunlight to chemical energy.

B. The actin, the microtubules, and the microfilaments support the plant cell and help it

to maintain its shape.

C. Plastid store food or pigments.

D. Mitochondrion convert food into energy. They are found in plant and animal cells.

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 Get the Gizmo ready:
Activity C:
● Select the BACTERIAL CELL tab and click
Bacterial cells
Sample.

Question: How are bacterial cells different from plant and animal cells?

1. Label: Locate each organelle in the bacterial cell. Label the organelles in the diagram below.

Capsule Flagellum

Cell Wall Cytoskelet

Cell Ribosome

Nucleoid Pilus

Plasmid Cytoplasm

2. Match: Read about each organelle. Then match each organelle to its function/description.
D Capsule B. Hair-like structure that attaches the cell to a
surface and can transfer genetic material from
C Nucleoid one cell to another.
E Plasmid C. Region inside cell that contains genetic
material but is not surrounded by a nuclear
A Flagellum membrane.
B Pilus D. Outermost layer of the cell that provides
A. Hair-like structure that the cell uses for protection.
movement. E. Circular piece of genetic material.

3. Compare: What structures are present in a bacterial cell, but not in a plant or animal cell?

A bacterial cell contains a cell wall made of peptidoglycan, which is not present in plant or
animal cells.

What structures are present in plant and animal cells, but not in a bacterial cell? Plant and
animal cells contain structures like a nucleus with a nuclear membrane, mitochondria,
endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, and large vacuoles which are not present
in bacterial cells,
 What structures inside plant and animal cells look like bacteria? The structures inside plant
and animal cells that most resemble bacteria are chloroplasts (in plant cells) and mitochondria
(in both plant and animal cells).

Chloroplasts and mitochondria have their own DNA. Long ago, these structures may have
originated as bacteria that were engulfed (eaten) by larger cells.