All cells share several characteristics that are essential to life.
• Plasma membrane (cell membrane)
– Location: The outer edge that
surrounds the cell and separates
it from its environment.
– Structure: A double layer of
molecules that is flexible
– Function : Regulates the
exchange of materials in and out
of the cell.
• Cytoplasm
– Location: Everything that is inside of the cell membrane
but outside of the nucleus.
– Function: Many important
chemical reactions necessary
for the cell’s survival occur in
the cytoplasm
• Cytoplasm
– Structure: It is made of cytosol and organelles
Cytosol: A gel-like liquid
made of water, dissolved
salts and organic molecules
Organelles: structures
inside the cell that have a
specific function and are
usually membrane bound.
• Ribosomes
– Location: Found throughout the cytoplasm
– Structure: The smallest organelles inside of a cell
– Function: Use
information from DNA
to assemble proteins
» They form peptide
bonds between
individual amino
acids to make
polypeptide chains.