Cells
Meredith Thompson
A cell is like…
• A cell is like a mall, because without all
the parts (organelles), nothing would
function right.
Nucleus
• The nucleus is like the customer
service center because it is the center
of control.
Cell Membrane
• The cell membrane is like mall
security, because it regulates what goes
in and out of the cell just like the
security officers make sure no one steals
anything in the mall.
Cell Wall
• The cell wall is like the building,
because it supports, protects, and gives
structure to the cell.
Endoplasmic Reticulum
• The endoplasmic reticulum is like the
hallways in a mall, because it serves as
the passage that carries proteins
throughout the cell, like the people
walking from store to store in the mall.
Golgi Apparatus
• The golgi apparatus is similar to the
store clerks, because it packages and
ships the proteins like the clerk bags
and gives you your items.
Mitochondrion
• The mitochondrion is like the food
court. The food court provides food and
drinks to give people energy, and the
mitochondrion produces the cell’s
energy.
Vacuole
• The vacuole stores waste, food, and
water for the cell. It is like the
warehouse, which stores supplies and
extra goods to be sold.
Ribosomes
• The ribosome of a cell is like the
customers in a mall. The ribosomes
produce the cells’ proteins, which help
the cell survive. Likewise, the
customers in a mall buy the products
and help it stay in business.
Animal vs. Plant Cells
• The main difference between plant and
animal cells are the absence of the
cell wall and chloroplasts in the
animal cell. The plant cells need the
cell wall for structure and support, but
animals have a skeleton that does this
job. Also, chloroplasts are needed in
plant cells to carry out photosynthesis
(to make food), whereas animals do not
make their own food.
Animal vs. Plant Cells (cont.)