CELL
STRUCTURE
Vocabulary
Cell Theory
All organisms are made of one or more cells.
The cell is the basic unit of all living things.
All cells come from existing cells.
Prokaryotic Cells
(Prokaryotes)
A cell that does not have an organized
nucleus or membrane bound organelles.
Examples: Eubacteria and Archaebacteriasimple single celled organisms
Eukaryotic Cells
(Eukaryotes)
 A cell that does have a membrane bound nucleus
and organelles. Eukaryotic cells are much more
organized.
 Examples: Plants, Fungus, Animals
Cell Membrane
A layer that covers a cell’s surface and acts
as a barrier between the inside and outside of
the cell. The cell membrane has control over
that goes into and out of the cell.
Nucleus
Organelle that contains the DNA of the cellThe nucleus controls all of the cell’s actions
and processes (“Brain”)
Cytoplasm
The gel-like fluid found inside the cell that
contains all the organelles, it makes up most
of the inside of the cell.
Organelle
 The small “organs” or bodies found in a cells
cytoplasm
 Most of the rest of the vocabulary words
are organelles
Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)
A series of folded membranes that assist in
the production of proteins.
The ER’s main purpose is to move
substances around inside the cell.
Ribosome
Often found on the ER the ribosomes
actually make the proteins. These are the
smallest and most abundant organelles found
inside the cell.
Golgi Body- (Golgi Complex)
Packages, modifies, and distributes proteins
throughout the cell and often outside the
cell.
Mitochondria
The main power source of the cell. It breaks
down sugars to produce energy for the cell.
Lysosome
Contain digestive enzymes that break down
food particles.
Also destroys old and worn-out cell parts
and helps get rid of the waste.
Cell wall
Found only in plant, fungi, and some
bacteria cells. The cell wall is a rigid
structure that surrounds the cell membrane to
give the cell structure and support.
Chloroplast
 Organelles in plant and algae cells
where photosynthesis takes place.
Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll
which gives plants their green color.
Tissue
 A group of similar cells that work
together to perform a specific job or
function.
Organ
A structure that is made up of two or
more tissues working together to
perform a specific function
Nuclear membrane
 A membrane much like the cell
membrane that surrounds the nucleus.
The nuclear membrane contains pores
that allow messages to pass from the
nucleus to the cytoplasm
Vesicle
 A small sac that surrounds material to
be moved into or out of the cell.
 Material can be transported or simply
stored inside these vesicles
Vacuoles
Large vesicles used to store digestive
enzymes in animal cells and water in
plant cells.
Chromatin / Chromosome
The hereditary material (blueprint) for
the cell made up of DNA
Found inside the Nucleus in Eukaryotic
cells and simply floating in the cytoplasm
in Prokaryotes.