Honors Organelle Jigsaw
Use sections 4.4-4.18 in your textbook to answer the following questions based on
your assigned groups. You can answer on this paper or on a separate sheet of
notebook paper.
A- 4.4 Essential Question: Why are organelles beneficial/necessary for eukaryotic organisms?
Organelles allow for increased efficiency of the cell due to specialization of each organelle
for a certain function. This allows for the cell to complete increasingly complex functions.
A- 4.5 Nucleus
1. What does the nucleus contain? DNA
2. What is the function of the nucleus? To control the activites of the cell (and keep the
DNA safe)
3. What is the function of DNA? To direct protein synthesis
In what form is it ordinarily found (term for this)? Chromatin (loose and uncoiled)
4. What encloses the nucleus? Nuclear membrane with nuclear pores
What is its function? To regulate what enters and exits the nucleus
5. What is the nucleolus and its function? Structure found inside the nucleus that
produces ribosomes
A- 4.6-4.8: Endoplasmic Reticulum
1. What is the endoplasmic reticulum? Network of flattened membranes
2. What is it connected to? The nucleus
3. Smooth ER
a. Why is it called smooth? Lacks ribosomes on its walls
b. What important substance does it contain in its membrane? Enzymes
c. What are two major functions of the smooth ER (skip Ca storage)?
Synthesize lipids and detoxify the body of drugs/chemicals
4. Rough ER
a. Why is it called rough? Studded with ribosomes
b. What are the two functions of the rough ER? Creates more membrane to add
onto the ER and to modify proteins that pass through the membrane network
c. What is the function of a ribosome? To assemble/create proteins
d. Where does the rough ER send its products? It sends its products (proteins)
in vesicles to the Golgi body
e. What are vesicles? Storage containers that transport materials around and
out of the cell
B- 4.9: Golgi Apparatus
1. What are the functions of the golgi apparatus? Receives, finishes, packages, sorts
and send proteins/products from the ER around the cell or outside of the cell
2. How does the golgi determine where molecules will go? Places chemical labels on
each product
3. What are the functions of the two sides of the golgi apparatus? One sides receives
the proteins and the other side ships the proteins in transport vesicles
B- 4.10 & 4.11: Lysosomes
1.
2.
3.
4.
Lysosomes are produced in plant or animal cells? Animal cells
What do lysosomes contain? Digestive enzymes
Where are lysosomes produced? In the golgi body
What are the 3 functions of a lysosome?
a. Break down broken organelles to recycle their parts
b. Engulf food particles to break them down
c. Help white blood cells attack bacteria
5. How can defective lysosomes result in excess accumulation of a compound in a cell?
They cannot break the substances down and become engorged with the substances.
The substances build up in the cells and inhibit cellular function.
B- 4.12: Vacuoles
1. What is the function of a plant’s central vacuole (NOT SEEN IN ANIMALS)? Store
water mostly (also nutrients/waste products). Primary job is to store water to
support plant cell structure.
2. What is a contractile vacuole used for? To pump water out of a cell (maintain solute
concentrations)
3. In what type of organism is a contractile vacuole found? Freshwater protists
B- 4.13: Endomembrane System
1. How do transport vesicles help tie together the endomembrane (inner membrane)
system? They fuse with the different membranes (ER, golgi body and cell
membrane) and allows the movement of substances between the different parts of
the endomembrane system
C- 4.14: Chloroplast
1. What is photosynthesis? Process of converting sunlight into chemical energy
(sugars)
2. In what type of cells are chloroplasts found? Plants mostly
3. How many membranes does the chloroplast have? 2 (1 inner and outer)
C- 4.15: Mitochondria
1. What process do mitochondria carry out? Explain this process. They carry out
cellular respiration which is essentially converting the chemical energy in foods into
a different chemical energy that the cells can use (ATP)
2. How many membranes does the mitochondria contain? 2 (1 inner and 1 outer)
3. Why do mitochondria contain folds? Increase the surface area to allow for more
chemical reactions to occur
C- 4.16: Cytoskeleton
1. What is the cytoskeleton made of? Proteins
Where is it found in the cell? Found throughout the cytoplasm
2. What are the functions (2) of the cytoskeleton? Provide structural support and help
with cell movement
3. What are the 3 types of fibers found in the cytoskeleton? Microtubules,
microfilaments, and intermediate filaments
4. What is an example of a microfilament? Actin (in muscle cells)
What do they help to support? Cell shape
5. How are microfilaments and intermediate filaments different? Microfilaments=
globular proteins
Intermediate filaments= fibrous proteins
6. What are the functions of intermediate filaments? Reinforce cell shape and organelle
anchoring
7. What are microtubules composed of? Tubulins (globular proteins)
8. What are the functions of microtubules? Provide shape, organ anchorage and
*tracks for organelles to move throughout the cell
D- 4.17: Cilia & Flagella
1. Cilia
a. What are cilia? Hair-like appendages
b. Where are cilia found in the human body? Intestines, respiratory tract
c. What is the function of cilia? Move particles along
2. Flagella
a. What are flagella? Whip like tails
b. Where are flagella found in the human body? Sperm cells
c. What is the function of flagella? For movement of the cell
d. What are both cilia and flagella composed of? Microtubules
D- 4.18: Cell Junctions
1. Why are cell junctions (areas where cells meet) necessary? Need to be connected in
order to communicate and function as a unit
2. What are plasmodesmata? Channels in plants that connect plant cells together
3.
4.
5.
6.
In what types of cells are they found in? Plant cells
What is the function of plasmodesmata? allow water/molecules/messenges to pass
from cell to cell
What are tight junctions and where are they found? Connecting area that binds cells
tightly together, creating a leakproof sheet (digestive tract)
What are anchoring junctions and where are they found? Connect cells together
with strong cytoskeletal sheets to resist stretching or stress from movement(skin &
heart muscle)
What are gap junctions and where are they found? Channels that allow small
molecules to travel between cells (heart mucles, embryos)