Describe the cell wall
- Tough outer covering that lies outside the cell
- Nonliving; thicker than the cell membrane; gives shape and support
- Only in plant cells
Describe the cell membrane
- The living boundary of a cell
- Flexible - allows the cell to change shape
- Selectively permeable to certain substances
- Controls which molecules enter and leave
Describe cytoplasm
- A clear gel-like fluid surrounded by the cell membrane
2. Place where many important life processes occur
Describe endoplasmic reticulum
- A folded network of membranes within the cytoplasm
- Provides a way for substances to move
- Place where many many cell processes, such as photosynthesis, occur
Describe a vacuole
- A space, surrounded by a membrane, for the temporary storage or water and other substances
- Usually one large vacuole in a plant cell; small and more numerous vacuoles in animal cells
Describe a nucleus
- Usually the largest organelle in a cell
- Surrounded by a nuclear membrane
- Contains necessary info to control the functions of the cell
Describe a mitochondria
- Organelles found in the cytoplasm that use oxygen to release energy from food molecules during cellular respiration
Describe chloroplast
- An organelle in the cytoplasm that contains green chlorophyll
- Chlorophyll transforms energy from sunlight to make food
Describe the cell theory
- All organisms are made of one or more cells
- A cell is the basic unit of life that can perform the processes necessary for life
- All cells come from cells that already exist
Describe the shape of a plant cell
Rectangular
Describe a chromosome
- Tightly wound sections of DNA
- Directs life processes
- Usually occur in pairs
Describe the shape of an animal cell
Irregular; shaped to fit the function of the cell
State the steps in the cell cycle
Interphase, mitosis, and cytokinesis
Describe interphase
- Phase where the cell grows and carries out life functions
- Changes take place to prepare for cell division
- Near the end of interphase, the DNA of the cell is duplicated so each new daughter cell gets a complete set of chromosomes
What are the four steps of mitosis?
Prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase
What takes place during mitosis?
Mitosis is the first phase of cell division. This is when the nucleus divides. Half of the chromosomes of the parent cell are passed to each cell. The result is that each new cell produced has the same amount of chromosomes
