Biology Vocabulary: Cell Organelles

General Vocab:

cell membrane: protective layer around the cell that controls what substances go in and out of the cell.
cell wall: helps to protect and support the cell. Made of a strong material called cellulose. Many materials can pass
through the cell wall, including water and oxygen.
cytoplasm: the region (area) between the cell membrane and the nucleus made of a gel-like fluid that is constantly moving. The organelles float in this area.
nuclear envelope: a membrane that surrounds and protects the nucleus.
nucleus: the “brain” or “control center” of the cell. The nucleus directs all of the activities in the cell.
chromatin: strands of genetic material which are located in the nucleus. Chromatin are the “messages” which direct cell functions.
nucleolus: a structure inside the nucleus where ribosomes are made.
mitochondria: “power houses” of the cell. They convert energy from food molecules to energy the cell can use to carry out its functions. They turn food into energy.
endoplasmic reticulum (ER): has passage ways that carry proteins and other materials from one part of the cell to another. Rough endoplasmic reticulum has ribosomes and smooth endoplasmic reticulum has no ribosomes.
ribosomes: “factories” that produce protein.
golgi bodies: the cell’s “mail room.” Receive proteins and other newly formed materials from the endoplasmic
reticulum, package them, and distribute them to other parts of the cell.
vacuoles: an organelle that acts as a “storage” area in the
cell. It stores water, food, and waste.
lysosome: the “clean up crew” of the cell. Small, round structures containing chemicals that break unwanted materials or dying organelles in the cell.
chloroplast: found in plant cells. Chloroplasts capture energy from sunlight and use it to produce food for the cell. They contain chlorophyll, which makes leaves green.