Due to the large amount of different types of cells, each one varies differently in it's counterpart which allows the cells to perform different functions. The cell membrane is the outside boundary of of animal and protist cells or on the outer edge of the cytoplasm. plant cells do not have the cell membrane, and what it does is it helps to support the cells structure and provide a strong barrier around the cell to protect it. The membrane has a lipid bilayer, and it also contains proteins and carbohydrates to support the cells functions. Also, the cell membrane is selectively permeable and allows certain things to enter and leave the cell, and if something is too big to fit the cell will break apart and then repair itself, but that takes energy.
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This image shows the basic parts of the cell and how the proteins and its layers interact with each one another.
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Cytoplasm is a thick, putty like substance that contains material within the cell, but it does not contain the nucleus. In a prokaryotic cell , which do not have a nuclei, all of the cells contents will be stored within the cytoplasm. The cytoplasm contains structures that help the cell function or do individual functions, and they are called organelles. One purpose of the cytoplasm is to establish a cells living condition and to supply and transport the necessary materials for cell activity.
The Cells Brain
The nucleus is like a cells brain, or the control center in a factory, and can be found in all cells other than bacteria cells, and it is often the most prominent structure in the cell. A cells nucleus has a lot of important functions that it oversees, and the a cell needs the nucleus to dictate a cells vital functions. Some of the jobs that the nucleus does is to control cell processes, and contain the codes for proteins, and one of the more important functions, contains the cells DNA so that it may reproduce. Without a nucleus to control the cells functions and to create new proteins, the cell couldn't do it's tasks or even continue to function.
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However the nucleus isn't the only part of the cell that helps the cells function. Mitochondria, which appears all throughout the cytoplasm of a cell, which using organelles to give the cell energy. It gives that energy by releasing it in the form of ATP from stored food molecules, such as glucose. Because mitochondria is responsible for part of the cells energy, there tends to be more of them in cells that have high energy requirements. Something else that is interesting about mitochondria is that they contain some of their own genetic material, DNA, that is essential for them to complete their function.
Many of the cells functions are run by individual parts of the cell, that only do one or two functions, and that is no different when it comes to the endoplasmic reticulum, or E.R. The endoplasmic reticulum extends from the nuclear envelope of a cell to transport materials. The one thing that is different about the endoplasmic reticulum is that there are two types; Rough endoplasmic reticulum and smooth endoplasmic reticulum, and each does a different function on top of transportation. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum, which doesn't contain ribosomes contains extra enzymes that create lipids which are used all over the cell, one instance of that is in the cell membrane. Rough endoplasmic reticulum which does contain ribosomes, modifies proteins for secretion.
Smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum
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Unlike the smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes are more like a helping hand in the cell cog machine. The ribosomes, which are located in the nucleus, cytoplasm, and rough endoplasmic reticulum have a very busy and important job. Ribosomes, using instructions sent from the nucleus, have to create specific proteins when the cell needs them, using the coded instructions they receive. Most of the protein cells that are located within the cell are created specifically by the ribosomes for specific and important jobs.
Many parts of the cell contain smaller, sections such as vacuoles, which are sac-like structures located in the cytoplasm. Animals and protists have a large number of small, vacuoles, which do a number of functions. First, they act like a storage container at a factory. The vacuoles store and protect important resources such as water, salts, proteins and carbohydrates. This allows the various parts of the cells that need the resources to quickly and easily access them whenever they need it. Also, there are contractile vacuoles, which remove excess water from the cell, so that it doesn't become too large and heavy to function.
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To prevent the cell from dieing because it becomes too large and unable to sustain itself, the cell has a unique part of it called the lysosomes. Lysosomes are organelles that are contained within the golgi apparatus of animal cells. They contain digestive enzymes (acid hydrolases), which are used to digest and remove macromolecules and other waste products that the cell produces. Lysosomes are named after the Greek work "lysis" which means destruction and "soma" which means body.
Within the living cells there is the golgi apparatus, which is also called the golgi complex, that helps store and ship proteins and other necessary building blocks. The golgi apparatus and is located near the endoplasmic reticulum and the nucleus. It does multiple functions, and each one is very important to the cell. First, the golgi apparatus stacks membranes that are produced by the rough endoplasmic reticulum. Also, it contains enzymes that attach carbohydrates and lipids to proteins, then sends them off to their final destination. You can think of the golgi apparatus as a packing and shipping plant, such as U.P.S. or FedEx, as it receives and then takes the materials and packages them all together and then sends them off to do their jobs. The golgi apparatus is made up of long bent cisternae. These cisternae are in a semicircular shape, and are flat discs.
The golgi apparatus is also known as the golgi complex.
Although the animal cell has a lot of functions and parts that other cells do not, the plants cells have an advantage against the animal cells. Plant, bacteria and fungi cells all have a cell wall, which does two important jobs. The cell wall, like the cell membrane, helps to support the cell. First, it provides support and protection for the cell, so that it doesn't break. Also, it helps to maintain the cell's shape so that it doesn't deform. Another similarity to the cell membrane is that it's the outer most boundary within the cell.
Chloroplast is argued to be one of the most important part of a plant, as this allows to make food and survive. Chloroplasts, which are located in the cytoplasm of plants, and found in some protists and bacteria, helps create and support the entire ecosystem, as plants can make their own food because of their chloroplasts. Plants use the energy from sunlight and make energy-rich glucose, which is a sugar, which is called photosynthesis. Chloroplast also contains DNA coding that allows the chloroplast to function.
Centrioles are very important organelles that occur only in animal cells, and unlike a lot of the other functions, are only used at a specific time, during cell division. During cell division when everything in the cell is being duplicated in a very important delicate procedure, the centrioles, which are paired structures in the outside the nuclear envelope of the cytoplasm. When the cell beings to separate the centrioles move to the outside of the nucleus on opposite sides. Then, when the new chromosomes are being created and copied, the centrioles help organize the spindle that separates the the chromosomes.