25 pts. Answer this Text-Dependent Question Please!
Part A: Identify organelle X. State the process that this organelle performs. (1 point) Part B: Identify two materials that are needed for this process to occur, and then identify one molecule produced by this organelle and explain why it is important to the organism. (3 points)
Answers
Answer:
What is a cell
Right now your body is doing a million things at once. It’s sending electrical impulses, pumping blood, filtering urine, digesting food, making protein, storing fat, and that’s just the stuff you’re not thinking about! You can do all this because you are made of cells — tiny units of life that are like specialized factories, full of machinery designed to accomplish the business of life. Cells make up every living thing, from blue whales to the archaebacteria that live inside volcanos. Just like the organisms they make up, cells can come in all shapes and sizes. Nerve cells in giant squids can reach up to 12m [39 ft] in length, while human eggs (the largest human cells) are about 0.1mm across. Plant cells have protective walls made of cellulose (which also makes up the strings in celery that make it so hard to eat) while fungal cell walls are made from the same stuff as lobster shells. However, despite this vast range in size, shape, and function, all these little factories have the same basic machinery.
There are two main types of cells, prokaryotic and eukaryotic. Prokaryotes are cells that do not have membrane bound nuclei, whereas eukaryotes do. The rest of our discussion will strictly be on eukaryotes. Think about what a factory needs in order to function effectively. At its most basic, a factory needs a building, a product, and a way to make that product. All cells have membranes (the building), DNA (the various blueprints), and ribosomes (the production line), and so are able to make proteins (the product - let’s say we’re making toys). This article will focus on eukaryotes, since they are the cell type that contains organelles.
A diagram representing the cell as a factory. The cell membrane is represented as the "factory walls." The nucleus of a cell is represented as the "blueprint room." The ribosome is represented as the "production room" and the final protein made by the ribosome is represented as the "product."
A diagram representing the cell as a factory. The cell membrane is represented as the "factory walls." The nucleus of a cell is represented as the "blueprint room." The ribosome is represented as the "production room" and the final protein made by the ribosome is represented as the "product."
What’s found inside a cell
An organelle (think of it as a cell’s internal organ) is a membrane bound structure found within a cell. Just like cells have membranes to hold everything in, these mini-organs are also bound in a double layer of phospholipids to insulate their little compartments within the larger cells. You can think of organelles as smaller rooms within the factory, with specialized conditions to help these rooms carry out their specific task (like a break room stocked with goodies or a research room with cool gadgets and a special air filter). These organelles are found in the cytoplasm, a viscous liquid found within the cell membrane that houses the organelles and is the location of most of the action happening in a cell. Below is a table of the organelles found in the basic human cell, which we’ll be using as our template for this discussion.
Organelle Function Factory part
Nucleus DNA Storage Room where the blueprints are kept
Mitochondrion Energy production Powerplant
Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum (SER) Lipid production; Detoxification Accessory production - makes decorations for the toy, etc.
Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (RER) Protein production; in particular for export out of the cell Primary production line - makes the toys
Golgi apparatus Protein modification and export Shipping department
Peroxisome Lipid Destruction; contains oxidative enzymes Security and waste removal
Lysosome Protein destruction Recycling and security
Diagram of a cell highlighting the membrane bound organelles mentioned in the table above.
Diagram of a cell highlighting the membrane bound organelles mentioned in the table above.
Nucleus
Explanation: