Cell Structure


This is an outline of material presented in the lecture on cell structure. Be sure to read Chapter 2 of our text and to compare the terms in this outline to the drawing presented in class or provided by the text.

Cytoplasm: area of the cell outside of the nuclear membrane
Nucleoplasm: area of the cell within the nucleus
Chromatin: dispersed genetic material within the interphase nucleus
Nucleolus: a condensed area(s) of material within the interphase nucleus; believed responsible for formation of t-RNA
Nuclear Membrane: a double membrane surrounding the nucleoplasm and possessing nuclear pores
Centrioles: organelles from which the spindle apparatus arises; a single structure until division begins
Endoplasmic Reticulum: network of cytoplasmic tubules believed to be major site of protein formation and packaging as well as facilitator of chemical communication between the interior and exterior of the cell
Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (RER): portion of the endoplasmic reticulum believed responsible for protein synthesis
Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum (SER): portion of the endoplasmic reticulum believed responsible for packaging protein or at least moving it from rough endoplasmic reticulum toward the Golgi Apparatus
Golgi Apparatus: area of lysosome formation and protein accumulation (packaging)
Vacuole: single-membrane bound area containing fluid, food, debris or a combination of these
Mitochondrion: double-membrane bound organelle responsible for cellular respiration (the Krebs or TCA cycle occurs here)