The Cell: Structure and Function
Tour the plant and animal cell, from the membrane to the mitochondria, and see what each part does.
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The cell is the unit of life
Every living thing is made of one or more cells. Cells take in nutrients, release energy, respond to their surroundings, and reproduce. Prokaryotic cells (bacteria) have no nucleus; eukaryotic cells — plants, animals, fungi — do.
Key organelles
The nucleus stores DNA and directs activity. Mitochondria release energy from food. Ribosomes build proteins. The endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus process and ship those proteins. The cell membrane controls what enters and leaves.
Plant versus animal cells
Plant cells add three features animal cells lack: a rigid cell wall for support, chloroplasts that carry out photosynthesis, and a large central vacuole that stores water and keeps the cell firm.
