Plant cell anatomy

Nucleus DNA

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) contains the genetic information for cells to grow, live, perform their functions, and reproduce.

Cell wall

In addition to cell membranes, plants have cell walls. Cell walls provide protection and support for plants. Unlike cell membranes, materials cannot get through cell walls. This would be a problem for plant cells if not for special openings called plasmodesmata.

Nucleolus

Inside the nucleus is another organelle called the nucleolus. The nucleolus is responsible for making ribosomes.

Mitochondrion

Mitochondria are the cell's powerhouses. These organelles package the energy of food into ATP molecules. Every type of cell has a different amount of mitochondria. There are more mitochondria in cells that have to perform lots of work, for example your leg muscle cells and heart muscle cells. Other cells need less energy to do their work and have fewer mitochondria.

Vacuole

Plant cells have what looks like a very large empty space in the middle. This space is called the vacuole. The vacuole contains large amounts of water and stores other important materials such as sugars, ions, and pigments.

Rough ER

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a network of membranes found in the cytoplasm of the cell. There are two types, rough and smooth. It is called rough when there are ribosomes attached. The rough endoplasmic reticulum is where most protein synthesis occurs in the cell.

Smooth ER

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a network of membranes throughout the cytoplasm of the cell. There are two types, rough and smooth. It is called smooth when there are no ribosomes attached. The smooth endoplasmic reticulum makes lipids in the cell. The smooth ER also helps to process or detoxify harmful substances found in the cell.

cell membrane

The membrane that separates the inside of the cell from the rest of its environment, made of two layers of lipids. Also known as the plasma membrane.

Nucleus

The nucleus is the control center of the cell. It is the largest organelle in the cell and it contains most of the DNA of the cell.

Golgi complex

The organelle that sorts and ships the proteins produced in the ER. Just like our postal packages, which should have a correct shipping address, the proteins produced in the ER should be correctly sent to their respective addresses. It is a very important step in protein synthesis. If the Golgi complex makes a mistake in shipping the proteins to the right address, certain functions in the cell may stop. This organelle was named after an Italian physician - Camillo Golgi. He was the first person to describe this organelle in the cell.

Peroxisome

These collect and safely break down chemicals that are toxic to the cell.

Chloroplast

This is the organelle in which photosynthesis takes place. In this organelle, light energy from the sun is converted into chemical energy. Chloroplasts are found mostly in plant cells. The chemical energy that is produced by chloroplasts is used to make carbohydrates like starch that are stored in the plant. Chloroplasts contain tiny pigments called chlorophylls. Chlorophylls are responsible for trapping light energy from the sun.

Vesicle

This term literally means "small vessel". This organelle helps store and transport products produced by the cell. The vesicles are the transport and delivery vehicles like our mail and Federal Express trucks. Some vesicles deliver materials to parts of the cell and others transport materials outside the cell in a process called exocytosis.