the Plant Cell

1. the Plant Cell This PowerPoint is to show our knowledge of cell structure and function to show how a cell works as a living organism

2. Contents… Golgi Bodies Cell Membrane Cell Wall Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum Chloroplasts Vacuole Ribosomes Mitochondria Peroxisome Cytoplasm Nucleus Nucleolus Lysosomes Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum

3. Nucleus • The Nucleus is a highly important part of a cell. One of the nucleus’ jobs is to act as the administrative and control centre of the cell. As well as that it holds the genetic material of the cell and coordinates the cells activities such as growth, metabolism, protein synthesis, and reproduction/ cell division. • If the Nucleus was missing from the cell, the cell would have no control over what was happening. There would be no order of operation and the cell would not be able to function.

4. Chloroplasts • Chloroplasts are organelles within a plant cell that turn light energy into chemical energy to be used as food for the plant, through the process of photosynthesis. Chloroplasts are a form of plastid and can be found on any part of a plant that is green including stems and unripened fruit but the bulk of photosynthesis is carries out in the leaves. Chloroplasts contain pigments of chlorophyll and chlorophyll b which are able to soak up the light energy required for photosynthesis. • If there were no chloroplasts within a cell, the cell would not be able to produce most of the food needed for it to stay alive.

5. Cell Wall • The Cell Wall is made of a complex sugar called cellulose which acts as a container that holds the cell together and keeps it rigid so it can stay standing. It also gives a semi-permeable membrane that allows water, minerals, and other nutrients to pass through holes called plasmodesmata, and holds specialized molecule that control growth and protect the plant from disease. • If there wasn’t a cell wall, the cell wouldn’t be able to hold its shape, rigidity or contents. It also would not be able to excrete waste that it had built up or protect the cell from disease.

6. Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum • The Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) is a very essential organelle as it is important in the synthesis and packaging of protein. Attached to the ER are smaller organelles called ribosomes which builds an amino acid chain (an ingredient in protein) that is pushed into the ER to be further processed until completed. Once completed the ER bunches up a vesicle that is sent to the Golgi bodies and then to the cell membrane. • Without the Endoplasmic Reticulum the cell would not be able to synthesize or package proteins essential for survival.

7. Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum • The Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum is an organelle used for storage. It creates and stores steroids, stores ion solutions that will be used in the future, is involved with the making of lipids (fats), are the building blocks for carbohydrate metabolism, and the detoxification of drugs and poisons. • Without the Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum the cell would not be able to store chemicals essential to the cell.

8. Mitochondria • The Mitochondria are organelles that act as a digestive system. Nutrients are taken in broken down and used to create energy for the cell. This process of creating energy within a cell is called cellular respiration and most of the reactions needed for this process take place in the mitochondria. Within the mitochondria there is fluid called the matrix. When cellular respiration takes place matrix is filled with water and proteins. Those proteins take food molecules and combine them with oxygen. The mitochondria are the only place in the cell where oxygen can be combined with the food molecules. After the oxygen is added, the material can be digested. They are working organelles that keep the cell full of energy. • With no mitochondria nutrients would not be able to be broken down to form energy that the plant needs to survive.

9. Cell Membrane • The cell membrane is a thin film that lines the inside of the cell wall. It is made from proteins and phospholipids. The phosphor lipids make up the baglike shape and the proteins are positioned by the holes to aid movement in and out. The cell membranes job is to keep everything needed within the cell and to keep everything else out. The cell membrane has tiny holes in it that allows certain molecules move in and out. • If there was no cell membrane within a cell then the cell would have no control over what enters and exits the cell. Meaning that viruses and other pests could easily get in. Also other organelles could be at risk of exiting the cell.

10. Cytoplasm • The cytoplasm is the fluid within the cell that suspends all the organelles. It contains sugars, amino acids, enzymes and fatty acids all in solution. As well as suspending the organelles, the cytoplasm is used to break down larger molecules into products that can be used by the cell, for example glucose can be found within the cell. Enzymes break down the molecules into a substance called pyruvate which can be used for fuel inside the mitochondria. • Without the cytoplasm inside the cell, all the organelles would be thrown around but with the cytoplasm they float and can connect with other organelles to carry out their role. Also without the cytoplasm molecules like glucose would not be able to be broken down and would be wasted.

11. Lysosomes • The lysosomes are small organelles whose main purpose is to digest food. They contain enzymes created by the cell. The enzyme proteins are first made in the rough endoplasmic reticulum. The proteins made are packed up and sent to the Golgi bodies. The Golgi then works to create the digestive enzymes needed and breaks off a tiny, very particular vesicle. That vesicle is a lysosome. After creation the lysosomes float around the cell until needed. When food is absorbed into the cell the lysosomes set about to digest it, they attach to the source and release enzymes the enzymes then break down the complex molecules e.g. sugars and proteins. If the cell needs food the lysosomes will digest the organelles within the cell for nutrients. • If there wasn’t a lysosome within the cell, the cell would not be able to break down the nutrients from food, needed to survive and the cell would perish.

12. Peroxisome • The peroxisome is a small vesicle found within the cell. It has a single membrane and contains digestive oxidative enzymes that break down toxic materials within the cell but require oxygen. Their enzymes attack complex molecules and break them down into smaller molecules. Peroxisomes attract nutrients that the cell has gained, play a part in the way organisms digest alcohol, and digest fatty acids. They also play a role in cholesterol synthesis and the digestion of amino acids. • Without the peroxisomes the cell would not be able to control toxic materials that had been taken in, or carry out cholesterol synthesis.

13. Vacuoles • The vacuole is a large bubble found in the cell used for storage. It stores food, nutrients, water, and even waste products in an attempt to protect the cell from contagion. Eventually, those waste products would be sent out of the cell. Vacuoles are made up of a large sac-like membrane with fluid inside. The vacuoles when full are used to make the cell turgid (stiff) which helps the plant to stay rigid and standing as they have no skeleton to hold them up. When the vacuole absorbs waste products it breaks them down into substances that are harmless to the cell and then exports them out of the cell. • The vacuoles are very useful to the cell. Without them they would not be able to store food or water, waste products would be free around the cell and eventually contaminate it and the plant would not be able to hold itself up without the turgor of the organelle.

14. Golgi Bodies • The Golgi bodies are organelles that are used for the packaging or simple molecules, named after Italian biologist Camillo Golgi. The Golgi bodies collect up small molecules and process them into larger, more complex molecules. It then packages them in vesicles and either uses them, sends them out of the cell or stores them for later. Golgi bodies are used to create lysosomes. The vesicles are created in the same way the ER does it. The vesicles are pinched off the membranes and float through the cell. The Golgi bodies work with the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER). The RER creates vesicles called transition vesicles and the releases them into the cell to be absorbed by the Golgi bodies who works at the contents of the vesicle to create a secretory vesicle which is then sent to the cell membrane and then out of the cell. • If there were no Golgi bodies within the cell then molecules would not be able to be condensed packaged and saved for the future. Furthermore the lysosomes would not be able to be created to digest food.

15. Ribosomes • The Ribosomes are the protein builders or the protein synthesizers of the cell. They are in charge of connecting the amino acid molecules to form long chains. Ribosomes are all over the cell. They can be found floating in the cytoplasm. Those floating ribosomes make proteins that will be used inside of the cell. They are also found on the Endoplasmic reticulum which is how it derives the name rough endoplasmic reticulum as it appears bumpy under a microscope. • Without the ribosomes the cell would not be able to form the proteins that it needs for food.

16. Nucleolus • The nucleolus is a roughly spherical ball found inside the nucleus. The nucleolus works to create ribosomes. Those ribosomes move out of the nucleus to either float in the cytoplasm or join onto the endoplasmic reticulum to carry out protein synthesis. • Without the nucleolus the cell would not be able to receive the ribosomes needed for protein synthesis and food would not be created.