St.

lucy’s school
Eva Torres 11/5/2023
Science 6th grade

All living organisms are made up of cells. Each cell, in turn, is made up of components, or parts.
Each part has a specific function. All plants, since they are living organisms, are made of cells. Plant
cells therefore make up plants. Plants have different cells and components than other organisms
because they perform different functions in the ecosystem. There is a correlation between form and
function. So because there is a specific function for plant cells, they will have a specific form.

Plants are eukaryotic organisms, meaning that their cell nucleus has a membrane around them.
This nuclear wall or envelope is selectively permeable, meaning only certain things are allowed
through it, like proteins or RNA.

One specific difference between plant and animal cells is the function of photosynthesis.

This is a chemical process that allows the plant, with energy from light, to turn carbon dioxide and
water into sugars that they use for energy. They also produce oxygen as a byproduct, which is
necessary for other organisms. Plants are an integral part of any ecosystem.

Parts of a Plant Cell

What are the parts of a plant cell? Besides a nucleus that holds all the plant's DNA, there are other
organelles that every plant cell has. Each organelle performs its function so that the plant can thrive
and grow. There are then specialized organelles that only some cells have because it is part of their
specific function. Root cells are not going to have chloroplasts in them because roots do not soak up
sunlight to fuel photosynthesis.

There are some organelles that are specific to plant cells, some that are specific to animal cells, and
some that they both share. The following is a list and short description of plant cell parts and
functions. Any physical part is part of plant cell anatomy. Each description will include a relevant
plant cell parts labeled picture.

The parts of a plant cell and plant cell components, which will be discussed, are plant cell wall, plant
cell membrane, smooth endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes, rough endoplasmic reticulum, vacuole,

Cell Wall
The outermost portion of a plant cell is the cell wall. This is also a part that animal cells do not have.
The function of a cell wall is to give the cell rigidity and support, as well as allow for the circulation of
water and minerals. When a vegetable is bitten into, it gives off a nice crunchy sound. This is due to
the cell wall. The cell wall is made up of complex polysaccharides (poly-many, saccharide-sugar) like
pectin and glycan, along with some microfibers. The cell wall also helps fight off disease by being
another barrier between the outside and the inside of the cell.

The cell wall was easily distinguishable even to early microscopes. In the 1600s, an English botanist
named Robert Hooke identified cell walls in samples of cork. He coined the term "cells" because
they looked like the rooms monks would reside in in monasteries.

In some cases, there is a primary cell wall and a secondary cell wall. The primary cell wall is more
pliant than the secondary, allowing for plant growth. The secondary cell wall usually develops inside
the primary wall once the plant stops growing.

Cell Membrane
Every cell has a cell membrane, whether it be a plant or animal. A cell membrane is a division
between the outside environment and the inside protoplasm of the cell. The cell membrane is made
up of phospholipids and proteins; it is said to be a lipoprotein layer. The cell membrane is also called
the cytomembrane or plasma membrane. It allows for the passage of certain compounds through
channels that are highly regulated, therefore it is a semipermeable layer.

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a network of tubules and sacs that is spread out through the
cytoplasm of a cell. Its main function is to synthesize lipids and proteins for the cell; either for its use
or to transport out. It also makes membranes, especially for the cell membrane, mitochondria, Golgi,
and the ER itself. It makes itself! Smooth ER can contribute to 10% of the cell's contents. The
synthesis of proteins and lipids happens inside the smooth ER, called the ER lumen. The lumenal
space is separate from the cytoplasm.

Ribosomes
Ribosomes are very small organelles that aid in the synthesizing of proteins. They can either be
attached to the ER or free-floating in the cytoplasm. Ribosomes pull together the components of
proteins (amino acids) and lipids and bond them together to make the larger compound. They also
aid in the folding of proteins. Ribosomes that are free-floating synthesize proteins that have been
coded by the cell's genes.

Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum

Ribosomes that are attached to the ER make that portion of the ER into rough ER. The ribosomes
are attached to the outside or cytoplasm side of the ER, holding chains of proteins together as they
are being synthesized and then moved to the ER lumen. They put chains of amino acids together
before they pass through to the inside. As the proteins and lipids are finished being made in the ER,
they then leave the ER in pinched-off pieces of membrane, called vesicles.

Vacuole
Plant cells need to store large amounts of fluid in their cells. They do this in an organelle called a
central vacuole. It is essentially a large bladder resting in the cytosol, surrounded by a membrane
called tonoplast. Vacuoles are much more numerous in plant cells than in animal cells. Vacuoles can
take up to 80% of the cell's volume. The two main functions of vacuoles are to store water and
nutrients and provide turgor pressure. This pressure is exerted on the walls and the outside
membranes of the cell, giving it rigidity and shape. Many vesicles can combine to form a larger
vacuole.

Nucleus
The "brain" of every cell is the nucleus. This is where the genes and genetic information of the cell
reside. The expression of these genes gives rise to the proteins, lipids, vitamins, compounds, and
everything else that is needed and made by the cell. The nucleus regulates metabolism and growth.

The nucleus is made up of two main parts: the nuclear envelope and the nucleoplasm. The nuclear
envelope is a double membrane with two layers and many portals. The rough ER of the cell meshes
with the nuclear envelope. The double membrane is there to keep things out as well as keep things
in. It is important that nothing gets into the nucleus that does not belong as it could cause damage or
mutation to the cell's DNA. This would cause the cell to malfunction and ultimately perish.

The nucleoplasm holds the nucleolus and chromatin. Chromatin is efficiently packed into DNA during
mitosis. The nucleolus facilitates the synthesis of ribosomes, which in turn synthesize proteins.
During mitosis, which is the process of doubling the DNA so a cell can reproduce asexually, the
nuclear envelope dissolves, allowing the old cell to become two new cells with the same genetic
material.

Peroxisome
Certain vesicles have specific functions. Peroxisomes are vesicles that metabolize carbohydrates
and lipids. These break down into components, along with the byproduct hydrogen peroxide (thus
the name). Peroxisomes also have a catalase that breaks hydrogen peroxide down into hydrogen
and oxygen, making it safe to be released into the cytoplasm.

Golgi Apparatus
The Golgi Apparatus works similarly to a post office. This network of discs and sheets sort, modify,
separate, package, and transport proteins and lipids. The Golgi works closely with rough ER to get
the synthesized compounds to the right places. Those vesicles can either go somewhere else in the
cell, to the cell membrane for repair or transported out of the cell altogether.

And that is how you do a project BOOM!!