Organelles at a glance
Here are the ten structures met across section 6.4 and the function of each. This one table is what division of labour inside a cell amounts to.
| Structure | Function | Found in |
|---|---|---|
| Cell wall | Maintaining shape, support, protection | Plant cells only |
| Plasma membrane | Covering; controlling what enters and leaves | Both |
| Cytoplasm | Giving shape, holding organelles, metabolic processes | Both |
| Nucleus | Controlling the life processes of the cell | Both |
| Mitochondrion | Releasing energy by aerobic respiration | Both |
| Ribosome | Providing the sites for protein synthesis | Both |
| Golgi complex | Producing, packaging and secreting secretory substances | Both |
| Rough endoplasmic reticulum | Transporting proteins | Both |
| Smooth endoplasmic reticulum | Producing and transporting lipids and steroids | Both |
| Vacuole | Water balance, support, colour | Mostly plant cells |
Activity 03
- With the help of your science teacher, identify cells and cell organelles by observing the permanent slides in the laboratory under a light microscope.
- Use electron micrographs to build up an understanding of what cell organelles are like.
How to read the table
Learn each row by "what does it do" rather than by "what is it". When an examination question names an organelle, the middle column is what it is asking for.