Cell Organelles

Plasma Membrane: membrane that surrounds the cell.

Nucleus: central core that controls the cell. Contains the DNA and determines the
function of the cell.

Nuclear Envelope: double membrane that surrounds the nucleus and is perforated
by pores.

Nucleolus: nonmembranous organelle that helps with the production of ribosomes; a

nucleus has one or more nucleoli

Chromatin: material consisting of DNA and proteins.

Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER): Network of membranous sacks and tubes; active in

membrane synthesis and other synthetic metabolic processes; has rough (ribosome’s
– studded) and smooth regions.

Rough ER: Region of ER that is studded with ribosomes

Smooth ER: Region of the ER that is not studded with ribosomes

Ribosomes: nonmembranous organelle (small brown dots) that make proteins; free in
cytoplasm or bound to rough ER or nuclear envelope

Golgi Apparatus: organelle active in synthesis, modification, sorting, and secretion

of cell products

Mitochondria: organelle where cellular respiration occurs and most ATP is generated

Lysosome: organelle that helps to digest macromolecules using hydrolysis.

Peroxisome: organelle with various specialized metabolic functions; produces

hydrogen peroxide

Centrioles: help organize microtubule assemblies. An animal cell usually has a pair of
centrioles involved in cell division

Microtubules: hollow tubes that maintain cell shape, organelle movement,

chromosome movements in cell division and the motion of cells.

Microfilaments: maintains cell shape, changes a cell’s shape, muscle contraction,

cytoplasmic streaming, cell movement, and cell division

Flagellum (flagella): organelle present in some animal cells made up of membrane

enclosed microtubules that help cell movement

Centrosome: regions where the cell’s microtubules are initiated; in an animal cell,
contains a pair of centrioles (function unknown)