Download Introduction to Cells File

Cells: The building block of life
Cells are the basic unit of life; everything that you as an organism do from
breathing to running to digesting food ultimately is initiated and
processed inside your cells. Your body is a collection of organs like your
heart, stomach, brain and bones. These organs are made of specialized
tissues. For instance in your stomach some tissues produce mucus to
protect the lining of your stomach while some tissues act as muscles to
churn and digest your food. These tissues are made up of individual cells.
This is where the work of your body is done. A human body consists of
trillions of cells, yet some life on earth exists as a single cell. The cell is
the smallest unit that we consider to be alive.
What does it mean to be alive? This is a more complex question tha n it
may seem and the answers vary.
1.
Imagine that you’ve been handed a specimen from an unknown origins and your task is
determine if it is alive or if it is non-living (meaning it was never alive). What are some
characteristics you might look for?
2. Take a sheet of computer paper. One one side draw an animal cell (in pencil) on the other draw
a plant cell. WITHOUT LOOKING AT ANY INTERNET SOURCES. Add in all the organelles that you
can from memory and annotate the diagram with a bullet point or two about the organelles’
functions.
3. Go to the Cells Alive! Website: http://www.cellsalive.com/cells/cell_model.htm
Look at the plant and animal cell and start familiarizing yourself with the structures and
organelles inside the cell. Complete the following:
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Correct any mistakes you’ve made in either the structure or function of the organelles
you’ve draw and described
Add all additional organelles to your drawings
Include a label and BRIEF description of each organelle. You are NOT simply copying the
entire text of the website, you are finding the main function of each organelle and
summarizing the information in a bullet point or two.
Questions: Try to do these questions without using the internet (unless directed to do so).
1. Do an internet search for “characteristics of living things” and see what definitions pop up.
Although the exact definitions will vary, what are some core common characteristics (6 or 7)?
2. What structures does a plant cell have that an animal cell does not?
3. Why do you think a plant cell needs a cell wall?
4. Why do you think a plant cell needs a large central vacuole?
5. Why don’t animals need chloroplasts?
6. What is the function of DNA (use google if you need to)?
7. Where is DNA found in the cell?
8. What’s the difference between smooth endoplasmic reticulum and rough endoplasmic
reticulum?