Eukaryotic cells
Eukaryotic cells are any cell with a membrane bound nucleus. The term 'Eukaryote' comes from the the greek meaning trully nuclear[1]. Eukaryotes include animal and plant cells. These tend to be highly specialised for function within large multicellular organisms (e.g. Mammals)
Eukaryotic cells contain many compartments, known as organelles. These organelles are membrane bound, allowing segregation of activities.
The main organelles are:
- Nucleus - Contains DNA
- Endoplasmic Reticulum - Split into smooth ER (SER) and rough ER (RER). It makes proteins and lipids. RER is bound with ribosomes.
- Golgi Apparatus - Modifies proteins and lipids. Produces lysosomes.
- Lysosomes - Degrade material within a cell.
- Peroxisomes - Oxidise toxic molecules within the cell.
- Endosomes - Vesicles that form around forgein material that enter the cell.
- Mitochondria - Prouduce ATP by oxidative phosphorylation.
- Cytoskeleton - Protein fillaments resposible for cell shape and movment within the cell.
- Cytosol - Contains many metabolic pathways[2].
Reference
- ↑ http://library.thinkquest.org/C004535/eukaryotic_cells.html ; Accessed on 24/11/2010
- ↑ B Alberts, A Johnson, J Lewis, D Morgan, M Raff, K Roberts, P Walter. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 6th Ed. New York: Garland Science. 2014.