Plant & Animal Cells

Light microscopes allow us to see cells. With the help of slides to make thin layers of cells and hold them in place, we can zoom in up to 1,000 times the size of the specimen on a slide.

Not all cells are the same. Cells are specialized based on their functions. For example, a nerve cell looks very different than a muscle cell due to their functions.

Cells have many parts, called organelles. Some examples of organelles include the nucleus, the cytoplasm, the cell membrane, the vacuole, the lysosome, and the mitochondria. Each organelle has a specific function to help keep the cell alive.

Animal and plant cells have many of the same organelles with a few exceptions. Plant cells have a cell wall to help give the plant structure. Plant cells also contain chloroplasts; the organelles where photosynthesis takes place.

Scientists study cells to help identify causes for diseases, which ultimately can lead to cures.

Cells are living things because they grow, reproduce and take in nutrients. Cells also have genetic material called DNA needed to make new cells.

Single celled organisms are made up of only one cell. An amoeba is an example of a unicellular organism. Multicellular organisms are made up of more than one cell. People, dogs and plants are all examples of multicellular organisms.

The mitochondria is where sugar is converted into energy. The cell needs energy in order to carry out its everyday functions.

The cell wall gives a plant cell support and structure allowing the plant to stand upright. This is important so that the plant can get sunlight in order to do photosynthesis.

Depending on the power of the microscope, you would be able to see the cell membranes (or cell walls if looking at plants). You would also most likely be able to see the nucleus of each cell. Other organelles might be too small or not colored.

Onions are from the root of a plant, which is typically under the ground. Chloroplasts are found mostly in the leaves of plants. The leaves are where the process of photosynthesis takes place.

All the organelles in a cell work together to keep the cell alive. If there was no nucleus the cell wouldn’t be able to grow or reproduce. If there was no mitochondria, it would have no energy and if there was no cell membrane there wouldn’t be any cell at all.