Inside an animal cell
Predict firstAre the nucleus, the nucleolus, and the mitochondrion all enclosed by the same number of membranes?
Use spatial structure to explain how a secreted protein is made, processed, and transported.
Prerequisites: Organelles are structures inside the cell that carry out different functions; membranes separate space into different environments.Open up the cell
Predict firstAre the nucleus, the nucleolus, and the mitochondrion all enclosed by the same number of membranes?
The nucleus has a double membrane with pores, while the nucleolus has no envelope of its own. The mitochondrion has an outer membrane and a folded inner membrane. Select a structure, then press focus to inspect it.
How to observe
- Rotate the cross-section and select an organelle to focus on
- Look at the internal structure of the endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi apparatus and the mitochondrion
- Follow a vesicle and watch the secreted protein reach the outside of the cell
Model notes
A structural sketch of a generic animal cell: colours, numbers, distances and timings are all simplified for teaching and are not microscope measurements of any particular cell. The transport route illustrates the process and is not the pathway of every protein.