6
Cell Organelles
• Nucleus. Known as the
cell’s “command center,” the nucleus is a
large organelle that stores the
cell’s DNA (deoxyribonucleic
acid). ...
• Ribosomes. Ribosomes are the protein factories of the cell. ...
• Endoplasmic reticulum. The endoplasmic reticulum can either be
smooth or rough, and in general its function is to produce proteins for the rest of the cell to function. The rough endoplasmic reticulum has on it ribosomes, which are
small, round organelles whose function it is to make those proteins.
• Golgi apparatus. The Golgi apparatus, or Golgi complex, functions as a factory in which proteins received from the ER are further processed and sorted for transport to their eventual destinations: lysosomes, the plasma membrane, or secretion. In addition, glycolipids and sphingomyelin are synthesized within the Golgi.
• Chloroplasts. Chloroplasts produce energy through photosynthesis and oxygen-release processes, which sustain
plant growth and crop yield. As such, chloroplasts are responsible for the biosynthesis of active compounds such as amino acids, phytohormones, nucleotides, vitamins, lipids, and secondary metabolites.
• Mitochondria. Mitochondria are membrane-bound cell organelles (mitochondrion, singular) that generate most of the chemical energy needed to
power the cell’s biochemical reactions. Chemical energy produced by the mitochondria is stored in a
small molecule called adenosine triphosphate (
ATP).
