Plant Cell

The building blocks of plants, with there being different types of plant cells, for example collenchyma, parenchyma, sclerenchyma, phloem, or xylem, performing different functions within a plant.

The basic structure is similar although there will be different components within a cell:
• Cell wall: An outer layer of cells that surrounds a plant cell and which provide structure and strength to the cell.
• Cell membrane: A thin inner layer which encloses the cell contents.
• Chloroplast: A specialised cell where photosynthesis takes place.
• Granum: A collection of discs (Thylakoids) which contain the green pigment Chlorophyll, and this is where light is captured by the cell for use in photosynthesis.
• Vacuole: A varying sized water storage cell, which also includes dissolved nutrients etc., that influences if the cell Is turgid or flaccid.
• Tonoplast: The membrane that encloses the vacuole.
• Mitochondrion (singular): A specialised cell where respiration takes place. Mitochondria are plural.
• Peroxisome: A specialised cell that produces H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) from the oxidation of organic material, which is then broken down to produce water.
• Cytoplasm: All the cell contents, excluding the nucleus.
• Vesicles: Small cells which often transport metabolites around the cell, often as a result of a reaction or a transformation of molecules in specialised cells, for example Golgi vesicles.
• Golgi body: A specialised cell involved with processing products and transporting them in vesicles to for use at other cell locations.
• Nucleus: The main central cell that contains the genetic material of a plant, i.e. chromosomes and DNA.
• Nuclear envelope: An inner and outer membrane that encloses and surrounds the nucleus.
• Nuclear core complex: The access region, consisting of pores (also called nuclear pores) for molecules and RNA between the cytoplasm and nucleus, being located inside the nuclear envelope.
• Nucleolus: The central core of the nucleus which creates ribosomal RNA.
• Endoplasmic reticulum (ER): Cells that connect the nuclear membrane with the cell wall, consisting of two types:
o Rough ER (RER): These have ribosomes attached, being a site of protein production.
o Smooth ER (SER): These do not contain ribosomes, being a site of lipid (e.g. fats, oils,) production, and are much less common then RER.
• Ribosomes: Cells that create proteins and amino acids and other products and can be located in either the cytoplasm or attached to the endoplasmic reticulum.
• Cytosol: The liquid material within a cell.
• Cytoskeleton: Fine strands within the cytoplasm which aids the distribution and organisation of cell contents.
• Plasmodesmata: Channels that connect cells, acting as a means of transporting products between different cells.