Cell Membrane

Function: Controls what gets in and out of the cell
Analogy: A cell membrane is like a door because the cell membrane of a cell allows things to get in and out of the cell. A door opens and closes allowing things to go through it.
Home: The cell membrane is found in both animal and plant cell
Facts: The cell membrane completely surrounds the cell. It is composed of fat molecules with hydrophobic tails, meaning that they are repelled by water, and hydrophillic heads, meaning that they are attracted by water. which is called the Phospholipid bilayer. It is called a bilayer because it is formed out of two layers of fats, both with their hydrophobic ends facing inward towards each other and the hyrdophillic ends facing both towards the outside of the cell and into the interior of the cell with the cytoplasm.

Mitochondria

Function: Takes food and makes energy that the rest of the cell can use
Analogy: The mitochondria is like a battery because the mitochondria of the cell makes energy so the cell can use it. A battery provides energy for whatever it gets put in.
Home: The mitochondria can be found in both plant and animal cells
Facts: Different types of cells have different numbers of mitochondria. Some simple cells contain only one or two mitochondria. However, complex animal cells that need a lot of energy, like muscle cells, can have thousands of mitochondria. Cells use a special molecule for energy called ATP. ATP stands for adenosine triphosphate. The ATP for the cell is made within the mitochondria.

Nucleus

Function: Control gene expression and mediate the replication of DNA during the cell cycle
Analogy: The nucleus is like a remote controller because the nucleus of the cell is like the control center so it can change things (like DNA). A remote controller controls the television and can change the settings or channels on the television.
Home: The nucleus can be found in both plant and animal cells
Facts: The nucleus is the most important structure inside the plant and animal cell. Only eukaryotic cells have a nucleus. In fact, the definition of a eukaryotic cell is that it contains a nucleus while a prokaryotic cell is defined as not having a nucleus. The nucleus is surrounded by a membrane to protect it from the rest of the cell.

Cell Wall

Function: It surrounds the cell membrane and provides these cells with structural support and protection
Analogy: The cell wall is like a storm shelter because the cell wall acts as if it is a protective barrier for the cell. A storm shelter helps protect people from storms and other dangers.
Home: The cell wall can be found in only the plant cells
Facts: Cell walls are made up of specialized sugars called cellulose. Cellulose provides a protected framework for a plant cell to survive. Cell walls also help a plant keep its shape.

Vacuoles

Function: To store things
Analogy: Vacuoles are like a storage facility because vacuoles acts as is if it stores items or things for the cell. A storage facility helps people store things we don't need right away.
Home: Vacuoles can be found in only a plant cells
Facts: Vacuoles might store food or any variety of nutrients a cell might need to survive. They can even store waste products so the rest of the cell is protected from contamination. Eventually, those waste products would be sent out of the cell.

Chloroplasts

Function: Absorbs sunlight and uses it in conjunction with water and carbon dioxide gas to produce food for the plant
Analogy: Chloroplast is like a farmer because chloroplast makes food for the cell. Farmers grow different foods for us to eat.
Home: Chloroplast can be located in plant cells only
Facts: Chloroplast works to convert light energy of the Sun into sugars that can be used by cells. The entire process is called photosynthesis and it all depends on the little green chlorophyll molecules in each chloroplast.

Cytoplasm

Function: The fluid that fills the cell
Analogy: Cytoplasm is like the gusher's filling because cytoplasm fills the cell with liquid. A gusher's filling is gooey and is the liquid that fills the entire gusher.
Home: Cytoplasm can be found in both plant and animal cells
Facts: The cytoplasm has many different molecules dissolved in solution. You'll find enzymes, fatty acids, sugars, and amino acids that are used to keep the cell working. Waste products are also dissolved before they are taken in by vacuoles or sent out of the cell.

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum

Function: Acts as a storage organelle
Analogy: The smooth ER is like a smooth road because it is not as rough looking and the rough ER. The smooth road is smooth for cars to travel on and the cars could store things on the road
Home: The smooth ER can be located in both plant and animal cells
Facts: It is important in the creation and storage of lipids and steroids. Steroids are a type of ringed organic molecule used for many purposes in an organism. They are not always about building the muscle mass of a weight lifter. Cells in your body that release oils also have more SER than most cells.

Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum

Function: Synthesizes and secretes serum proteins
Analogy: The rough ER is like an assembly line because ribosomes are positioned on rough endoplasmic reticulum where the proteins are assembled. Workers gather in regions of the factory where the assembly takes place.
Home: The rough ER can be found in both plant and animal cells
Facts: The rough ER is named for its rough appearance due to the ribosomes attached to its outer cytoplasmic surface, is found in the region of the ER immediately associated with the nuclear envelope.

Golgi Apparatus

Function: A major function is the modifying, sorting and packaging of proteins for secretion. It is also involved in the transport of lipids around the cell, and the creation of lysosomes
Analogy: The golgi apparatus is like a post office because it is responsible for packaging and transporting macromoleculs. A post office packages and transports mail to peoples homes.
Home: The golgi apparatus can be found in both plant and animal cells
Facts: The Golgi apparatus gathers simple molecules and combines them to make molecules that are more complex. It then takes those big molecules, packages them in vesicles, and either stores them for later use or sends them out of the cell.

Lysosomes

Function: To kill and digest bacteria
Analogy: Lysosomes are like algae eaters because it kills and digests bacteria. Algae eaters eat the bacteria in fish tanks or aquariums
Home: Lysosomes can be located in animal cells
Facts: They might be used to digest food or break down the cell when it dies. A lysosome is basically a specialized vesicle that holds a variety of enzymes.

Nucleolous

Function: The round body inside the nucleus
Analogy: The nucleolus is like an onion because it surrounds the nucleus. Onions have outer layers that protect the onion inside.
Home: The nucleolus can be located only in animal cells
Facts:It is a cellular structure found within the nucleus of eukaryotic cells. There can be many nucleoli within a single cell nucleus, although normal human cells all have only one nucleolus.