Nick Milas

Mrs. Murray
Honors Biology
January 9, 2016
Animal Cell Adventure
It was just an ordinary in Mrs. Murrays period 9 class room when she told her students
they were going on an adventure.
Since midterms are coming up, we will be going on a trip inside a real animal cell to explore its
parts and their functions, said Mrs. Murray.
But how will be able to study the cell when it is so small? Asked Brock Lesner
Mrs. Murray then led the students over to Cosmo the Chinchillas cage. Suddenly, all the
students began to shrink and the room around them slowly became larger. The process began to
speed up, and soon the whole class was a microscopic size, too small to see any of the room they
had been in seconds ago. The only object remaining was a colorful school bus, where Mrs.
Murray was already in the drivers seat.
All aboard, children! said Mrs. Murray.
After the students all took their place on the bus, the bus began to fly into the Cage. Mrs.
Murray flew the bus towards the nearest animal cell, but they were soon stopped by a structure
with two layers of phospholipids.
Why did we stop Mrs. Murray? Asked Calin.
It looks like we have reached the cell membrane, Calin. The cell membrane regulates materials
entering and exiting the cell. Said Mrs. Murray.
The cell membrane soon let the school bus pass through, and enter the cell.
Where are we now? Asked some of the students.
It appears that we are currently traveling through the cytoplasm. It is a region made up of fluid
and organelles that fills up the space between the nucleus and cell membrane. It contains almost
all of the cells contents. Said Nick.
As the bus continued its journey through the cell, they passed multiple microfilaments
and microtubules.
What are those? Asked Ryan Rothermel.
Those are microfilaments and microtubules. They provide support and structure for the cell.
These objects all together are known as the cytoskeleton. Said Erin.

Some microtubules are different though, Erin. Those specific microtubules are called centrioles.
They help divide the cell during cell division. Said Mrs. Murray.
Mrs. Murray then flew the bus towards a strange pancake shaped layered organelle. The
students recognized that it was the golgi apparatus, and the function was to package, label, and
ship proteins out of the cell.
What is that small membrane bound organelle beside the golgi apparatus? Asked Sophia.
That is a vesicle, whose function is to store water, nutrients, or waste. Vacuoles serve the same
purpose as vesicles. Said Jozef.
As their adventure proceeded, the students approached another membrane bound
structure similar to the vesicle.
Do not be confused by this organelle as it is not a vacuole or vesicle. It is actually a lysosome,
whose function is to hold packets of enzymes that break down materials in a cell. Said Mrs.
Murray.
How about that kidney shaped thing off in the distance Mrs. Murray. What is that? Asked
Ryan.
That is called a mitochondria. The role of the mitochondria is to produce the energy for the cell,
and is also the site of cellular respiration. Said Mrs. Murray.
Where is the nucleus? We all want to see what the nucleus looks like! Said a group of students
in the back.
We are almost there but first we have to pass through all of these tubes and channels, also
known as the endoplasmic reticulum. Can anyone tell me what the function of the endoplasmic
reticulum is? Asked Mrs. Murray.
I know! The endoplasmic reticulum is used as the transport route for proteins. There is a rough
and smooth endoplasmic reticulum. The rough has ribosomes, while the smooth does not. Said
Matt.
Very good! For anyone that did not know, ribosomes are small circular organelles that make
proteins. Now everyone look out your windows, we are entering the nucleus! Said Mrs. Murray.
The nucleus is membrane bound, and contains DNA. The nucleus serves as the control center of
a cell, as it regulates DNA and RNA actions. Said Brock Lesner.
While inside the nucleus, the class approached a structure separate from the DNA called
the nucleolus.
That looks like the nucleolus. It produces RNA, which are used to make proteins. Said
Micheala.
After a long day of cell exploring, the students were on their way out of the cell. They
passed all the cell structures that they had learned so much about that day. They exited through

the cell membrane, just the way they entered the cell. They returned to the classroom, where they
all got off the bus back onto the floor. All the students and Mrs. Murray started growing
simultaneously and were soon back to their original height. There was one minute before the bell
rang, so the students hurried and headed toward their next class.
The End

Cell Functions
1. Cell Membrane- Regulates Materials entering and exiting the cell.
2. Nucleus- Control center of the cell, regulates DNA and RNA actions.
3. Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum- Transportation route for proteins, has ribosomes.
4. Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum- Transportation route for proteins, no ribosomes.
5. Golgi Apparatus- Packages, labels, and ships proteins out of the cell.
6. Vesicle- Storage for water, nutrients, or waste.
7. Mitochondria- produce energy for the cell, site of cellular respiration.
8. Lysosome- Packets of enzymes that break down materials in a cell.
9. Vacuole- Storage for water, nutrients, or waste.
10. Ribosomes- Makes proteins.
11. Cytoplasm- All cell contents that lie between the cell membrane and the nucleus.
12. Cytoskeleton- Provide support and structure for the cell.
13. Nucleolus- Produces RNA, which are used to make all proteins.