Schematic showing the cytoplasm, with major components of a typical animal cell. Organelles:
(1) nucleolus
(2) nucleus
(3) ribosomes (little dots)
(4) vesicle
(5) rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER)
(6) Golgi apparatus
(7) Cytoskeleton
(8) smooth ER
(9) mitochondria
(10) vacuole
(11) cytoplasm
(12) lysosome
(13) centrioles within centrosome

Cytoplasm is a gelatinous, semi-transparent fluid that fills much of the volume of cells. In Cell biology, an organelle (pronunciation /ɔː(rgəˡnɛl/ is a specialized subunit within a cell that has a specific function and is usually separately enclosed The nucleolus (also called nucleole) is a structure found within the nucleus in which Ribosomal RNA is transcribed. In Cell biology, the nucleus (pl nuclei; from Latin la ''nucleus'' or la ''nuculeus'' "little nut" or kernel is a membrane-enclosed A vesicle is a small bubble of liquid within a cell A more formal definition in Cell biology, would be that a vesicle is a relatively small intracellular membrane-enclosed The endoplasmic reticulum (Greek endo = "within" (prefix plásma = "formed entity" Latin reticulum = "little net" or ER, is an Organelle The Golgi apparatus (also called the cytoskeleton (also CSK is a cellular " Scaffolding " or " Skeleton " contained within the Cytoplasm. In Cell biology, a mitochondrion (plural mitochondria) is a membrane-enclosed Organelle found in most eukaryotic cells. In general vacuole functions include Removing unwanted structural debris Isolating materials that might be harmful or a threat to the cell Containing Lysosomes are Organelles that contain Digestive enzymes (acid Hydrolases. A Centriole is a barrel shaped Organelle found in most animal Eukaryotic cells though absent in Higher plants and Fungi. In Cell biology, the centrosome is an Organelle that serves as the main Microtubule organizing center (MTOC of the animal cell as well The cell is the structural and functional unit of all known living Organisms It is the smallest unit of an organism that is classified as living and is often called Eukaryotic cells contain organelles, such as mitochondria that are filled with liquid that is kept separate from the cytoplasm by cell membranes. Animals Plants fungi, and Protists are eukaryotes (juːˈkærɪɒt or -oʊt Organisms whose cells are organized into complex In Cell biology, an organelle (pronunciation /ɔː(rgəˡnɛl/ is a specialized subunit within a cell that has a specific function and is usually separately enclosed In Cell biology, a mitochondrion (plural mitochondria) is a membrane-enclosed Organelle found in most eukaryotic cells. The cell membrane (also called the plasma membrane, plasmalemma, or "phospholipid bilayer" is a Selectively permeable Lipid bilayer

Constituents

The cytoplasm has three major elements; the cytosol, organelles and inclusions. The cytosol or intracellular fluid (or cytoplasmic matrix) is the liquid found inside cells. In Cell biology, an organelle (pronunciation /ɔː(rgəˡnɛl/ is a specialized subunit within a cell that has a specific function and is usually separately enclosed Inclusions (Cytoplasmic are chemical substances that may or may not be present in a cell depending on the cell type The cytosol is the translucent fluid in which the other cytoplasmic elements are suspended. The cytosol or intracellular fluid (or cytoplasmic matrix) is the liquid found inside cells. The cytoplasm holds organelles and protects them, such as the vacuole, endoplasmic reticulum, etc. Cytosol makes up about 70% of the cell and is composed of water, salts and organic molecules. ^[1] The cytoskeleton, various proteins, ribosomes and enzymes that are necessary for the cell to catalyze reactions are also found throughout the cytosol. cytoskeleton (also CSK is a cellular " Scaffolding " or " Skeleton " contained within the Cytoplasm. Proteins are large Organic compounds made of Amino acids arranged in a linear chain and joined together by Peptide bonds between the Carboxyl Ribosomes ( from ribo nucleic acid and "Greek soma ( meaning body") are complexes of RNA and Protein that Enzymes are Biomolecules that catalyze ( ie increase the rates of Chemical reactions Almost all enzymes are Proteins The inner, granular and more fluid portion of the cytoplasm is referred to as endoplasm.

The organelles are the metabolic machinery of the cell and are like little organs themselves. In Cell biology, an organelle (pronunciation /ɔː(rgəˡnɛl/ is a specialized subunit within a cell that has a specific function and is usually separately enclosed Some major organelles that are suspended in the cytosol are the mitochondria, the endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, and in plant cells chloroplasts. The cytosol or intracellular fluid (or cytoplasmic matrix) is the liquid found inside cells. In Cell biology, a mitochondrion (plural mitochondria) is a membrane-enclosed Organelle found in most eukaryotic cells. The endoplasmic reticulum (Greek endo = "within" (prefix plásma = "formed entity" Latin reticulum = "little net" or ER, is an Organelle The Golgi apparatus (also called the Lysosomes are Organelles that contain Digestive enzymes (acid Hydrolases. Chloroplasts are Organelles found in Plant cells and eukaryotic Algae that conduct Photosynthesis. The inclusions are chemical substances that store nutrients, secretory products and pigment granules. Inclusions (Cytoplasmic are chemical substances that may or may not be present in a cell depending on the cell type ^[2]

Function

The cytoplasm is the site where most cellular activities are done. The functions for cell expansion, growth and replication are carried out in the cytoplasm of the cell. The cytosol has enzymes that take molecules and break them down , so that the individual organelles can use them as they need to. The cytosol also contains the cytoskeleton which gives the cell its shape and can help in the movement of the cell. ^[3]

Footnotes

References

• Alberts, Bruce et al. (2003). Essential Cell Biology, 2nd ed. , Garland Science, 2003, ISBN 081533480X.
• Human Anatomy & Physiology, seventh edition By; Elain N Marieb and Latja Hoehn.
• Glencoe Science Biology The Dynamics of Life

External links

• What is cytoplasm? - by Genevieve Thiers -2002