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The cell wall acts to protect the cell mechanically and chemically from its environment, and is an additional layer of protection to the cell membrane. Different types of cell have cell walls made up of different materials; plant cell walls are primarily made up of cellulose, fungi cell walls are made up of chitin and bacteria cell walls are ...
The components of bilayers are distributed unequally between the two surfaces to create asymmetry between the outer and inner surfaces. [2] This asymmetric organization is important for cell functions such as cell signaling. [3] The asymmetry of the biological membrane reflects the different functions of the two leaflets of the membrane. [4]
Illustration of a eukaryotic cell membrane Comparison of a eukaryotic vs. a prokaryotic cell membrane. The cell membrane (also known as the plasma membrane or cytoplasmic membrane, and historically referred to as the plasmalemma) is a biological membrane that separates and protects the interior of a cell from the outside environment (the extracellular space).
While the majority of cellular components are located within the cell itself, some may exist in extracellular areas of an organism. [5] Cellular components may also be called biological matter or biological material. Most biological matter has the characteristics of soft matter, being governed by relatively small energies. All known life is ...
The Golgi apparatus is a series of multiple compartments where molecules are packaged for delivery to other cell components or for secretion from the cell. [4] Vacuoles , which are found in both plant and animal cells (though much bigger in plant cells), are responsible for maintaining the shape and structure of the cell as well as storing ...
The name organelle comes from the idea that these structures are parts of cells, as organs are to the body, hence organelle, the suffix -elle being a diminutive. Organelles are either separately enclosed within their own lipid bilayers (also called membrane-bounded organelles) or are spatially distinct functional units without a surrounding ...
Cell biology (also cellular biology or cytology) is a branch of biology that studies the structure, function, and behavior of cells. [1] [2] All living organisms are made of cells. A cell is the basic unit of life that is responsible for the living and functioning of organisms. [3] Cell biology is the study of the structural and functional ...
The cell nucleus (from Latin nucleus or nuculeus 'kernel, seed'; pl.: nuclei) is a membrane-bound organelle found in eukaryotic cells.Eukaryotic cells usually have a single nucleus, but a few cell types, such as mammalian red blood cells, have no nuclei, and a few others including osteoclasts have many.