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In cell biology, an organelle is a specialized subunit, usually within a cell, that has a specific function. 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 .
The main distinguishing feature of eukaryotes as compared to prokaryotes is compartmentalization: the presence of membrane-bound organelles (compartments) in which specific activities take place. Most important among these is a cell nucleus, [2] an organelle that houses the cell's DNA. This nucleus gives the eukaryote its name, which means ...
The main tissues that make up an organ tend to have common embryologic origins, such as arising from the same germ layer. Organs exist in most multicellular organisms. In single-celled organisms such as members of the eukaryotes, the functional analogue of an organ is known as an organelle. In plants, there are three main organs. [3]
Light micrograph of a moss's leaf cells at 400X magnification. The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to cell biology: . Cell biology – A branch of biology that includes study of cells regarding their physiological properties, structure, and function; the organelles they contain; interactions with their environment; and their life cycle, division, and death.
The various membranes that enclose the other subcellular organelles must therefore be constructed by transfer of lipids from these sites of synthesis. [17] However, although it is clear that lipid transport is a central process in organelle biogenesis, the mechanisms by which lipids are transported through cells remain poorly understood. [18]
Prokaryotes have fewer organelles than eukaryotes. Both have plasma membranes and ribosomes (structures that synthesize proteins [clarification needed] and float free in cytoplasm). Two unique characteristics of prokaryotes are fimbriae (finger-like projections on the surface of a cell) and flagella (threadlike structures that aid movement). [2]
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.
In cell biology, the centrosome (Latin centrum 'center' + Greek sōma 'body') (archaically cytocentre [1]) is an organelle that serves as the main microtubule organizing center (MTOC) of the animal cell, as well as a regulator of cell-cycle progression.