Last modified: Sat 4/12/97 0130 PDT
An organelle is a dependent biostructure which ...
A cell nucleus (pl. nuclei) is an organelle found in certain types of cells, called eucaryotic cells. Cells lacking a nucleus are procaryotic cells.
A mitochondrion (pl. mitochondria) is an organelle in which the metabolic process of cellular respiration takes place.
A ribosome is an organelle at which the metabolic process of protein synthesis takes place.
An endoplasmic reticulum (pl. reticula) is an organelle which transports protein molecules from one part of the cell to another.
A golgi body (also called a golgi apparatus or a golgi complex) is an organelle which creates vesicles (membrane-bound packages) of protein molecules destined for transport.
A chloroplast is an organelle, found in the cells of plants, in which the metabolic process of photosynthesis takes place.
A vacuole is an organelle which serves only as membrane-bound containers (i.e. which are not the site of a particular metabolic process).
A lysosome is an organelle in which material is degraded into simpler products. A peroxisome is similar to a lysosome and serves to degrade substances which are toxic to the cell.