The major parts of an animal cell explained

From the smallest of ants to the largest of whales, all members of the animal kingdom are composed of cells, the fundamental unit of life. Animal cells possess basic structures common to all cells. These include a cell membrane, a semipermeable outer layer controlling what substances can pass in and out, as well as cytoplasm, a semifluid substance that surrounds a cell’s inner contents. As eukaryotes, animal cells have specialized structures called organelles to carry out certain functions. Many of these tasks are controlled by the nucleus, which contains a cell’s chromosomes. Located near the center of the cell, the nucleus regulates a cell’s growth, metabolism, and other functions. Connected to the nucleus is the endoplasmic reticulum, a network of membranes that creates proteins and lipids. The outside of the endoplasmic reticulum is lined with tiny structures called ribosomes, small organelles that are vital for the construction of proteins. Proteins and lipids move to an organelle known as the Golgi apparatus, which is responsible for the transport, modification, and storage of proteins and lipids. The mitochondria are focused on energy and metabolic activity. Known as the powerhouse of the cell, the mitochondria converts glucose molecules into energy for the cell to use. That glucose may have come from the vacuoles: storage organelles that can carry food and waste products. Similar in appearance to vacuoles are lysosomes, which are filled with enzymes used to digest macromolecules, microorganisms, and old cell parts. Other parts of the cell are more structural in purpose. For example, the cytoskeleton is a network of protein filaments and tubules that gives the cell its shape and organizes the internal contents of the cell. And the centrosome is a spherical organelle that prepares the cell for mitosis by producing microtubules to help separate the chromosomes. While the majority of these organelles can be found in plants, fungi, and other eukaryotic cells, some are exclusive to animal cells. And all animal cells contain these same basic structures—no matter how different the animals they belong to may look.