VST - Plant Cells and parts

Plant Cells

An Interactive Exploration

Begin

6 Kingdoms of Life

All forms of life are made up of a basic unit called cells. In this lesson, we’ll focus on the cells that make up plants.

Select the plants in the diagram.

Whether it’s a tree, a vegetable plant, or a cactus, all plants have cells that work together to help the plant grow, absorb sunlight, produce food, and support the overall structure of the plant.

Select one of the plant cells.

Plant cells under a microscope

Within a cell, there are many tiny parts, each playing a crucial role in keeping the cell functioning properly. Let’s build a model of a plant cell to better understand these parts.

Build Model of a Plant Cell

Plant cell under a microscope

First up, we need a cell wall. The cell wall provides structure and protection, helping the plant stand tall.

Add Cell Wall

Hover over the label to learn more.

cell wall

Hover over the label to learn more.

Next, let’s add the cell membrane. It sits just inside the cell wall and controls what enters and exits the cell, allowing nutrients in, keeping harmful substances out, and maintaining the balance needed for the cell to survive.

Add Cell Membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

cell membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

Next, let’s add the cytoplasm, the jelly-like substance that fills the cell and holds everything in place.

Add Cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

Now it's time to add the organelles, specialized structures within the cell that perform specific functions. Let's start with the nucleus, the control center of the cell, which houses the DNA and directs all the cell’s activities.

Add Nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

Next, let’s add the chloroplasts. Chloroplasts use energy from sunlight to make glucose, a type of sugar, through the process of photosynthesis.

Add Chloroplasts

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

chloroplast

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

Next, let’s add the mitochondria. Mitochondria (singular: mitochondrion), known as the powerhouses of the cell, convert glucose made in chloroplasts into ATP, the energy the cell needs to function.

chloroplast

Add Mitochondria

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

mitochondrion

chloroplast

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

Now, let’s add the vacuole. The vacuole is the storage tank of the cell, holding water, nutrients, and waste. In plant cells, it helps keep the cell firm.

mitochondrion

chloroplast

Add Vacuole

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

mitochondrion

chloroplast

vacuole

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

Now, let’s add the ribosomes. Ribosomes are tiny factories in the cell that follow instructions from the cell’s DNA to build proteins, which are essential for the cell to function and stay healthy.

mitochondrion

chloroplast

vacuole

Add Ribosomes

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

mitochondrion

chloroplast

vacuole

ribosome

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

Next, let’s add the endoplasmic reticulum. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) has two parts: the rough ER, which has ribosomes and serves as passageways to transport proteins where they’re needed in the cell, and the smooth ER, which makes lipids and breaks down toxins.

mitochondrion

chloroplast

vacuole

ribosome

nucleus

Add Endoplasmic Reticulum

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

mitochondrion

chloroplast

endoplasmic reticulum

vacuole

ribosome

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

Now, let’s add the Golgi apparatus. The Golgi apparatus is like the cell’s post office. It packages and ships proteins and lipids to where they need to go, either inside or outside the cell.

mitochondrion

chloroplast

endoplasmic reticulum

vacuole

Add Golgi Apparatus

ribosome

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

Golgi apparatus

mitochondrion

chloroplast

endoplasmic reticulum

vacuole

ribosome

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

Great job on building the plant cell model! Now, let's go over what you've learned.

Golgi apparatus

mitochondrion

chloroplast

Review Question 1 of 10

endoplasmic reticulum

vacuole

ribosome

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

Review Question 2 of 10

Golgi apparatus

mitochondrion

chloroplast

endoplasmic reticulum

vacuole

ribosome

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

Review Question 3 of 10

Golgi apparatus

mitochondrion

chloroplast

endoplasmic reticulum

vacuole

ribosome

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

Review Question 4 of 10

Golgi apparatus

mitochondrion

chloroplast

endoplasmic reticulum

vacuole

ribosome

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

Review Question 5 of 10

Golgi apparatus

mitochondrion

chloroplast

endoplasmic reticulum

vacuole

ribosome

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Hover over the labels to learn more.

Review Question 6 of 10

Golgi apparatus

mitochondrion

chloroplast

endoplasmic reticulum

vacuole

ribosome

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Review Question 7 of 10

Golgi apparatus

mitochondrion

chloroplast

endoplasmic reticulum

vacuole

ribosome

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Review Question 8 of 10

Golgi apparatus

mitochondrion

chloroplast

endoplasmic reticulum

vacuole

ribosome

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Review Question 9 of 10

Golgi apparatus

mitochondrion

chloroplast

endoplasmic reticulum

vacuole

ribosome

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Review Question 10 of 10

Golgi apparatus

mitochondrion

chloroplast

endoplasmic reticulum

vacuole

ribosome

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Great job learning about plant cells! Each part plays a vital role in keeping the cell, and the whole plant, alive and healthy. By working together, these parts help the plant grow, produce energy, and stay strong.

Golgi apparatus

mitochondrion

chloroplast

endoplasmic reticulum

vacuole

ribosome

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall

Great job learning about plant cells! Each part plays a vital role in keeping the cell—and the whole plant—alive and healthy. By working together, these parts help the plant grow, produce energy, and stay strong.

Review Games

Great job learning about plant cells! Each part plays a vital role in keeping the cell—and the whole plant—alive and healthy. By working together, these parts help the plant grow, produce energy, and stay strong.

Golgi apparatus

mitochondrion

chloroplast

vacuole

endoplasmic reticulum

ribosome

nucleus

cytoplasm

cell membrane

cell wall