Level of life
Cell
The smallest unit that can live on its own. Every living thing is made of one or more cells.
Cell Explorer
Tour an animal or plant cell: what each organelle does, the molecules inside it, related conditions and current research.
Step 6 of 7LabInteractive explorer
How this step works
- Open the Cell Explorer and work through it at your own pace.
- Come back here and mark the lab as done.
Lab XP is earned once per lab. If another path includes the same lab, finishing it here counts there too.
Concepts you will meet
Structure
Nucleus
Stores most of the cell's DNA and controls which genes are used.
Structure
Mitochondria
Convert energy from food into ATP, the cell's usable energy.
Structure
Ribosomes
Build proteins by reading messenger RNA.
Structure
Endoplasmic reticulum
Makes and folds proteins and lipids for membranes and export.
Structure
Golgi apparatus
Modifies, sorts and ships proteins and lipids.
Structure
Lysosomes
Break down and recycle worn-out parts and waste.
Structure
Cell membrane
Controls what enters and leaves the cell.
Structure
Cytoskeleton
Gives the cell its shape and moves things inside it.
Structure
Chloroplasts
Capture light energy to make sugar by photosynthesis.