Journey Into a Cell
...membrane. The cell wall was behind me now, but I was worried if I would be able to pass through the membrane due to the fact that I was an unfamiliar molecule. Though I discovered that the membrane is remarkably thin, I also found it is very selective about who gets in and who goes out. Luckily I had my ID from the research company, otherwise Mr. Membrane wasn’t going to allow me in. In return, I promised that I wouldn’t interfere with the organelles and would be exiting the cell soon after entering it. The plasma membrane is composed of mostly proteins and lipids. Included in the plasma membrane construction is a hydrophilic region of protein, a hydrophobic region of protein, and a phospholipids bi-layer in between the two regions of protein. It has been described as a fluid mosaic. With myself as an exception, the plasma membrane is very selective about what enters the cell. The membrane is constantly transporting wasted, and in taking nutrients. From my passage through the plasma membrane I entered into the cytoplasm to journey on to the mitochondria. The mitochondria is very similar to a power house. It is enclosed in two membranes. Cellular Respiration occurs inside the mitochondria, as well as the conversion of food energy into ATP energy, another form of chemical energy. Time was pressing me to complete my journey. The organelle that needed to be studied was the endoplasmic reticulum, also called the ER. A eukaryotic cell actually has two endoplasmic reticulum, the smooth ER, and the rough ER. Both are part of the endo- membrane system, a name given to the organelles that manufacture and distribute cellular products. The rough ER produces membrane proteins and secretory proteins. The smooth ER performs detoxification as well as synthesizes lipids. Both perform many other important ...