Experiment - Making a Model of a Cell

Making a Model of a Cell

Purpose:
The purpose of this lab is to make a 3D model of a cell in order to better understand the parts and workings of a cell. The double-strength baggies will represent the cell membrane (made of fat molecules, protects the inside of the cell from the outside environment), the syrup the cytoplasm (everything inside the cell membrane except the nucleus). Choose objects that you feel best represent organelles.

Supplies:
2 Ziploc baggies
light Karo syrup
assorted other objects to represent organelles
(could include cereal, balloons, gummi worms, mints, fruit slices, dried fruit, matches, miniature gum balls, Boston peanuts, Christmas lights, peanuts, rope licorice, jelly beans, sesame seeds, other candies, toothpicks, peas in a pod, etc.)

Pour Karo syrup into baggie, then put that baggie into a second one for extra strength.

Decide which objects might best represent the organelles in a cell, and add them. (Don't eat too many of the organelles...)

nucleus - information center-houses DNA. Has its own membrane, with nucleolus in center which makes ribosomes (which make protein for the cell).
proteins - one of basic structural and functional units of cell made by ribosomes, made up of strings of amino acids. One molecule is not an organelle. Glitter could represent proteins on their way to becoming part of an organelle.

endoplasmic reticulum (ER) - a network of membranes with two regions: rough (ribosomes are bound to it) and smooth (lipid molecules are made here).
mitochondria - ”power plants”--they make energy from glucose, using oxygen and producing carbon dioxide (taken care of by our lungs).
lysosomes - small sacks containing enzymes, which tear down old molecules of DNA, protein, or lipid into small units which can be reused to make new molecules.
golgi complex - sort newly made proteins and sends them to their proper places within the cell or outside the cell (by secreting them).

Experiment from The Natural History of Genes:
http://raven.umnh.utah.edu/new/teachkits/dna/cell.model/model.html